Singaporeans have been working from home for prolonged periods of time.
Recently, Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the governmental task force tackling Covid-19, announced that Singapore might be entering Phase 3 of reopening the economy in the next few weeks.
While working from home remains the default mode of working, more employees were allowed to return to workplaces from September 28.
By now, most Singaporeans have experienced a long, continued period of remote work and the thought of returning to the office might be a welcoming thought for some.
According to JustCo co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Kong Wan Long, this experience has increased the value of “social interactions and community element which plays an imperative part of our work experiences.”
This is also probably why JustCo has been steadily expanding during the Covid-19 pandemic, when most businesses are negatively affected by the economic downturn.
The co-working space has just launched a new space at OCBC Centre East in August, and another one at The Centrepoint is slated to open in October.
The Rise Of Work From Anywhere
With Covid-19, more companies and businesses have been forced to adapt quickly and practice remote working or working from home.
However, these new developments also bring about new challenges. According to Wan Long, business leaders are now looking for more flexible workplace solutions.
He told Vulcan Post that due to the Covid-19 situation, many corporates have started to realise that large headquarters which house all staff may not be the best way to go anymore.
The severe limitations of remote work and work from home have become apparent. Employees are working longer hours, with no separation between their work and private lives. Teams are finding it difficult to bond, understand each other, and collaborate effectively.
Isolated workers lack the emotional support provided by person-to-person interactions that occur in an office. Lethargy and angst are setting in for many, with the latter being a particular concern given the global economic decline.
Kong Wan Long, co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of JustCo, in an interview with Vulcan Post
Indeed, the co-working trend is picking up among large corporates that traditionally worked out of fixed office spaces.
Since its founding nine years ago, JustCo has evolved from a co-working startup that only filled up half a floor, to more than 40 co-working spaces spanning eight cities in the world.
According to Wan Long, more than half of JustCo’s tenants today are large enterprise clients such as L’Oreal, Novartis, Dropbox and Riot Games.
Singapore’s First Smart Co-Working Centre
JustCo at Centrepoint will be the first smart co-working space in Singapore to pilot a new workspace usage concept enabling a new era of ‘Work From Anywhere’.
It features an on-demand usage model, which allows consumers to pay for only what they need.
In addition, JustCo Centrepoint will also feature card-free access with Bluetooth capability, allowing members to enter spaces via the JustCo App.
JustCo’s 25,000 unique members also make for a strong community around the globe, and the startup continues to engage its consumers via virtual networking events.
It has just launched JustCo Campus, a multi-format learning hub where members can consult, connect and learn via seminars, panel discussions and more.
The Future Of Work
As we transit out of working from home, the question about the future of work is sure to be on the top of everyone’s minds.
One thing is for sure — although working from home has its perks, social interactions and the community element plays an important role in work experiences.
Hence, Wan Long is of the opinion that the co-working model will remain a viable option, as it “drives employee engagement, networking, collaboration opportunities and more.”
We will probably foresee more businesses housing employees in flexible workspaces — be it for remote working, business continuity purposes or even workforce decentralisation.
Kong Wan Long, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of JustCo, in an interview with Vulcan Post
To meet the needs of business and individuals, JustCo is currently focusing its efforts on deepening its technological capabilities to create smart, digital workplaces.
Featured Image Credit: JustCo