An end to the traditional 8-hour day?

According to IWG, the parent company of leading workspace providers such as Regus and Spaces, the emergence of this "mobile workforce" has been triggered by technological change, globalization and changing employee expectations. IWG has published a study based on the findings of over 18,000 business people in 96 countries, which found that 70 % of employees spend at least one day a week away from the office. More than one in two (53 %) work remotely at least half of the week and more than one in ten (11 %) work away from their company's main office five times a week.Mark Dixon, founder and managing director of IWG, said: "From Seattle to Singapore, London to Lagos, employees increasingly need to spend less time in one particular office. We are entering the age of the mobile worker and this is hugely exciting. Not just for individual employees, but also for entire companies. Across the world, work environments are undergoing huge change and companies are now looking closely at what this means for them."The survey reveals how organizations view the benefits of flexible working strategies on a global scale: Business growth (89% - 2016: 67%) Competitiveness (87% - 2014: only 59%) Productivity (82% - 2013: 75%) Attracting and retaining top talent (80% - 2016: 64%) Increasing profitability (83%)For generations, office work around the world has been based on a fixed location and an 8-hour day. But more and more companies are now adopting a very different working model that benefits both them and their employees.

Happier and more productive employees

More than half of the Swiss (56%) agreed that flexible working increases job satisfaction, showing that companies need to provide working environments that suit today's worker if they want to retain top quality employees.

Increasing demand for 'on-demand solutions'

The study also showed that it is no longer just start-ups that rely on flexible working and shared workspaces. The world's most successful companies - including firms such as Etihad Airways, Diesel, GSK, Mastercard, Microsoft, Oracle and Uber - are already using flexible workspaces. For Schweizer, cost efficiency is the most important reason for using flexible workplaces, and the shift to flexible workplaces reflects the changing needs and expectations of the workforce. At 84%, the majority of Swiss find that fast and reliable Wi-Fi is the key feature of a productive working environment. Similarly, 69% of respondents in Switzerland believe that you only pay for the space you actually use. Savings can also be made when looking for real estate (49%) and office staff (59%)The advantages are obvious: an overwhelming 93% Swiss said that flexible workspaces lead to more productivity. You can find the entire study and an infographic with the figures for Switzerland here.

About the study

More than 18,000 business people from various industries in 96 countries were asked about flexible working in the IWG survey. In Switzerland, a total of 104 managers were surveyed. Respondents were selected from a global IWG contact database of more than 2.1 million senior business executives, managing directors or business owners around the world.The survey took place online in January 2018 and contacts were selected from a pool of clients, prospects and business leaders from more than 100 countries. The survey was conducted by independent provider Mind Metre Research. Participants were asked what benefits they believe flexible working offers and what encourages it. Find more information >>>You here <<< .

About IWG

IWG is leading the workspace revolution. Our companies help more than 2.5 million people and their organizations to work more productively. We do this by offering a wide range of professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces, communities and services.