Prague, 21 June 2023 – Demand for a combination of home and office-based work remains high even as the post-covid period comes to an end. Young people are the most attracted by the job, with 3 out of 5 employees under the age of 35 wanting to use it. Older generations, on the other hand, are more reticent. Less than half (41%) prefer to work purely in the office, while only 15% of them use working from home in practice. In total, 39% of companies offer a rotating work model. This is according to a survey mapping employee and employer attitudes for Scott.Weber Workspace.[1]

Demand for a hybrid work model is greater for all generations than what companies are offering them.

Only 18% of Czechs regularly work from home and the office. Attitudes to working from home vary significantly between age groups. “Young people are most often attracted to the hybrid model. Among employees under 35 years of age, 61% of respondents want to use it,” says Adam Zvada, CEO and founder of Scott.Weber Workspace, based on the survey results. Employees in the 54-65 age group, on the other hand, are more reserved on this issue. A full half of them prefer to work exclusively in offices, while only 41% of them are interested in home offices, a quarter less than younger people.

Alternating work from home and office is more common among employees of medium and large companies, especially in Prague, South Moravia and the Hradec Králové Region. While in Prague or Brno every third employee works from home, in the Zlín Region only 9% of employees work from home, and in the Liberec Region only 6%. On the other hand, commuting to the office is preferred by the inhabitants of the South Bohemia and Karlovy Vary regions, where more than half of the employees work this way.

Hybrid model transforms office interiors

The pandemic has accelerated the process where even companies operating in seemingly traditional and conservative industries have realised that the role of the office has changed, and their employees have different requirements for the working environment. They have therefore started to introduce the so-called hybrid model of work, i.e., a certain combination of home office and office work. “In our experience, employees usually prefer the middle ground when it comes to working from home or in the office. The hybrid model allows them to choose between working at home or in the office as needed and to take full advantage of the benefits that each environment brings,” comments Zvada.

This trend is confirmed by the data. The survey shows that 39% of all employers currently offer the option of working from home, with one in five planning to expand it further. A further 7% are planning to introduce it. On the other hand, 12% do not plan to offer home office and 39% of employers say that this form of work is not possible in their industry.

Flexible offices respond to changes in the working environment

Experience from recent years shows that despite the high popularity of working from home, employees have not given up on working in offices. In fact, there are certain aspects of the modern office environment that working from home cannot replace. The reasons for commuting to the office vary between employees. While some are attracted by the opportunity to meet colleagues and socialise, others appreciate the quiet, high-tech environment where they can concentrate on their work. The flexible office model responds to these demands by offering companies bespoke spaces tailored to the exact needs of their employees. But it also brings benefits to the companies themselves.

“In traditional offices, companies have contracts for 5, 7 or even 10 years. During that time, they can change the setup only to a limited extent, but it is often time-consuming and too expensive. Flexible offices, on the other hand, allow the space to be scaled up or down according to current needs. OfficeRnD CEO Miro Miroslavov estimates that the flexible model can represent a cost saving of up to 40% for companies,” says Zvada, adding that the flexibility also lies in the fact that the space is tailor-made for companies. Not only in terms of design, but also in terms of furniture, ICT, and cyber security. Thanks to this, companies save hundreds of thousands to millions on the initial investment.

Scott.Weber Workspace expands

Scott.Weber Workspace, the largest provider of flexible offices and coworking, is also responding to the increased interest. The thirteenth centre will open in Libeň. The new Dock location will have a total of 350 office spaces and event spaces or private terraces. Scott.Weber will provide an exceptional number of relaxation zones in the Dock. It will also offer a bistro for clients with a chef who will use fresh ingredients directly from the roof terrace with a garden.

About Scott.Weber Workspace

Scott.Weber Workspace operates private flexible offices and coworking spaces. It hosts events in its space and also offers facilities for individuals and businesses of all sizes. The company plans to further expand its presence not only in Prague but also outside the capital.

More at www.scottweber.cz

Media contact: Ondřej Hubatka, [email protected], +420 608 481 702

[1] Survey of 1000 and 100 employers via Ipsos Instant Research.