As remote work changes today's work landscape, we cannot deny that it is not for everyone.
Research says that employees with a strong need for social connection are especially susceptible to feelings of loneliness, which can lead to poorer performance, decreased job satisfaction, and higher rates of burnout when working remotely. Microsoft's findings from 2022 also revealed that over half of workers feel increased isolation and reduced connection with colleagues due to remote work transitions and are more inclined to leave their jobs.
However, as much as employees hate this new standard setup, they should still adhere to what their companies mandate and expect. Instead of fretting over the situation, learn from some workers who changed their mindset and turned remote work into something they love looking forward to every day.
Hotels Have The Best Ambiance
Mitchell Hochberg, president of Lightstone, which develops several Moxy properties across New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, notes that people nowadays are increasingly traveling solo and seeking places where they can work comfortably during the day without feeling isolated. The Moxy Hotel, located in the fashionable Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, exemplifies a trend where newer hotels serve as quasi-community hubs, a third place for millennials to be perceived as a public square and social hub, Hochberg asserts.
Chris Dong, a travel writer who values the flexibility of remote work, enjoys working from various locations, whether cocooned in a hammock while on the phone or typing away on a wobbly airplane tray table at 35,000 feet. While Dong's office can be anywhere with semi-usable WiFi or minimal cell service, hotel lobbies will always be his preferred workspace.
Hotel lobbies are becoming popular as ideal locations for remote work, given their comfort, convenience, and professional atmosphere. These spaces provide comfortable seating, complimentary WiFi, and readily accessible power outlets, catering to the essential needs of remote workers. The ambiance is also carefully crafted to be inviting and tranquil, typically quieter than cafes and conducive to maintaining focus.
Working from hotels comes with guidelines similar to outdoor cafes, too, which are typically expected to be purchased before settling down. While not an everyday practice due to costs, it is a convenient option for Dong that encourages indirect interactions, whether buying a cup of coffee or simply sitting down. Dong enjoys soaking in the travel experience they provide, even if he is just a short distance from home.
Working from a Child-Friendly Scenery
Young professionals in Toronto are also choosing to work from a local Chuck E. Cheese to break up their routine of meetings and memos with pizza and arcade games when Aryeh Bookbinder, a 25-year-old tech and artificial intelligence worker, aimed to evoke 1990s nostalgia from Chuck E. Cheese's peak popularity.
While the staff initially seemed uncertain about his intentions, they allowed him to proceed as long as he was not disturbing anyone and was a paying customer.
Bookbinder's solo visit at the Chuck E. Cheese location proved to be a success. There, he discovered a highly conducive work environment with excellent WiFi, free from the usual distractions of noisy children and flashing arcade games during school hours. Impressed by his experience, Bookbinder, who operates the guided-tour site Liminal Assembly, decided to promote Sheppard Avenue's party hub as his official office space.
Bookbinder was accompanied by a diverse group of 20 Gen Z and millennial professionals on the last Monday of April. Each participant paid $45, which covered the costs of pizza, coffee, and the humorous rental of a school bus that transported them from a common meeting point to the Chuck E. Cheese location.
One participant noted that the unusual combination of working alongside other focused strangers in a child-friendly environment boosted her productivity. She attributed her successful workday to the refreshing change of scenery that brought back memories of childhood.
