Why coworking spaces may be the best RTO strategy

The conversation around return-to-work strategies continues and one company is hoping to add to the discourse in a new and innovative way by introducing coworking spaces to the mix. 

Sixty-four percent of employees find working from a third-party space more socially fulfilling than working from the office, according to a recent study from the Harvard Business Review, and 67% preferred it over working from home. This means that what was once a temporary solution post-pandemic can now be considered a long-term solution, and for employers looking to set themselves up for success, it should. 

"Many companies enforcing RTO policies aren't considering the fact that work structures have changed," says Ginger Dhaliwal, co-founder and COO of coworking network Upflex. "Work today doesn't happen in the same way it did in the past, and imposing outdated RTO mandates can create friction rather than enhance productivity." 

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Upflex is a flexible workspace solution designed to help companies find available coworking spaces, business centers or meeting rooms near their employees, no matter where they are in the world. First they analyze where those employees are located and match those locations with spaces in their network — through both national and international partnerships with companies like WeWork, MindSpace and Landmark — which currently includes over 11,000 locations in 135 countries. Employees can then book these locations using Upflex's web platform or mobile app, as well as Slack or Teams integrations. 

"If an employee doesn't have a partner space nearby, we do the work to add new spaces in their area," Dhaliwal says. "We also handle the logistics by reconciling the payments for the space usage back to the coworking spaces. Clients appreciate the simplicity and transparency of managing all bookings and data in one place, without having to manage multiple vendors or contracts." 

Upflex uses a flexible pricing model where clients then pay based on actual workspace usage. This model gives companies transparency into their spending and allows them to scale up or down as their workspace needs change. Each booking is then consolidated into one invoice paid to Upflex. 

The goal, according to Dhaliwal, is not only to help employers save on cost — by eliminating rent for big centralized offices and by reducing turnover — but ultimately to give employees the best of both an in-person experience and a remote or hybrid work model. 

Read more: How to ensure employee engagement in the changing workplace

"They can decide where and how they work best — whether it's in a quiet space for focused tasks or a collaborative environment for team meetings," Dhaliwal says. "At the same time, coworking spaces provide the in-office experience when needed without the rigidity of a single HQ location. They help preserve company culture by enabling face-to-face interactions when required, but without enforcing mandatory office attendance." 

As the workforce continues to evolve, the flexibility coworking spaces provide can become critical for companies looking to remain competitive. Investing in broader RTO strategies can lead to increased employee engagement and retention, Dhaliwal says, as well as better position them to attract and retain top talent. 

"Forcing employees back to a central office just to sit on Zoom calls with colleagues in other time zones can feel counterproductive and inefficient," she says. "Employers need to embrace a model that reflects the current work landscape, where collaboration happens across time zones and regions."