By Bond Collective Staff
In many countries around the world, it is now possible for employees of all sorts to work from anywhere — not just in the office or at home. But is this model here to stay? And is it right for your company and your employees?
In this article, we discuss the work-from-anywhere paradigm and how it’s transforming the way we do business.
The Evolution Of Work
Business is experiencing a dramatic transformation as of late that’s akin to the switch from farm-based work to the factories of the early twentieth century.
More recently, individuals, teams, and businesses in every sector and niche were all but forced to evolve into the work-from-home model. Underneath that forced switch lies an undercurrent that is only now bubbling to the surface to change the way we do business.
That undercurrent is the realization that employees can maintain their productivity, creativity, and collaboration even when they work from anywhere (WFA).
No longer do team members need to report to a physical office every day. They can literally live anywhere and telecommute to a shared space online in order to work together, access resources, and communicate with management.
The Heart Of Work From Anywhere
The work-from-anywhere model is deeply rooted in — and reliant on — a set of components that make it not only possible but also fast, reliable, user-friendly, and easy to use.
Without these components, the ability to work from anywhere would fall by the wayside like the cubicle before it.
1) Mobile Technology
If the ability to work from anywhere were a human body, mobile technology would be the heart. Without affordable, powerful, and lightweight wireless technology, employees would still be tethered to their desks.
Laptops, tablets, and smartphones make it possible to cut the ties that bind your team members to the office, their home, and even civilization itself.
With the right combination of technology, employees can work from a city park bench; from a moving plane, train, or automobile; or in the middle of the wilderness.
2) Ubiquitous Internet
If mobile technology is the heart of the work-from-anywhere movement, ubiquitous internet is the soul.
Access to the internet is everywhere these days. Whether it’s through an ethernet cable, Wi-Fi, or a satellite signal, remote workers can pick and choose where and how they want to work.
As long as team members can get an internet signal when they need it — to collaborate, submit assignments, or review the workflow — it really doesn’t matter where they’re located.
They may be living in a hut in the middle of the Darien Gap for a month and have to hike several days to find an internet signal in order to turn in their work. But, as long as the work is of high quality and comes in on time, does it really matter where it was completed?
The combination of mobile technology and ubiquitous internet is the core of the work-from-anywhere movement — without either one, the revolution would be impossible.
3) Coworking Spaces
While some may choose to work from unique places (like the Darien Gap or a mountain in Nepal), many find it more convenient to remain in more densely populated areas. That’s where coworking spaces come in.
Coworking spaces give remote and mobile team members a place to go where they don’t have to worry about the battery in their laptop running low or the Wi-Fi signal being interrupted by wind, rain, or other weather.
Coworking spaces can serve as a long-term base of operations, a satellite office, or a waypoint on the road to somewhere else.
The culture and atmosphere of these shared workspaces are more conducive to creativity, connectivity, collaboration, focus, and productivity than a noisy and crowded corner cafe.
At the most basic, coworking spaces make it easier for your business and your team members to manage this new work model and make for an easy way to transition from the more traditional leased office space to the growing work-from-anywhere paradigm.
4) Affordable Solar Power
Solar power might not seem like a foundational element of the work-from-anywhere movement, but it — like satellite internet and wireless technology — gives remote employees more flexibility when it comes to where they choose to work.
Instead of being constrained by the local power grid, a truly mobile worker can travel with their own solar panels that generate electricity anywhere with enough sunlight every day.
A brief search of the internet reveals the possibilities — intrepid free spirits working from a hut on the beach in rural Guatemala or in the middle of the desert.
All they need is satellite internet and electricity from the sun.
These cases are extreme, but they illustrate the potential for employees to work from wherever they choose with the right equipment.
A more “civilized” example is the current trend of creatives such as coders, writers, and lifestyle entrepreneurs working from RVs and vans.
Many of these mobile offices are outfitted with solar panels that generate enough electricity to (among other things) charge a laptop, tablet, smartphone, and Wi-Fi antenna.
Whether they choose to find a free Wi-Fi signal, pay for their own, or go the extra mile for satellite internet, that’s all they really need to work from their moving homes.
Is The Work-From-Anywhere Model Here To Stay?
Businesses and employees alike are quickly realizing that the work-from-anywhere model is the perfect way to create a more equitable work/life balance.
That said, it’s unlikely that remote workers will become the norm right away. It’s more likely that the paradigm will transition through a hybrid office/remote-work concept before fully embracing the WFA idea.
Many businesses are already fully invested in the decentralized concept that WFA allows.
For example, an entrepreneur starts a business online from her living room. She hires dedicated or freelance employees who may live in various corners of the world (or be completely mobile) and never meet face to face other than over the internet.
However, that’s a big step for established businesses that are still working under the traditional centralized business model. They may see the value of WFA, but they can’t get there in one fell swoop.
Instead, they rearrange their business practices so that employees report to the office once or twice a week but are then allowed to work from home (or anywhere they like) on the other days.
It all depends on what’s right for the business and what goals it hopes to reach with a WFA program.
Establish The Right Base
Establishing the right base of operations is a big part of ensuring that your work-from-anywhere model is successful.
This new paradigm is all about flexibility — both within the office space itself and the physical location of said space — and access to the tools necessary to get the job done remotely.
Coworking spaces at Bond Collective are the perfect solution. They make it possible for employees to work without worrying about where they’ll set their laptops and how they’re going to access the internet.
But those aren’t the only two benefits Bond Collective has to offer. We take the concept of flexibility in the work-from-anywhere model to the next level.
Bond Collective can accommodate teams of one to 100+ with a combination of hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices, and even suites.
And those arrangements aren’t set in stone as they would be with a conventional lease.
Bond Collective makes it easy to expand or contract your team’s footprint from one month to the next. You can work from dedicated desks in February and March; upgrade to private offices in April, May, and June; and then downgrade to first-come-first-served desks in July.
We even offer members access to our other locations across the United States so your remote employees can truly work from anywhere.
No matter where you go, your remote workforce will also enjoy industry-leading amenities, including:
Comfortable furnishings
Access to small and large conference rooms
Networking events
Daily on-site cleaning
Rooftop lounge area
Photo & sound studio (at Gowanus location)
Complimentary fresh fruit
Complimentary beer, coffee, and tea
Bike storage
Private meeting and phone booths
Office showers
Guest reception and greeting
And much more
If you’re looking for a spacious, well-appointed collaborative workspace that allows your team to truly work from anywhere, take advantage of any one of our Bond Collective locations in the United States — including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Illinois, Tennessee, and Texas — or call us today to find out more about everything we have to offer.
For more resources to help you manage your business or to learn more about the advantages of coworking spaces for distributed teams, digital nomads, remote workers, and businesses of all types and sizes, visit BondCollective.com today.