1. Maintain a collaborative environment from home

Working from home does not mean working alone. Just because you are out of the office, doesn’t mean that you should stop utilising the skills and insights of your colleagues.

Now is the time to really make the most out of the wealth of communication technology available: Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts. Obviously, it’s not quite the same as having your team in the room with you, but virtual meetings are the next best thing. Use these tools to open up idea-generation discussions, pick people’s brains and talk through what you’re working on. You’ll find it so much more lucrative than trying to go it alone.

In some cases, there are even benefits to be reaped from working in close proximity with housemates, family members, partners or friends – even if they’re not in the same industry. Talking through your thoughts out-loud with anyone is helpful for making sure your ideas make sense. Plus, you may even learn something new from their specialities that are applicable to your day-to-day: from how they manage their time to how they format their spreadsheets!

2. Optimise your working from home set-up

How you set-up your workspace is crucial to getting in the right frame of mind to create and deliver. It may be tempting to slouch on the sofa in your pyjamas, but ultimately that’s not going to help you remain productive.

Based on our learnings as a productivity-focused office space provider, the below are our top tips for setting up your own WFH workspace:

• Find a chair and desk set-up that helps you maintain good posture – Poor posture can contribute to a number of physical complaints that also have a knock-on impact on your concentration – including fatigue, joint pain and headaches.
• Allow yourself plenty of natural light – Ideally, you’d want to work by a window, with the curtains. Research shows that workers who receive sufficient daylight are up to 40% more productive.
• Separate your workspace from your home space – When working from home, creating healthy work/life barriers is even more important. If possible, work from a different room as you relax/sleep. If that’s not possible, pack away your work things at the end of the day so they don’t remain a constant reminder of everything you’ve got to do when you’re supposed to be winding down.
• Find somewhere quiet to work, if you can – We understand that this is not always possible, particularly for those with families at home. However, if you can create yourself a ‘safe-space’ away from noise, at least for calls or video conferences, that is ideal.

The secret to working productively from home is to treat your days as similarly as possible to your in-office days. Everything that you’ve learned works for you in the past, try and continue as much as you can.

First things first is to start and finish work at the same time you would usually, in order to maintain routine. Yes, that means getting up, dressed and grabbing breakfast in the morning, and switching off at a reasonable time at the end of the working day.

If you’re used to chatting with your teammates around the coffee machine, or talking through your weekends on a Monday morning, keep that up! Those social, water-cooler chats are just as important to your wellbeing and productivity as work-based conversations. Similarly, we recommend organising virtual lunch-dates with colleagues and friends to give yourself a well-needed midday break.

For those who like working in an office with background chatter or music, try and emulate that through curating your own WFH playlist. If your preference was always for silence, work out the best ways you can achieve that at home.

4. Remember that work shouldn’t be 24/7

Now more than ever, people are starting to re-prioritise and concentrate on the things in life that mean most to them. Obviously, work is important – for many it’s the most important part of their life. But the trick is to still make sure you still take breaks whenever you can, so you come back refreshed and ready to roll.

1. Stratford is in the city, but out of the city

Allow us to explain. Unlike more ‘traditional’ white collar centres in the city centre – Bank, Canary Wharf, Moorgate, etc – Stratford doesn’t quite have the sardine-like quality of central London. Traffic on the roads moves more freely and the streets around the office buildings aren’t as crowded with people. Those who work in Stratford often comment on how un-London parts of the area feel, with a distinct friendly community feel.

2. The Stratford community feel

Businesses that move their offices to Stratford are joining a community that has existed for generations, long before the London even started its bid for the Olympics. To this day, there are still local shop-owners, pub landlords, train staff and more who have lived and worked in the area all their lives. This creates a real neighbourly feel that is rare to find in, say, the financial districts of London.

Imagine working just walking distance away from one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe. The Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre opened its doors in 2011 and has so far generated retail sales of well over £7.4 billion. There are more than 265 different retailers, restaurants and bars to entertain your team on lunchtimes or after-work excursions.

4. The Olympic legacy means there are world-class sports facilities

Talking of what’s right on your doorstep in Stratford – there are all the fantastic sporting facilities you would expect of a former athletes village. The London Aquatics Centre is now a public-use swimming pool, the London Stadium plays host to West Ham football games (among other events) and open green spaces have been converted into handy outdoor gyms.

1. Take the back roads

One of the often-cited downsides of cycling in London is how busy the roads can get – especially at key commuting times. London is home to the most congested road in the UK: the road stretching through Kingsway/Strand/Fleet Street/Cannon Street. For many would-be cycling commuters, the perils of travelling through rush hour traffic alongside countless cars, vans and buses can be enough to make them opt for a car or train instead. 

There are alternatives, though. The trick is to plan your route away from the busiest roads. London’s Cycle Superhighways, for example, are a simple way to speed through the city on dedicated bike paths. Similarly, TFL’s Quietways have become an integral part of the London cycle network. Both have recently been incorporated into this London cycle map, which is a must-see for the savvy London cycler.

2. Buying cycling equipment

Even if you commute to work by bike just once or twice a week, investing in high-quality cycling equipment is crucial. A comfortable, lightweight, strong cycle bag keeps your belongings secure. Bringing a change of clothes and attaching mudguards to the bike will help prevent your smart work attire from getting damaged.  Most importantly of all, bright lights, reflective clothing, and a sturdy helmet are absolute musts to help keep you safe on the roads.

It is no secret that air pollution is a serious problem in London. Oxford Street, for example, is the most polluted square-mile area in the entirety of Europe. Many regular urban cyclists, therefore, use protective masks, which include filters that keep out particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from the air you breathe.

Even if you don’t have a protective cycling mask, it’s still not worth worrying too much about any potentially negative health impacts. This King’s College Study shows cyclists would need to keep going for 10 hours a day through central London before the negative air damage outweighed the positive exercise benefit of cycling, so rest assured that commuting by bike is benefiting your health.

4. Store your bike safely

Bikes are an easy target for thieves in London. In 2018, a total of 21,745 bikes were reported stolen in London. If your office doesn’t offer dedicated, off-street bike storage, you need to think carefully about how and where to lock up your bike. The ideal scenario is chaining it up somewhere you can see. If that’s not possible, somewhere public where passers-by would notice a thief with bolt cutters. Also, keep an eye out for CCTV cameras, as they can be a great deterrent for criminals. 

It is advisable for every bike-owner to register your bike (for free!). Bikeregister.com is the UK’s leading online bicycle registration initiative that is aimed at reducing bicycle theft.

1. The growth of serviced, fully private offices

There was a time when co-working was mainly for freelancers, hot-deskers and short-term office rentals. While the practice is still obviously great for such workers, it also looks as though an increasing number of other players are entering the co-working game.

One of the primary benefits of co-working is that it takes all the stress and hassle of office management away so you can concentrate on growing your business instead. The ease of not dealing with cleaning, intermittent Internet and stocking the coffee machine with beans is now appealing to small teams and larger companies alike. 

As a result, more established and flourishing brands are opting for serviced private offices. These provide all the privacy, customisation and space that you need, alongside the flexibility and time-saving inclusions that characterise co-working memberships.

An example of a fully serviced private office from Us&Co, ideal for larger teams looking for a space they can really make their own.

2. The external meeting trend

Bookable meeting rooms are becoming increasingly popular, with 2020 set to see the highest number yet of meetings arranged at external locations. A report by Meetings Booker found that a growing number of businesses are booking externally particularly for full-day meetings, which make up 49% of room booking requests. 

It’s not hard to see why. There is a long list of advantages to booking external meetings, and scenarios where it is advisable to do so. For example, many brands who book one of our Us&Co meeting rooms do so for a change in scenery for breakout workshops, because they don’t have the meeting space of their own or to take advantage of amenities like audio-visual technology or whiteboards.

External meeting rooms provide high-tech, serviced spaces where any business can host and impress partners, clients, investors and prospective employees. The variety promised by these spaces offers businesses the flexibility of duration, group size and even seated or stand-up meetings. 

As specialists in productivity-focused office design, you can be sure to expect a high standard of meeting rooms from co-working spaces.

When co-working was a relatively new phenomenon, there wasn’t a huge variety in what you could expect. Obvious big, early players like WeWork dominated the industry, stamping their particular style onto the practice. That’s all well and good, but it is becoming abundantly clear that a one-size-fits-all never works when it comes to workplace productivity.

In recent years, co-working has seen a significant increase in diversity. Some offer specialist spaces focusing on co-working for a specific industry. Others prioritise catering for certain sizes of teams, for example, spaces designed primarily for freelancers or small groups of under 5. Then there are some that pride themselves on providing a female-centric atmosphere.

Here at Us&Co, we’ve gone down the route of Pro-Working. We prioritise professionalism, productivity and flexibility to provide our members with truly high-quality working experience.

4. The growth of co-working in new locations

Co-working is no longer confined to London, New York and other large metropolitan power-houses. In 2019, the number of co-working spaces registered outside of the UK and USA climbed. India, Spain and Germany, for example, have 841, 483 and 311 co-working spaces registered. 

Within the UK, you can expect to find co-working centres cropping up in the vast majority of cities and large towns. London, of course, continues to be the co-working capital of the country (if not, Europe too). However, co-workers no longer have to look to central, ‘conventional’ co-working locations, like Bank & Liverpool Street. Co-working business centres are emerging in previously untapped areas, such as Stratford, which continues to reap the benefits of the 2012 Olympics.

Another significant up-and-comer in the world of co-working is Dublin. Especially amidst the uncertainty of Brexit, many brands are turning to the Irish city for bases within the EU. It offers a high quality of life and a gateway to world markets that appeals to SMEs and established businesses alike. In line with this increase in Dublin business potential, the Dublin flexible workspace industry grew by 4,500 new desk spaces within 2019 (according to research by Click Offices), with further growth predicted for 2020.

What does the new space have to offer?

Us&Co Stratford provides the same high quality of amenities and facilities that our current members have come to associate with us. From the luxury decor to the all-inclusive membership fees, we bake professionalism, flexibility and transparency into the core of everything we do.

As always, Us&Co’s co-working cohort has access to free super fast WiFi, 24/7 building access, high tech meeting rooms (also available for external bookings), member events and secure bike storage.

Hot desk and fixed desk coworking is still a large part of what we can offer for our new Stratford members. However, because the building has so much available space, we are able to offer private offices for much larger groups, including large self-contained floors for whole teams. 

Customisable Private Office Space

Our new Stratford office space offers highly customisable working environments to suit any thriving, productivity-focused brand. We pride ourselves on creating a professional and nurturing atmosphere that brands feel comfortable making their own. 

Ultimately, we want you to feel as though your workspace reflects who you as a brand. No two businesses are the same, and your office shouldn’t be either. Whether you need a private office for a smaller team or a whole self-contained floor for a larger brand, Us&Co Stratford is designed to be as adaptable to your requirements as possible. For example, we can arrange desks, partition walls and set out breakout areas exactly according to your preferences.

If you want to find out more about this, we have a full downloadable Us&Co Stratford Location Brochure. This brochure demonstrates potential floorplans – as well as including further information, such as pricing. You can also book a tour to get a feel of the space and we can help you work out what layout would suit your company best.

11 Burford Rd, E15 2ST

Us&Co Stratford is ideally located for brands looking for a base in a well-connected, vibrant and professional area. We have carefully selected this location based on its clear and increasing potential, which has been growing from strength to strength ever since the area played host to the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

Situated just a few minutes’ walk from Stratford underground, rail and DLR stations, there are super-fast, reliable links to the City, London City Airport, Eurostar and more. Additionally, the exciting development of the Elizabeth Line will improve Stratford’s connection to both central London and key commuter towns in Essex and London. Thanks to the new train line (currently estimated to be open by late 2020), it will take only 7 minutes from Stratford to Liverpool Street and 18 minutes to Paddington. 

Our new East London workspace is also just 8 minutes walk away from Westfield Shopping Centre. One of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe, the centre offers restaurants, bars, entertainment and – of course – shopping facilities. To date, Westfield has generated retail sales of more than £7.4 billion, so it’s safe to say there is clearly commercial value in Stratford.

Were you to choose Stratford for your office space, you would be joining the ranks of a number of global heavy-weight brand that have already set up bases in the area. For example, Transport for London, Cancer Research, the Financial Conduct Authority and Unicef all moved to Stratford in recent years.

Get in touch today!

If you are interested in learning more about what the space has to offer, and how we can help support the growth and productivity of your brand, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

1. Bluebird, Chelsea

Located in the heart of Chelsea, the Bluebird restaurant has been a popular event venue since it opened in the 1990s. With five function rooms of varying sizes (options ranging from 32 dining guests to a standing capacity of 650 people), you can choose a set-up to suit your seasonal occasion. 

The atmosphere at this private dining space is best characterised as ‘buzzy’, combining glamorous designer decor with upbeat festivities. Everything – from the food and decorations to music and drinks – is totally in-keeping with a traditional Christmas, guaranteeing a night of warm, festive cheer.

The Bluebird is a popular choice for events all year round but especially so at Christmas… so get in quick to book your December do.

2. German Gymnasium, Kings Cross

If you’re looking to inject a touch of European flair to your work Christmas party, German Gymnasium marries classic British Victorian architecture with a menu authored by German-born chef Bjoern Wassmuth. 

For festive celebrations, you can hire out the whole formal mezzanine restaurant in all its seasonal glory. For smaller groups who are still keen for a high-brow Christmas, there is also a semi-private space available, a ground-floor Grand Cafe and an outdoor terrace – although you might want to bring a coat if opting for the latter!

The German Gymnasium is also the annual home to a truly spectacular Christmas tree, sitting snugly beneath the main hall’s 57 feet high ceiling.

3. The Conservatory & Garden Room, Barbican

Perhaps you are looking for something a touch more exotic for your Christmas bash this year? If so, the tropical plants, exotic fish and dancefloor of the Conservatory & Garden Room may tickle your festive fancy.

Suitable for parties from 150 to up to 650 people, you can either opt for the ‘dinner and dance’ package or a standing reception. Either option comes with a ready flow of Christmas drinks and winter merriment that are sure to help your team unwind after a hard-working 2019. Live music or a DJ are also included in some packages.

4. ICEBAR London, Piccadilly Circus

This next entry definitely ticks all the boxes if you’re in search of a ‘cool’ Christmas venue.

Frosty festivities at ICEBAR provide a wintery wonderland brimming with Christmas magic. The venue is split into three warm spaces for cosy conversations and one icy space – chilled to -5 degrees!

Decorated with Christmas lights, giant baubles and, you guessed it, ice sculptures; you almsot feel like you’ve stepped into Lapland itself. Capacity ranges from 25 to 270, with options for seated dining or standing with canapes.

1. Co-working centres are designed with productivity in mind

From the spacing of desks to the selection of furniture, a lot of thought and planning goes into the layout of a co-working space. Panels on the side of desks ensure that every individual worker can work on confidential projects without being overlooked. Break-out spaces are also typically kept very separate to working stations, with dedicated areas or rooms for breaks and lunches. This means that the coffee-break chatter doesn’t distract fellow co-workers who are sat at their desks.

One of the major downsides of working from home is that you end up working in an environment cluttered with personalised distractions. It is so much more difficult to concentrate when your TV, games and social media are all so readily available. There is no-one else around to hold you accountable for lapses in productivity. 

Co-working eliminates that. Business centres like Us&Co are designed, decorated and furnished in-line with the latest theories in occupational psychology. Everything from desk layout and chair selection to breakout spaces and the flow of natural light has been carefully considered to help you get the most out of your working day.

Read more:

– Why Natural Light Improves Productivity

– Why Co-Working doesn’t mean reduced working privacy

2. Schedule and routine

Overcoming the temptation to oversleep or procrastinate when you don’t have established work hours can take a substantial amount of self-discipline. Who’s going to notice if you sleep late into the morning and don’t begin working until lunchtime?

At the other end of the day, a common working-from-home trap is to continue working late into the evening. Long, laborious days are highly likely to decrease your attention span and productivity. Worse still, a study conducted by University College London found that working 55 hours or more a week increases the chances of suffering a stroke by over 30% compared to those who work the regular 40 hours or less.

Co-working, whilst still vastly more flexible that the conventional office set-up, makes it much easier to stick to a routine than working from home. You have more accountability from your fellow co-workers, not to mention somewhere to physically disconnect from the temptation of afternoon naps.

Read more:

– Are you taking breaks all wrong?

Human beings are natural socialisers. Our brains are hard-wired for interaction with other people, releasing dopamine as the direct consequence of socialising. 

Co-working far exceeds working from home when it comes to providing social opportunities. Workspaces like Us&Co know it’s important to prioritise both work and play, offering members events, breakfasts, after-work drinks and more. Co-working fosters a community that a home-worker simply wouldn’t be able to replicate.

Working-from-home induced isolation can be dangerous for a number of reasons. Firstly, from a mental health perspective, loneliness can go on to trigger depression or anxiety. Secondly, isolation from your colleges can actively damage your career progression prospects. Sadly, studies show that in many cases ‘out of sight = out of mind’.

4. Professional Meeting Locations

A significant proportion of people who work from home perform some sort of client-facing role – for example, freelance consultancy, sales or media. As such, they quite often have to meet with clients, leads, partners and investors – which is quite difficult when your only available meeting space is around the kitchen table!

Co-working spaces offer a notable advantage over this, in that they provide a professional location to host and impress. This is true for a number of reasons:

First of all, co-working buildings themselves tend to be decorated, furnished and laid out in a highly sophisticated manner, that is always going to provide a positive first impression of your brand. 

Secondly, there’s the option to book high-tech meeting rooms, equipped with sound-proofing, conference call capabilities, ergonomic chairs and whiteboards – facilities that the average home is unlikely to have.

Even if working from home is your chosen option, using co-working spaces to book external meeting rooms is always a good way to present yourself professionally.