The Benefits of Coworking Spaces As Satellite Offices

Date: Mon May 30 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Businesses that take advantage of coworking spaces to create satellite offices can use this service to their benefit. A number of research studies have shown time and again that firms utilising coworking space thrive.

Both employers and employees are benefiting from coworking spaces. In the current paradigm, coworking spaces give employees working from home the opportunity to use equipment typically associated with offices together with convenient locations to hold a meeting.

Now that employees have returned to the office, the benefits they enjoyed from remote working are gone. According to YouGov, 60% of employees in the UK want to continue remote working. On the flip side, businesses benefit when they can bring teams together.

To compromise, a large number of businesses are switching to a hybrid model. Utilising coworking space to as satellite offices helps to make hybrid working even easier – and offer more benefits to both employers and employees.

Convenience and Flexibility

Coworking spaces give workers more flexibility to split their time between home and office. Stationing employees in satellite offices that are conveniently located closer to their home that your headquarters helps them to manage their time more efficiently.

Not only do satellite offices give your employees the flexibility to reach the office conveniently, it also makes it easier to just drop in from time to time. Maybe they need to use something in the office, like a photocopier, they were passing and wanted to say ‘hi’ or they spent the night in a different part of town (sleepovers) and will find it easier to work from an office that is closer to where they wake up.

Help to Manage Work-Life Balance

Happy employees are productive employees. And now your team has experienced remote working, they recognise the value of spending more time with their families, avoid commuting and spending less money.

Research has shown that the average cost savings of working from home is £44.78 a week. Cost savings come from commuting less and not buying lunch every day. If employees live closer to the office they are working from commutes and fuel costs are lower.

This is particularly the case for employees in London. According to Totaljobs, 76% of employees said they will quit their jobs if getting to the office requires a long commute. Using coworking spaces as satellite offices could therefore save businesses the cost of replacing employees – which is estimated to cost an average £12,000 per employee – between 6-9 months of the employees salary.

Raise ESG Score

Enabling employees to commute less should also help to improve your company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) score. With ESG scores having such a significant impact on consumer purchasing decision – especially environmentally conscious individuals – boosting your score in the environment section could pay dividends.

Commuting less means employees will consume less fuel. A satellite office also gives you more potential to organise meetings in locations that are closer for attendees to reach.

BluDesks makes it easy for companies to take advantage coworking spaces by offering you a wide range of offices all over London – with one simple sign-up and login.

Coworking Space Meeting Rooms in London Provide A Hybrid Solution

Date: Mon May 23 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Coworking Space Meeting Rooms in London Provide A Hybrid Solution

For the past two years, the world has been in limbo. With inflation threatening to scupper business growth and survival for the foreseeable future, more businesses are switching to the hybrid model to cut down on costs.

PwC has called hybrid working an unprecedented challenge no business leader has ever faced. There will, of course, be some challenges, but from where we’re standing, existing solutions will help to make the transition smoother.

Not all businesses agree the hybrid model is the best way forward. Banks executives have been particularly vociferous about how remote working disrupts collaboration and corporate culture.

On the other side of the fence, tech firms are embracing hybrid working because they have the tools and the strategy to make it work. For most businesses downsizing offices and taking advantage of spaces can help you navigate the uncertainty of an economic downturn.

Office Rental in London

The Bank of England has warned that increasing energy prices will slide the UK into a recession this year. If that is to be the case, London businesses are likely to be the hardest hit.

Renting office space in the capital is already phenomenally high. According to Oktra, costs range from £50-95 per sq. ft. Prices are already 7.5% higher than pre-pandemic levels and are forecast to continue rising.

With costs rising from multiple angles, businesses face a difficult period trying to grow. Others will simply be looking to survive. Adopting the hybrid model could prove to be the difference between business continuity and closure.

Releasing the overheads that come with office rentals will free up a significant amount of cash flow. Coworking spaces present a cost-effective alternative and provide you with appropriate space for your team to collaborate, hold meetings and build a company culture.

Book Meeting Rooms With BluDesks

Not all coworking spaces will work for all businesses. Most providers have limited options and bind you into long-term contracts. During this period of uncertainty, most companies will want flexibility and multiple choices that makes organising ad-hoc meetings and space for team members to get together convenient.

BluDesks provide solutions to these challenges. First of all, we list multiple coworking spaces across London. At the time of writing, we provide you access to 517 venues within the M25 alone. We also have multiple ad-hoc satellite offices in the commuter belt.

Moreover, you have access to all our coworking spaces, private offices and meeting rooms with a single login.

We also offer a flexible Pay-as-you-Go plan which means you have more control over your budget. Unlike other office space providers, with BluDesks, you won’t be paying for office space you are not using.

All you have to do is browse our website, choose an office location with a meeting room that is most convenient for you and book the amount of time you want it for. You can even cancel the booking without paying anything providing you let us know within 24 hours.

Solutions That Can Resolve Mixed Feelings of Remote Working

Date: Wed May 18 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

The pandemic may be over, but many companies are still encountering the upheaval of remote working. Employees have mixed views which have left business owners with decisions to make and solutions to find.

A survey published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) revealed that people working from home fared better than many expected. Productivity was stable, parents were able to spend more time with their families and the woes of commuting were eradicated.

Most glaringly the WEF forum highlighted employees have mixed views – and strong views – on remote working.

66% of the respondents surveyed confirmed they prefer flexible working arrangements and said they wanted to continue working from home once the pandemic is over.
Almost a third are prepared to quit their job if the company they work for does not offer the flexibility of remote working.

Employees that favour remote working are generally mothers with school-age children, those under 35 that want work-life balance and people with higher incomes.

People that advocate for a full-time return to the office are employees that prefer to be around their workmates or feel isolated and lonely working from home. They are usually single.

What are the Pros and Cons of remote working?

Media reports about remote working are mixed. Some say employees prefer working from home, others say the majority prefer the office. HR managers have said that encouraging employees to work in the office full-time is becoming increasingly difficult.

The happy-medium seems to be hybrid working whereby employees spend two or three days in the office and two or three days at home. The alternative is that employees that like to be around other people find a company in coffee shops or coworking spaces.

A hybrid model works for both parties as well. Whilst a distributed workforce is more difficult to manage, it does allow companies to cut the costs involved in renting office space. And because employees spend less money on commuting and office day lunches, there is an opportunity to lower salaries.

Advantages

Better work-life balance

More freedom

Improved employee satisfaction

Reduction of infrastructure costs

Increase in productivity

Less commuting

Disadvantages

Lack of personal connection

Loneliness and isolation

Zoom fatigue

Challenges with collaboration

Advantages of Coworking Spaces

In order to accommodate an entirely happy workforce and foster the advantages that remote working offers, consider coworking spaces. There are several advantages.

One of the key benefits of renting coworking spaces with BluDesks is it gives you the flexibility your employees want and helps managers to organise a distributed workforce.

There are also opportunities to expand your network with other companies that share the same space – including talented freelancers that may come in useful for one-off projects; web designers, content writers, graphic designers, developers etc.

In addition, coworking spaces typically organise keynote speakers which can provide insights into various aspects of the business including innovation, emerging markets, and trends. This type of professional talks that inform and inspire.

4 Benefits of Coworking Spaces

Reduce Infrastructure Costs

Lowering operational costs can present companies with more opportunities to expand in the market. The money you save can be invested into new product designs or marketing campaigns that expand your reach and visibility.

However, it is worth noting that reduced costs may not always be the case. The majority of coworking spaces tie companies to long-term contracts. Whilst you can pay this on a convenient month-to-month basis, the contracts usually include payments for things you are not using such as desks, private offices and meeting rooms.

BluDesks offer a different solution. All our facilities are available on a pay-as-you-go basis. That means you only need to rent space when you need it, and you only pay for the time you book.

With our model, you have more control over your spending and really can save on overheads. What’s more, we host multiple coworking spaces on our website that you can book with a single membership pass and one login.

This makes booking office space more convenient and gives you more options to book private offices and meeting rooms anywhere in the city you live. We have registered thousands of coworking offices around the world, so no matter where you are, BluDesks probably has a remote working solution for you.

The coworking spaces on offer are also fully-equipped with various technologies such as wide-screen TVs, overhead projects, printers, photocopiers and charging points. So you won’t need to invest in typically office technology either.

Easier to Collaborate

Whilst cloud-based technologies claim to make it easier for co-workers to collaborate easier in remote locations, the benefits are limited. You can work on the same documents and have quick chats and virtual meetings but beyond that, collaborators miss out on all the benefits of being in the same space.

Companies that are either pivoting to a hybrid model and don’t have enough space to accommodate a dedicated, full-time team, or if you’re doing away with the office and deploying a distributed workforce altogether, coworking spaces bring teammates together.

Face-to-face interactions are typically more productive and innovative than sporadic chats on instant messengers and the odd virtual brainstorm. It’s the conversations and examples that employees have when they’re together which produce the best ideas.

Integrate New Starters

New starters can feel isolated and confused if they are asked to work remotely when starting with a new company. It’s important for businesses and their employees to have a mutual understanding of culture, work preferences and strengths.

People also have an innate need to feel as though they belong. The workplace, therefore, becomes especially important considering the amount of time we spend at work.

Helps to improve potential mental illness

The major complaint with remote working was feeling lonely and isolated. The lack of engagement with other people is not good for mental health or emotional wellbeing.

Without the mental breaks, employees are more likely to suffer from burnout, work less efficiently and take sick leave. Being in solitude for long periods can even make people anxious.

Coworking spaces help to resolve the potential for mental health problems. Studies show that the social aspect of the workplace fosters good mental wellbeing, and the majority of employees that have been surveyed said it was the social interaction with their work colleagues that they missed the most during a lockdown.

Is Remote Working Effective?

It’s perhaps too early to answer the question as to whether remote working is effective or not. Only time will tell. However, the initial signs are that remote working does have benefits for both employers and employees – if you take advantage of solutions like coworking spaces.

BluDesks offers even more advantages to employers and employees, so no matter how you feel about remote working, we are confident we can find solutions that meet the needs of everyone.

4 Reasons Why Relocating Businesses Need Ad-Hoc Meeting Rooms

Date: Thu May 12 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Pivoting to the hybrid model seems to be the latest buzzword or business trend. But businesses that are renovating or relocating to new offices also face the challenges involved with remote working.

A distributed workforce during office renovations and relocations can be difficult to manage. Although the workplace is on hold, work is not. Managers and staff still need to hold meetings, engage in discussions, brainstorm and pep talks.

Hiring external meeting rooms on an ad-hoc basis can help you to move your business forward efficiently. It gives you valuable space to be creative, productive and inspired.

Moreover, with BluDesks pay-as-you-go model, renting meeting rooms is affordable, easy to manage and convenient. We also have flexible short-term offices which you can book as and when you need it, for one week, one month, three hours or three months. You choose when you need space and only pay for the time you book the space for.

Here are four reasons ad-hoc meeting rooms benefit a business that temporarily does not have access to office space.

Increase Productivity

A 2017 Stanford study confirmed that individuals are more productive when they work collectively. Even the perception of working as part of a team can improve performance levels.

Whilst technology can help bring a remote workforce together, individuals that are not accustomed to remote working need reminding they are part of a physical team.

Productivity can be enhanced when your team also know they have a limited window of time to reach a goal. Time-sensitive ad-hoc meeting rooms can help to supercharge productivity by increasing concentration levels whilst giving team members an ideal space to collaborate.

Meet With Clients and Partners

Coffee shops and restaurants are not always the best places to meet with clients to discuss serious business. Large firms trying to broker a deal with an important client or develop a project with a partner need a quiet space where you can hold a meeting in private.

Fully-Equipped Meeting Rooms

Meeting rooms can be used for several different reasons. Maybe you need space to give a presentation or a training session. A team of collaborators may need a whiteboard or overhead projectors to help share their vision with other team members.

BluDesks have a wide selection of fully-equipped ad hoc meeting rooms to choose from. With co-working spaces all over the city, you have the option to choose meeting rooms of various sizes that have the equipment you require such as AV facilities, wide-screen TVs, a variety of plug sockets and Wi-Fi.

Saves Time

The BluDesks model is designed for your convenience. We host a large number of co-working spaces on our website so that you can find the most suitable meeting room for your needs.

With a single login, you have access to ad hoc meeting rooms all over the city in which you live – and in multiple locations around the world. With this many meeting rooms at your fingertips, you won’t waste so much time skipping from one coworking space provider to the next.

To take advantage of the benefits are pay-as-you-go meeting rooms offer, sign up for a BluDesks Membership today.

Pivoting To A Hybrid Model? Here’s What You Need

Date: Tue May 3 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

As employees return to the office, many companies expect requests for more flexible work options. According to McKinsey, 68% of organisations do not have a plan or a vision for pivoting to a hybrid model.

On the one hand, employees want more flexibility and autonomy. On the other, they want to spend time around their work friends and collaborate in person with teammates.

Hybrid models ticks both boxes. However, the hybrid workplace complicates matters for personnel and office managers. Fortunately, there are existing solutions that make the transition to a hybrid model smoother.

The key is to encourage a culture that fosters the benefits of working from home with working in the office. Not everyone will want the same thing all of the time.

According to Gartner, companies need to accommodate four different work models.

Working together in collaborative teams in a shared space
Working apart as a member of a collaborative team
Working in a team but with an individual workload
Working remotely with an individual workload

The three solutions below facilitate all four working conditions.

Co-Working Spaces

A key benefit to a hybrid model is the capacity for businesses to reduce the amount of office space they need – and the overheads that come with it. For some companies, the potential cost savings of a hybrid model are huge.

However, you will probably still need a fully-working office to serve as a base and provide access to a variety of facilities employees need to perform their job to the best of their ability.

Whilst you could downsize and continue to rent a smaller office, co-working space is also an option. With BluDesks, you can rent office desks, private offices and meeting rooms by the hour.

A pay-as-you-go model typically turns out to be more cost-effective than renting office space and covering utility payments and maintenance costs.

BluDesks also gives you more options to find appropriate office space. With a single pass and login, we provide access to multiple co-working spaces that meet your needs and are in the most convenient locations.

Our business model is particularly useful for hiring meeting rooms. Let’s say, the meeting rooms in your office are fully booked, but there is a room free in an office around the corner.

There are also benefits for remote workers. Two colleagues that need to meet and live on the same side of town may find it more convenient to work together in a co-working space closer to their homes.

Cloud-Based Tools

Before the pandemic, cloud adoption was relatively slow. However, when world governments ordered lockdowns, cloud providers saw a 32% increase. Cloud computing was the only adoption and is an indispensable solution for companies that intend to pivot to a hybrid workplace.

The hybrid model relies on digital tools that can be accessed from remote locations and at the same time provide effective cybersecurity measures. Cloud-based tools are specifically designed to improve the interaction between co-workers in remote places.

Cloud-based tools facilitate collaboration through file-sharing, enhanced communication and more flexibility. Collaborative teams can work on the same document in real-time or separately.

Any changes that are made to co-working documents are highlighted with the editor’s name next to them. Everyone granted access to the document can make edits or comments on the document. Or you can set read-only options.

Communication tools foster instant messaging and virtual meetings. These channels are great for asking quick questions and even brainstorming.

If team members need a longer meeting that will be too intense for a video conference, they can either organise it when they’re all in the office or rent a meeting room for the afternoon in a co-working space that is most convenient for everybody.

Employees can also access a document stored in the cloud from anywhere and on any device. This gives your employees the option to work from anywhere and access cloud-based tools at convenient times. For example, catching up with emails during a commute.

Employees that prefer to be around people can also work in remote locations such as a coffee shop or hot desk in a co-working space.

Cybersecurity Plan

The move to remote working models has highlighted a need for effective cybersecurity measures to be put in place. Employees working from home are considered an easier target for hackers because home wi-fi networks, mobile phones and text messages are easier to penetrate.

Having said that, the threat of hackers can be dramatically minimised with the right cybersecurity plan. Whilst cloud tools and anti-malware programs give you some protection, additional layers of protection should be added.

The first place to start is to train your employees about cybersecurity risks. They should be aware of the various cybersecurity threats hackers use, how to identify phishing emails and how to avoid downloading infected documents.

Patch management should also be a priority. The software you use, at some point, will develop a security issue. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers. This is why software companies consistently release software updates that include security patches.

Other gateways hackers look to exploit are home wi-fi networks and mobile devices. Digital technologies such as virtual desktops and mobile device management build a safety net around remote devices too.

IT experts claim that virtual desktops are the answer to the hybrid security conundrum. Because virtual desktops operate on cloud servers rather than on-premise servers, they provide higher levels of cybersecurity.

Crucially, virtual desktops mimic your business network without actually providing direct access to it. Therefore, if an employee’s device is hacked, malicious actors would not be able to access your live data anyway thus preventing a possible ransomware attack.

The actions an employee performs throughout a normal working day are saved on the cloud but not backed up to your network until someone authorises a backup.

In addition, remote monitoring tools help IT personnel identify potential threats and block potential gateways at the source. For example, if a phone location and registered device do not match authorised personnel, whoever is trying to access your network is shut out.

Staff Training Solutions For Businesses Of All Sizes

Date: Tue Apr 26 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Staff training is critical for the success of your business operations. After all, a company is only as good as its employees. Yet the performance of your employees largely rests on the quality of training they receive.

Whilst most companies may not have an issue with their training program, more and more businesses are finding they don’t have the right environment to deliver the program as effectively as they might.

With more companies switching to hybrid working, the space issue for HR & Training Managers has been exacerbated. Office closures and downsizing has meant even the largest firms don’t have the luxury of space they used to.

This poses a problem for training managers on a number of levels. In the first instance, a trainer may not have the scope to book a meeting room for an entire day. Other members of your company will still need to have meetings.

Then there is a question of space. Do you have a room on-site that is large enough to accommodate the number of people you’re training and allow them space to move around?

Another option most training would float is online training. With employees working from home, this may feel like the most logical and cost-effective solution.

But is virtual training really that effective to coordinate, deliver and understand? There have been at least 10 disadvantages identified when it comes to e-learning.

Another issue for businesses is that training new starters remotely doesn’t make a good impression. They will feel isolated, intimated and confused. It’s far easier to train staff in person – especially if they are new to the company.

Fully-Equipped Meeting Rooms

The best solution for a large percentage of HR & Training Managers is to hire fully-equipped meeting rooms. Whether you’re looking for your own staff or you provide external training courses as a service to third parties, BluDesks‘ cost-effective pay-as-you-go facilities provide a solution every time.

The primary goal of a training program is to deliver the material via appropriate formats. That could mean you need an overhead projector, a whiteboard or a sufficient amount of room to conduct role-plays.

Whether you need a meeting room for a small group of five or a large group of 20+ delegates, BluDesks provides a one-stop solution. With a corporate membership and single sign-in, you have access to multiple meeting rooms all over the city you live.

With the capacity to search and find a meeting room that serves the demands of your training program, you will dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to scour the internet and sign up for dozens of co-working spaces that hire meeting rooms.

The meeting room we provide access to is equipped with adequate power points, projection systems, HV/audio, whiteboards and more. Whether you’re hosting a small training session, workshops, or a multi-day training course for a large number of people, BluDesks provides the staff training solutions with your business is looking for.

How Coworking Space Improves Productivity

Date: Tue Apr 12 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Today’s project managers and heads of sales face challenges pulling a distributed workforce together for collaborative projects. Communication and ideas suffer, staff, become demotivated and there is a disparity between cross-functional teams.

The goal for project managers is to focus on the profitability of a project and foster the well-being of your team. A fully-functioning team is more productive which translates into more profit.

In the past year, studies have shown that managers are struggling to meet project goals with remote working teams. There has been a number of reasons for failure, but three of the key factors have been breakdowns in communication, a lack of motivation and incoherence.

On the flip side, a decade of research focusing on the correlation between happiness and success has shown that a happy workforce can increase productivity by 31% and sales by 37%.

Whilst remote working gives enterprises the scope to downsize and cut overheads to invest in other areas of the business, productivity and profits are increased when team members sit together on collaborative projects.

Improve communication

Communication is the glue that holds a project together. Seamless communication is pivotal to promoting creative ideas that tackle complex problems.

More ideas breed more discussions, and ultimately more solutions. When collaborative experiences are coherent and efficient, the team is better equipped to achieve goals and boost productivity.

Brainstorming and exploring ideas are clearly more effective in an office environment. Moreover, a team is more effective when the members are sitting with one another.

Improve co-ordination

Sharing the same office space also makes it easier for project managers to coordinate the project in its entirety. It also saves time having to shoot off emails when you can simply turn to the person next to you and ask a quick question – “how are you getting on with that…” etc.

Projects between cross-functional teams often fail in multi-departmental companies because the team members are confined to their relevant departments and are thus separated.

Companies typically create silos in which IT teams sit in the IT section, sales personnel sit in the sales sections and so on. This is usually due to a lack of space in the office.

With more companies downsizing to smaller offices or dispensing with office premises altogether, renting co-working space is an affordable solution that fosters the well-being of your team members, and the collaborative process and ultimately increases productivity.

Motivate staff

Remote workers report feeling disconnected and lonely working from home. Demotivated team members have a negative impact on productivity levels and can be damaging to mental health.

During the Covid lockdowns, managers were trying to overcome this issue by motivating staff with virtual lunches and virtual coffee breaks. It is clear that the solution is bringing the team together.

Renting co-working space and meeting rooms is a cost-effective way for companies to get the best out of a collaborative project. At BluDesks, we make it managing your projects even easier by giving you access to multiple offices in your area with one pass. What’s more, the hourly rate pay-as-you-go solution means you have complete control over your budget.

Flexible PAYG Office Spaces Provide Hybrid Model Solutions

Date: Tue Apr 5 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

As we ease into living with covid, UK businesses are pivoting from remote working to hybrid models. According to a report published by McKinsey, 9 out of 10 executives plan to embrace hybrid working.

Last September The Telegraph reported the hybrid model had brought renewed hope to almost a quarter of the companies that expected to close their doors following lockdown.

The upheaval is prompting corporate purchasing departments and facility management teams to find cost-effective and practical solutions.

BluDesks goes a long way to solving problems that businesses face right now – at least on the in-office side of hybrid working. Our flexible pay-as-you-go platform provides businesses of all sizes with easy access to office space and meeting rooms all over the world

Flexible working should offer convenience

Flexible working offers employees more convenience. They said. Flexible working was supposed to offer employees more work-life balance. Oh yes, that old chestnut.

Reports show that the reality of remote working has not quite panned out as promised. Juggling the demands of work and home life in one hand increased stress levels. Burnout followed. Productivity and motivation took a nosedive.

Facility management teams need to acknowledge that individuals take a different approach to flexible working. Everyone has different needs, but all needs need to fit into one model.

Companies that have downsized will face the most problems. Employees that prefer the office environment or cannot concentrate at home and need private space need a solution.

This is where BluDesks trumpets the cavalry bugle. We provide access to thousands of flexible office spaces from one single platform. That means you only need to register once but can book hotdesks, meeting rooms and co-working spaces anywhere you like.

Now is convenience and lends a helping hand to employees looking for the coveted work-life balance.

Cost-effective co-working spaces

Lockdown put the future of 250,000 small businesses in a noose. Thousands of companies are now scrambling to save their business by heavily cutting costs.

Renting co-working spaces has proven to be a life jacket, but not every workspace provider offers cost-effective solutions to corporations. If you have a distributed workforce, you have to pay multiple registration fees to hire hot desks and co-working spaces.

What’s more, most co-working spaces tie you into monthly contracts. This means that you end up paying for office space when you’re not using it. In a time when you need more control over your purse strings, you need a company that really does provide cost-effective solutions.

We don’t insist on rolling monthly contracts. You simply book a desk, private office space or meeting room and let us know how long you want it for. Fees are charged hourly.

In other words, you pay as you go. It’s flexible. It’s convenient. It’s cost-effective.

The single-pass also gives you options. For example, if you assign access to our portal to a handful of users in facility management and accounts you have more control over your spending.

Moreover, we have a wide range of offices to choose from all over the UK so you can choose the amount you are prepared to spend on each level of personnel.

For example, you can assign department and cost-centre codes and different applications forms by employee type which enables accounts to track spending and pay invoices.

If you need flexible working space where you get to control the costs, check out the office space we have to offer and sign-up for a universal BluDesks pass today.

Interviewing In Coffee Shops? Really!

Date: Thu Mar 31 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Conducting an interview is something of a trend these days. And as more businesses and start-ups pursue remote working, the trend is likely to increase.

But is interviewing in coffee shops a good idea?

Edward Avila, the vice president of talent acquisition at Alation suggests recruiters to “try to avoid” interviewing in coffee shops.

On the other hand, coffee shop interviews can be a useful pre-screening opportunity. If you’re interviewing for a critical position, a casual chat over a coffee can help you evaluate candidates you would like to move on to the next stage.

The noisy environment of a coffee shop can also help you to determine whether a candidate can concentrate in the vibrant atmosphere of an office. Or evaluate how they operate under pressure in a chaotic environment imbued with distractions.

However, none of these screening strategies actually translate into a worthwhile interview.

How do candidates feel about coffee shop interviews?

Opinions on the topic of interviewing in coffee shops are divided. Some candidates may like the casual approach and a free coffee, whilst others can’t understand why recruiters think it’s a good idea.

Depending on the type of interview you intend to conduct it may not be a good idea at all. As a matter of fact, interviewing in coffee shops may not even be ethical.

Interviews should be private and confidential. Candidates would prefer not to discuss personal things and may feel uncomfortable answering some questions when they know the person at the next table can hear them.

Meeting a stranger in a coffee shop can also create an awkward greeting. In an already tense situation, recruiters invite unnecessary stress and pressure on themselves and on candidates.

Interviewing in coffee shops does not create a good impression

Millennials are known for being choosy about the type of company they work for. They want to know about the culture of a company to determine if the job is a good fit for the lifestyle they want.

When you hold interviews in a coffee shop, you deny candidates the opportunity to get a feel for the environment they will be working in and assess where they will be spending their days.

They do not have the opportunity to see your office, experience the atmosphere or meet the people they could be working with. All these things are decision making factors for some people – especially top talent who will no doubt have more than one job offer coming their way.

It’s worth considering that at the time of writing, the number of vacancies in the UK job market is at an all-time high. With more opportunities open to more people, the onus is on recruiters to make a good impression on the candidates they want to recruit.

Wrap up

Coffee shops are rarely the best choice for conducting an interview. They are fine for casual interviews with a view to assess whether the personality of a candidate is a good fit for the team and company culture.

However, casual interviews should come after you have already interviewed the candidate to assess how qualified they are for the job. And serious interviews should take place in a professional environment.

If you need a private room to host interview candidates, BluDesks can help. We have hundreds of meeting rooms available near you. And they’re easy to book with one simple login and a wide choice of locations.

How Renting Meeting Space With BluDesks Can Help Your Business

Date: Tue Mar 22 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

The nature of the digital world has changed the way we work. Remote working and collaborative projects with off-site contractors were becoming prominent even before the pandemic.

Companies of all sizes are changing their business models to focus on collaboration rather than individualistic work. As a result, people are spending more time in meetings.

Surveys show that upper management spends around 50% of their time in meetings. Even middle management and operational teams spend more time than they need having meetings.

As a result, there is a shortage of meeting rooms. This has been exacerbated by companies downsizing and switching to a hybrid office. Remote workers spend 25.3% more time in meetings, but there are fewer rooms.

Even with sophisticated booking systems, meetings can run over and you either have to leave the room and finish the meeting with your client elsewhere, or you’re left waiting for the meeting room to become available and you keep a client waiting.

Either scenario is not ideal.

Nor is a zoom meeting at your desk where you annoy your colleagues, team meetings in noisy cafes, or cancelling a meeting altogether because C-suite executives have pulled rank to have crisis talks.

There is another option. Rent a meeting room with BluDesks!

Because BluDesks have multiple options you have more chance of finding the ideal meeting room whether you book well in advance or last minute.

1. Professional Setting

Coffee shop meetings can be okay for one-to-one and a change of scenery. But public places are not good if you’re brainstorming or having a meeting with a group of people. You will also be competing against the noise.

Meeting rooms provided in office settings are usually more appropriate for a variety of reasons. They are quieter, ambient, and fully equipped with video conferencing amenities, whiteboards, plug sockets and TV/audio equipment etc. Some offices even provide refreshments gratis, so renting meeting rooms can be more cost-effective than coffee shops as well.

2. Multiple Locations

One of the biggest benefits of having a BluDesk pass is that you can book a meeting room anywhere in the world with just one registration. This gives you access to thousands of meeting rooms in the most convenient location.

For example. You could meet a client halfway or wherever is most convenient for them. Likewise, if two colleagues are working from home and live on the same side of town, there is little point in travelling to the office to have a meeting when there is an office within 10 minutes walking distance.

3. Privacy

A common issue for people in meetings these days is privacy. You either get interrupted by people popping their heads round the door to check if the room’s free or you’re in a public space.

Renting office space gives you more privacy and you’re less likely to be interrupted – providing you book a sufficient amount of time. BluDesks provide a pay-as-you-go service so you pay by the hour. This makes booking meeting space with BluDesks convenient and cost-effective.