Smart companies today are allowing staff to work remotely much of the week, bringing the team together one day a week for collaboration and team bonding. This model has benefits for the employer, too, allowing them to move to smaller hybrid hubs like the sort offered by IWG, and saving them money on costly office-space rent along the way.

Ongoing academic research by Stanford University predicts that between a third and a half of white-collar workers will continue to work in a flexible way in the long-term. And IWG’s recent survey of CEOs found that three-quarters expect to still be operating a flexible model five years from now.

The majority of those CEOs also reported that offering a flexible workplace increased employee happiness and productivity, as well as resulting in higher employee retention and attraction rates.

Winning back time is a winning formula

For employees, the benefits of a flexible workplace extend far beyond their 40-hour week. Take the lunch hour. In an office, it’s often sacrificed altogether as employees are pulled into meetings as they eat. A work-from-home day allows workers to “reclaim” their lunch hour and put it to good use: by hitting an exercise class, tackling some life admin like the grocery run, going for a walk in the sun or sitting down with a good book. It gives them more time back in their day for themselves.

“This is a great example of the way in which flexible working improves our lives,” says Mark Dixon, founder and CEO of IWG. “One of the greatest strengths of flexible working is the way in which it empowers us to reclaim our own time. By ditching the traditional nine-to-five in favour of more flexible arrangements, we give ourselves space to do the things that make our lives better.”

Dixon feels the modern workplace is undergoing an exciting and essential change.

“As each year goes by, it becomes clearer that we’re living through a landmark era of transformation in working life,” he says. “Look at how the geography of work is shifting, as more and more people get to live their dream of working close to home.

“There’s no doubt that flexibility is here to stay – and it’s changing the world for the better.”

IWG’s extensive network includes leading workspace brands Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature. To discover how Regus can help you find a better work-life balance visit regus.com/success.