Recent events saw many people working from home, some for the first time. And most people liked it and found the new work/life balance and the quality time they can dedicate to themselves or their families, instead of spending that extra time each day travelling to and from their office.
Productivity remained high, rents were erased from the bottom line and video meetings boomed. However, while the work from home model has proven successful, time and testing has shown that some face-to-face contact is still necessary, and never more so than when meeting people for the first time, whether they are new hires, new clients or old ones seeking a renegotiation of their contracts.
But what to do when you don’t have an office from which to conduct meetings? Well, you have two choices:
- you can rent a serviced apartment from which to live and work while in London.
- or use a shared workplace.
Let’s take a look at both of these options:
Serviced Apartments
This might easily be your most economical and convenient solution if you are going to be in London for a short to medium period. Not only will you have everything in one place, from your bed to your desk or home-office, to a small but very serviceable kitchen, but you will be able to invite clients and colleagues to your place, which automatically confers a ‘home’ advantage upon you.
Check out the serviced apartments central London website to find out more about locations availability and terms and conditions of use. Another great advantage of renting serviced apartments, especially now going into the summer, is that you could bring your family along with you.
And whilst you are working, the rest of your family can explore London, whilst still having home from home experience, which is less disruptive to younger kids.
These are essentially workplace solutions with meeting rooms and offices that you can rent by the hour, half-day, full-day or week. They are an ideal solution if you need a professional setting with all the mod cons of a modern office: they can include everything from having access to a PC, fax-machine, copier, printer to an interactive screen for presentations.
Some companies even have deals with temping agencies to supply you with your very own receptionist, virtual PA or/and secretary at very short notice for the duration of your business trip.
Prices vary depending on where they are located, and what facilities you require. Some companies like Regus are found all over London including some of the most premium London locations, so you are sure to find one that suits your needs and creates the impression to your clients you are aiming to achieve.
For Example
Worklife in Shoreditch is not only in a super-trendy area of London, but it offers access to showers, printing facilities and even offers all-day free coffee.
You can buy a day pass to try it out before you become a full-time member and get to work alongside other untethered workers, who range from freelancers getting out of the house for a change to self-employed workmen taking a paper day to fellow travelling businessmen like yourself.
Tobacco Dock might sound like a non-PC Victorian anachronism, but names can be deceptive. The former docks have been revamped, repurposed and rejuvenated into a fantastic series of work spaces. As an additional bonus it is right next door to the Tobacco Dock itself, now the happening place for events in London, giving you the benefit of early notice about what is happening now and what will be happening next.
The Allbright in Fitzrovia is an all-female working environment that allows women to network, negotiate and get to know each other amid beautiful décor, comfortable surrounding or even while they work out in the on-site fitness studio. Celebrate your successes with pampering treatment from the beauty and treatment room after your meeting!
If you are after a cool vibe and a free beer during the happy hour then WeWork in the heart of London is a great option for you. This Marylebone creative space was designed to accommodate anyone from a single employee seeking a work environment away from home, to a team of 100.
For those with the sustainability in mind, TOG in Borough High Street with its green roof garden, solar panels and rainwater harvesting could be a perfect option for you. We’ve found this comprehensive guide with many options based on your geographical location and preference to help you make your mind up.
