An alternative WFH: Work From Hotel
Ever since covid has entered our lives, all our definitions of normal have gone topsy-turvy. Realising the benefits of e-learning through upskilling ourselves, taking charge of our health, finding a better mental space, and prioritising flexibility are some things we have all done (or at least tried to do). Another thing the world has experienced is the remote work setting. Who would have thought before the pandemic that the world would work from home yet stay connected?
'Work from Home' has become the new normal. It provides a lot of benefits to the employees. To name a few, people get more time to spend with their family. They get a significant amount of flexibility hence the easier management of day-to-day activities. They can circumvent the unproductive commute time, choose where they want to live, and not select a place just because it is close to their office, etc. On the flip side, with all this comfort comes a lot of monotony. Back in the office, people could meet their colleagues daily, have chitchat sessions and coffee breaks, plan weekend outings with their work friends, etc. The fun element that works had has almost disappeared. At the same time, separating 'work' from 'life' has become increasingly complex. People have lost track of their working hours, and as a result, they never end. The isolation and the disconnectedness come along too. The difficulty experienced in collaborating with team members due to scheduling conflicts is another drawback.
Transitioning from the work-from-home mode to the office is equally challenging too. When people started working remotely, investments were made to enable a smooth working atmosphere, even at home. Leaving it and returning to the office seems like a waste of all those resources. Moreover, at the offices, the maintenance has not been as effective as it used to be when the employees worked there. Considering all these thoughts, one viable solution that comes to mind is what if there could be some space where people could all come together to work and leave as per their schedule? This would offer them a much-needed break from their monotonous routine and enable them to socialise and collaborate more, which means more ideas and productivity. This space does not have to be their offices.
Working from a hotel is one term that has gained popularity lately. It is no secret that travel and hospitality are one of the industries to take the biggest hit due to the pandemic. Promoting the Work-from-Hotel can be a brilliant business model for chain and non-chain hotels. Hilton has launched its "Workspaces by Hilton" program that offers day-use rooms and certain added facilities in many of its hotels. Similarly, Marriott has also launched its "Work Anywhere with Marriott Bonvoy", clearly taking advantage of its comprehensive location cover, offering both day-use and multi-day use rooms at some of its properties. A bunch of non-chain hotels have also started their work from hotel models. A working space is what their main product is.
Along with that, they may offer quality family time by providing delicious family meals. Parents could get some relief working from these places as the hotels also offer creative day-care spaces, which ensure the children's safety, and they are also putting their time to good use. Access to the gymnasiums, cafes and spa facilities is something that puts the cherry on the cake.
Apart from all these enablers, they can also provide common working spaces where people come together, collaborate and benefit. This way, the employees get to meet new people while being assured of the other person's sincerity. This also provides an excellent opportunity to build solid and beneficial networks.
Board rooms are another addition to this list. Companies can book board rooms for their employees weekly so they can all come together for meetings and strategy discussions for their further courses of action. This can prove to be a good opportunity for employees to keep in touch with their co-workers in real life and not just on Skype or Microsoft Teams. This can be a cost-effective solution too. Employers can save on their office expenses like rent, electricity, and maintenance by just booking these board rooms where these amenities are already taken care of by the hotels. The charge the employers would incur through this model would be pretty nominal compared to what they would incur when the employees work from home while ensuring the flexibility they would get.
As companies have started favouring the WFA (work from anywhere) setting, all these solutions would prove to be good revenue-making business models. Here, marketing plays a very crucial role. The amenities that these establishments provide are, more or less, (potentially) similar to each other. Marketing is what will differentiate them from each other. This model can prove to be a contingency plan for even independent hotels when the business is low. Direct booking would be very beneficial in this scenario. Hoteliers realise a maximum profit when the customers make their bookings directly through the hotels and not through third-party booking apps. The publicity of these models is sacrosanct to achieve that. Suppose the independent hotels play to their strengths, i.e., personalisation, character, privacy, etc. Marketing a hotel room as a working space enables creativity to the hotelier's advantage.
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There are still certain apprehensions given all the advantages of working from anywhere. Some CEOs still think that working from home isn't realistic in the long run. We have all witnessed it for the last two years. Often, the work-from-home model has proven just as productive (if not more) as the work-from-office. Moreover, these concise definitions have gone for a toss due to the pandemic. With people working from anywhere and travelling to their favourite places, corporate jobs have become more fun.
How things will play out, nobody knows. But one thing is for sure: whatever happens next will be an exciting scenario to experience.
References:
· The Economist. (2022, July 25). Will "work from a hotel" catch on? Retrieved September 9, 2022, from?https://www.economist.com/business/2022/07/21/will-work-from-hotel-catch-on
· hindustantimes.com. (2021, May 15). WeWork CEO says 'least engaged' people want to work from home. What do studies tell us? Hindustan Times. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.hindustantimes.com/work-from-home/wework-ceo-says-least-engaged-people-want-work-from-home-what-studies-tell-101621080711578.html
· Hoeffner, M. K. (2020, August 31). The New WFH: Where To Work From Hotel. Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissakravitz/2020/08/31/the-new-wfh-where-to-work-from-hotel/?sh=1c9dc9b438cb
· Deflorian, A. (2020, November 23). How Independent Brands Can Market Work-From-Hotel Rooms Online. Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/11/23/how-independent-brands-can-market-work-from-hotel-rooms-online/?sh=1fbe221a5825