Workspitality

The introduction of workspaces into hotels is proving very helpful to many chains who want to reinvent themselves, creating hybrid models that combine hotels with offices in which the ever-growing number of remote workers can find all the services they need. This hybridisation will be key in the coming years and has already helped create diversified spaces, from those aimed at digital nomads who want to combine leisure and work in paradisical destinations, to setting up office spaces for locals who require a place to concentrate and host meetings. And in between, a wide range of formulas are appearing and providing hotels with new avenues for boosting their business.

Drivers of change

As a result of the pandemic, telework has become the only possible solution for some. Offices emptied and work moved to the home. This change will be reversed as the health situation improves, but not altogether, and Covid-19 will prove to be the impetus to increase the number of home workers. In the United States, 75% of financial directors want their workforce to shift to remote work after the pandemic (Source: Gartner). According to other sources, 33% of US workers would be willing to do it remotely (Source: Upwork survey). 

Despite coworking spaces greatly decreasing in number during the pandemic, the market is expected to recover to $11.52 billion by 2023 with an average annual growth of 11.8% (Source: BusinessWire). 

Meanwhile, countries throughout the world are beginning to implement new labour policies which include the option of working from home, which will make it easier for both companies and employees to choose this work model in the future. In addition, workers’ perceptions of job offers have also changed dramatically. The possibility to work remotely has become the issue du jour when choosing a job. This new reality has led to many countries adopting policies to help attract new talent in the way of digital nomads. Barbados has already announced a new 12-month permit for teleworkers, and countries such as Japan and Spain have set forth plans to invest heavily in their digital infrastructure in order to improve internet access. 

However, remote work does cause some problems, with loneliness being the number one concern. 64% of self-employed workers claim that they feel lonely as a result of their work, compared to just 29% of office workers (Source: Viking). For this reason, new shared workspace models have become the answer for many workers who do not have an office and those who work far away from it.

«The explosion of the digital nomad lifestyle will be one of the greatest movements that the hospitality sector has ever seen».
Rafael Museri, Co-Founder and CEO of Selina.

The result

Many issues have arisen since work has shifted to the domestic space. Homes are simply not prepared to play host to workspaces, with incorrect lighting, a lack of space, lack of soundproofing and work-life balance being the main concerns, while bringing about new needs such as regular access to workspaces near to the home. Hotels have taken pole position in the race to meet this budding need. And this is not necessarily a bad thing; hybrid hotels may be able to increase their income by up to 20% by catering for “bleisure” travellers (Source: Colliers International).

Design keys

Adapted offer

Hotels are opening up to the idea of welcoming different types of clients as the day goes on, from workers who spend their time during office hours, to tourists occupying the space in evenings and on weekends.

Multifunctional spaces

Common areas change their function depending on the time of day, requiring a design with greater flexibility in order to attend to the needs of each user.

Specific needs

While coworking spaces make more sense for a more lasting use, hotels can become spaces that meet users’ more specific needs in terms of location.

Workation = work + vacation

The combination of leisure and work models will keep strengthening over the following years, especially in the family travel segment.

Networking

This surge in loneliness will encourage these new space models to take on new responsibility in connecting people, both in our professional and personal lives.

Case studies