The World Health Organization (WHO) characterized COronaVIrus DIsease (COVID-19) as a pandemic. With over 17,93,224 cases globally and a death toll that has rapidly crossed 1,10,052, the impact is felt across different geographies of the World from Asia to Europe.
Statistics Upto 12-April-2020, Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
Though India has done well in containing the reach of the virus, there are worries about community transmission accelerating the spread of this contagion. Currently, nearly more than 1200 cases have been reported and a total of 32 deaths have been reported across India.
Due to this outbreak, we cannot ignore the fact that there will be a significant impact on the global economy, trade and supply chain leading to an economic slowdown. It is estimated that the Global GDP will suffer an impact of around 0.5%.
According to a FICCI (Federation Of Indian Chambers Of Commerce and Industry) survey, 53% of Indian businesses have indicated a marked impact of COVID-19 on business operations and 42% of the respondents said that it could take up to three months to return to normalcy.
Major industries have been affected due to this outbreak including much of the service industry.
COVID-19 and the decline of Coworking Spaces
The spread of the virus across the globe has caused much of the corporate world to readapt their business operations in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. India has been under complete lockdown since 23rd March 2020, as per government orders. All citizens have been advised to stay at home, and all commercial establishments, other than essential services, have been shut.
During the lockdown, working from home and staying in business has become quite difficult. Within a few weeks as COVID-19 cases started to rise, our working aura and communication has become more and more remote, moving primarily online.
During Mid March, the coworking industry saw a 50% dip in occupancy as most of the members started working from home. The other 50% of occupants needed to access their spaces and as service providers, coworking spaces struggled to provide ‘essential’ services to them. This global pandemic has threatened business operations and most spaces closed their doors temporarily. According to Economic Times, average booking periods for spaces have dropped from three months to just a few hours.
Almost all startups have issued mandatory work from home policies to employees and it is safe to assume that most people, both new and old, will hesitate to return to the coworking environment post lockdown.
Coworking, in the current global climate, suffers in concept itself as people have typically become much more careful and aware. Concerned individuals are actively practicing social distancing and prefer to opt for private offices rather than open communal group spaces. This essentially kills the fundamental appeal of a ‘coworking’ space and this mindset is one that is not likely to disappear for a while after the lockdown ends.
The Sublime Beauty of Serviced Private Offices
Coworking is on the decline because much of its offerings are tied to an open physical location. But a real office is more than just four walls around a desk. It’s about having a space that enables you to be as productive and effective as you can be. It’s about clearing the path of obstacles, so that you may accelerate your work as you quietly enter a state of flow. It’s about experiencing Joy at Work and at Golden Square, we’ve always operated on that basis.
This is why we are able to support our members even during a period of lockdown. Our emphasis on services allows us to provide you with Joy at Work even at home, because regardless of where your ‘office’ is, we are still your office team.
And so, we have been implementing Virtual Office and Call services to members who require them. On behalf of members, Golden Square manages follow up calls, marketing/promotional calls, payment reminder calls, aiding with broadband and connectivity issues and wherever feasible, managing mail and deliveries.
With Golden Square in touch with members, it is no longer arduous to work from home. It is merely challenging, and we always find a way to turn your challenges into opportunities.
Here’s a breakdown of our current Virtual Office & Call Services:
- Calls and Mails Handling
- Laptops and Desktop on Rent
- Internet Dongles On Rent
- Delivery Services - With this service being active even now if the client requires any important Documents, files or any other item can be delivered using the Service.
- Not just the services related to business but their personal health too - An awareness from our side to keep themselves and everyone around them safe and healthy
Golden Square has been creating Joyful experiences since 1995 and this is but another challenge that we are ready to meet head on. Rendering services and support to members will always be our top priority. We will continue to get closer to our members (figuratively speaking, of course- remember to practice social distancing), to the point that we know what you need before you know it yourself. After all, when it comes to office spaces, we are the experts.
Our Team is now active from home. We specialize in Joy at Work and are currently creating “Joy From Home”. Post lockdown, our members can continue to enjoy their productivity with our Serviced Private Offices- personal and dedicated offices that are your own. We as a team are on a mission to set up a productive office for you, no matter where you are, because the only way to work is to work hassle-free.
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