WORK
(Cont.)
There Is No Place Like the Office
For over a year now, the world has been bearing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve all been wearing masks, sanitizing, practicing social distancing and been separated or totally isolated from our friends and loved ones. We’ve also, in varying ways been separated from our colleagues, coworkers and workplaces. According to The Gensler Research Institute U. S. Workplace Survey in 2020, “Less than one-third of U.S. workers are currently working from the office”. However, with the widespread dissemination of vaccines, the world, and the workplace, is slated to open back up later this year.
provides all the tools needed for productivity. Although the pandemic has taken a huge toll across the globe, there is one thing that has emerged from our experience in the last year or so. We have developed a greater appreciation of home, and of our wish for connection with other people, and for a dedicated place to work.
of experience in coworking even prior to Covid, but the pandemic put more people in this position or exacerbated it.
Another 5th Floor member, Stephanie Santiago of Ideal Counseling Co., had been working with her therapy Although there is great clients virtually, and is happy comfort and convenience in to be able to begin working working from home, people with them again in a private still miss the essential eleoffice. The impact on therapy ments that an office provides. without in person sessions has Working in an office setting been challenging, she says “… include the ability to network because of the physical disand commiserate with others, connect and not being able to You may think we would all bouncing ideas of each other be as in tune with people or have liked to stay home, with and being able to commusee their body language, not to a two-minute commute from nicate more effectively. The mention technical difficulties. bedroom to home office set office also provides a profesThe quality of therapy is not up, doing Zoom meetings sional atmosphere, without the same and also some peowith a blazer on top and pajathe distractions of home. One ple do not have a safe space ma and bunny slippers on the of the new members at The 5th outside of the therapy office to bottom; but it seems that is not Floor, Steven Menendez, who talk privately”. the case. The Gensler Institute owns an on-demand printing Survey also found that “over company, Kamyzeta, had been There is simply nothing like in half of U.S. workers would working from home through person interaction, the feelprefer a hybrid work model”. the past 1.5 years. For him ing of being in a space that is As Community Manager here working from home and being created for growth, ideas and at Avalon Park’s new cowork- a dad of 3 girls, was hectic. “My kids would see me working space, The 5th Floor- I ing and want to play with me” have met and welcomed a lot he says, “…it’s nice to leave of people to the space, in our two months of operation. A re- the house and focus and get curring theme in the conversa- things done, I can finish in 3-5 tions I’ve had is the need to go hours here at the office -what would take me about 10 hours back to an office setting. This at home”. is also true In my past decade As more employees return to the workplace, businesses are expected to operate under some changes caused or highlighted by the pandemic. One of the most interesting effects on work to emerge from the past year, is the preference for a work/home hybrid model.
While there will be some people who will continue to work only from home, and many who will return to the office environment 100% full time this year, there will be a lot of people who will take advantage of the new positive awareness towards a hybrid working situation. Whichever scenario the people in our community prefer, The 5th Floor is able to offer great solutions for them. From full time private office space, virtual offices, to hot desks and even meeting rooms for occasional use, we have a variety of options. We believe that coworking and flexible office solutions are the wave of the future, and the future is…now. For more information about The 5th Floor, call (407) 730 - 3493 or email us at info@ the5thfloor.us
