Mónica Sentieri, Director of the proptech elworking.com —a specialist website for workspaces— describes in the following blog post how the recent approval of the Remote Working Agreement (ATD) on 22nd September 2020 is set to transform coworking spaces. This legislation will undoubtedly have significant consequences for all workspace environments and the future of our professional lives.
It appears the pandemic has highlighted this way of working as an effective mechanism for preventing the spread of the virus, while simultaneously sustaining the country’s economic activity.
From now on, this new legislation will regulate remote working relationships carried out on a regular basis—specifically, when at least 30% of the working hours are performed remotely over a three-month period (or the equivalent proportional part).
Below, we will analyse the 4 factors of this regulation that positively impact collaborative spaces, commonly known as coworking spaces or business centres.
1. Maintenance of equipment and tools
The legislation outlines the right of remote workers to be provided with, and have properly maintained by the company, all the necessary media, equipment, and tools required to carry out their activity, ensuring precise technical support in the event of any difficulties.
At a coworking space or business centre, everything is ready for you to get straight to work: desk, chair, lighting, climate control, air filtration systems, and even the coffee machine, primed for when you need that extra boost. All you have to do is switch on your computer to start your day.
In this regard, for the company or employer, it may be far simpler for employees to choose a workspace where all these facilities and tools are already installed for immediate use. This avoids the logistical burden of individually managing the purchase and maintenance of such equipment in each person’s private home.
For the employee, it will undoubtedly be more appealing to have a workspace close to home where everything is ready and functioning, rather than having to set aside a specific area of their own house for work-related tasks.
2. Right to payment and compensation of expenses
It is established that remote work activities must be funded or compensated by the company and must not result in any cost whatsoever for the employee.
Business centres and coworking spaces operate with monthly rates per workstation. These fees or memberships vary depending on the type of space and services required: from non-dedicated desks (known as hot desks) and fixed desks, to private offices for teams of several people, as is the case at Vortex Coworking in Valencia.
For the company, paying these monthly fees per person will be the better option compared to the initial investment in furniture and facilities required for each home. This is because the depreciation of those assets, as well as the overall management, will undoubtedly cost more than the rates chosen in any of these collaborative spaces.
For the employee, it will be far more convenient not to have to spend time recurringly submitting invoices and expense reports to the company (electricity, water, Wi-Fi, etc.), saving hours of purely administrative work for both parties.
3. Right to occupational health and safety
The new legislation establishes that the risk assessment and the planning of preventive measures for remote work must take into account the specific risks associated with this way of working (psychosocial, ergonomic, and organisational).
One of the fundamental features of collaborative spaces is the common areas designed for rest, recreation, and collaboration (table football, cafeterias, ping-pong, meeting rooms, etc.). Access to and use of these zones allow members to network, sharing experiences, ideas, and talent.
For the company, it will be far safer for employees to carry out their work in an environment that inherently complies with occupational health and safety regulations. At the same time, this avoids the much-feared social isolation typically associated with working from home.
For the individual, this formula will be more viable, as the layout of many homes and the dynamics of family life often hinder the concentration and silence necessary for professional activities.
4. Right to professional training
Companies must adopt the necessary measures to ensure the effective participation of remote workers in training initiatives, as well as providing the specific training required for the proper development of their professional activities.
Most coworking spaces provide meeting rooms, phone booths for calls or video conferences, and even event halls—places where both in-person and online training can be delivered. These facilities are rented or reserved by members based on their specific needs.
For the company, this suite of additional services exponentially enhances their options for delivering training to their staff. For the individual, it provides an extra tool that would simply not be available to them in a private home setting.
The reality is that, following the approval of this new legislation, many companies are now choosing to offer their teams the option of working from a collaborative space because of the:
- Flexibility: short-term commitment periods tailored to your needs
- Immediacy: fully equipped and ready to start working whenever you choose
- Collaboration: preventing isolation and fostering the exchange of ideas
- Management: leaving behind administrative tasks and office facility services
- Diversity: engaging with different disciplines to foster creativity
Everything indicates that these work environments—known as coworking spaces or business centres—are ideal for the new professional reality we live in today.
Mónica is currently the Director of the proptech ElWorking, a leading workspace search portal. A graduate in Economics with an MBA from IE Business School, she has developed her professional career at top-tier firms such as PwC, Broseta Abogados, and CBRE.