Regus - Valentine's gift to business

Wedded to the Office this Valentine’s Day?

Change your routine and work flexibly on February 14th - Regus offers free workspace across the country*

Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspaces, is sharing the love this Valentine’s Day by giving the nation’s commuters and office workers the opportunity to try something new and work from their nearest Regus centre for the day.

Britons’ increasing workload - characterised by long hours, lengthy commutes and after-hours emailing – has been highlighted as a rising cause for concern and is certainly not conducive to a romantic weeknight. However, a change of routine and working in a calm, local business centre for the day could help stressed-out Valentines get home quicker and in a better frame of mind for relaxation and romance! 

Recent research from Regus revealed that one in ten UK office workers puts in over 11 hours every day, over two-fifths (43%) take work home to complete more than 3 times per week and over two-thirds (69%) regularly check emails on mobile devices out of working hours – none of which will be endearing on Valentines night. Unsurprisingly nearly one in three (27%) say their working “out of hours” has caused serious upset for their partner, family or friends. Those taking up the Regus offer may find that their Valentine’s flirtation with “flexible working” could be the start of a new, beautiful relationship – with their job at least!  

Celia Donne, Regional Director at Regus comments: “Simple measures like giving staff control over their working hours, shortening commute times or allowing employees to work from other locations can significantly improve workforce morale, especially on occasions like Valentine’s Day. Furthermore, the employment market has been changing rapidly in the past few years with more freelance and part-time workers, and this sector is also driving demand for workspaces enabling them to work anytime, anywhere.” 

Dr Clare Kelliher, Professor of Work and Organisation at Cranfield School of Management, adds: “Holiday periods and special occasions such as Valentine’s Day are good opportunities to try out new ways of working that foster a better work/life balance.  Our research at Cranfield School of Management has shown that work increasingly spills over into non-work lives. Employers, concerned about employee well-being, should help employees find practical ways of dealing with increased workloads, but at the same time maintaining a satisfactory balance between their work and non-work lives.

“One way of dealing with this is to enable more flexible and remote working, where staff can work from home or from a location closer to home. Our study found that staff who work remotely tend to report higher levels of job satisfaction and achieve higher performance levels both because they been able to avoid long or stressful commutes and also because they are removed from the day-to-day distractions of the workplace.”

*Regus will make thousands of workspaces available on February 14th by giving free access to its UK network of over 150 business lounges, free internet/wifi and refreshments. All other services, such as administrative support, video conferencing etc will be chargeable at the usual rates.

Pre-booking is recommended otherwise space will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your space please call 0800 7562495 or visit www.regus.co.uk/valentines