Business and Economics

Accor launch hotel office scheme as professionals embrace ‘working from anywhere’

Accor hotel rooms are set to be given a dual function to cater for professionals who want to ‘work from anywhere’, it has been announced.

The Hotel Office scheme will ensure there are no distractions, clean safe surroundings, room service and hotel amenities as workers grow tired of working from home.

New research has found that 41 per cent of British office workers currently working from home feel their work/ life balance ‘has worsened’, while 22 per cent state their productivity is down due to WFH distractions.

With office capacity down to as little as 25 per cent in many cases, hotel meeting rooms represent a viable option for office extensions, team meetings and much-missed after work drinks.

Commenting on the launch, Karelle Lamouche, Chief Commercial Office, Accor Europe, said: “Workers are looking for alternatives to home working and many aren’t ready to or can’t return to offices.

“Hotel Office is a safe and flexible ‘working from anywhere’ solution to meet spontaneous needs as well as planned working. Hotel Office also responds to the needs of employers needing to tackle productivity drops whilst answering their duty of care to their staff to meet their physical and mental work pressures.

“As such many employers need a cost-effective, contract-free workspace solution for their staff which provides a reduced commute, flexibility and productivity in safe, clean private work spaces.”

Since the start of lockdown workers across the UK have been impacted by family needs, building works, loss of wi-fi, housemates all vying for the kitchen table – all adding to work pressures and stress levels.

Fifteen per cent have struggled to balance the pressures of work and home life and more than a third of British workers complained about failed technology impacting their home working, with 37 per cent citing technology issues as a WFH challenge.

A fifth of Brits miss their commute; something many would not have expected to say six months ago, but the switch-off time the commute allowed gave workers time to unwind before returning home.

Instead, now a quarter of Brits work longer hours, many working their commuting time.

With a range of Accor hotels and brands offering Hotel Offices there are options from as little as £35 per day.

Visit all.accor.com for more options.

Related: More than 80,000 British employers voluntarily return furlough cash to the government

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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