THERE’S no need to be wedded to the office on Valentine’s Day, says a provider of flexible workspace.
Regus, which has rentable office space in Milton Keynes,Luton and Hemel Hempstead is offering free taster sessions for commuters to work from their nearest centre next Tuesday (February 14).
Regus say workers’ increasing stress levels – caused by long hours, lengthy commutes and after-hours emailing – has been highlighted as a rising cause for concern and is not conducive to a romantic weeknight. They say by working from one of their centres could help stressed-out Valentines get home quicker and in a better frame of mind for relaxation and romance!
Celia Donne, regional director at Regus said: “Simple measures like giving staff control over their working hours, shortening commute times or allowing employees to work from other locations can significantly improve workforce morale, especially on occasions like Valentine’s Day. Furthermore, the employment market has been changing rapidly in the past few years with more freelance and part-time workers, and this sector is also driving demand for workspaces enabling them to work anytime, anywhere.”
Regus hopes that workers’ flirting with “flexible working”could be the start of a new, beautiful relationship – with their job at least! And the boffins at Cranfield School of Management agree.
Dr Clare Kelliher, Professor of Work and Organisation at Cranfield School of Management, said: “Holiday periods and special occasions such as Valentine’s Day are good opportunities to try out new ways of working that foster a better work/life balance. Our research at Cranfield School of Management has shown that work increasingly spills over into non-work lives.
“Employers, concerned about employee well-being, should help employees find practical ways of dealing with increased workloads, but at the same time maintaining a satisfactory balance between their work and non-work lives. One way of dealing with this is to enable more flexible and remote working, where staff can work from home or from a location closer to home.
“Our study found that staff who work remotely tend to report higher levels of job satisfaction and achieve higher performance levels both because they been able to avoid what may be long or stressful commutes and also because they are removed from the day-to-day distractions of the workplace.”
Recent research from Regus revealed one in 10 office workers in Milton Keynes puts in over 11 hours every day, nearly a third (32 per cent) take work home to complete more than three times per week and nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) regularly check emails on mobile devices after working hours. Unsurprisingly nearly two-fifths (39 per cent) say their working “out of hours” has caused serious upset for their partner, family or friends.
Call 0800 7562495 or visit www.regus.co.uk/valentines