Your commute may be much shorter now, as more businesses transition their workforces from office buildings to remote, virtual, or work-from-home options. There are some spots in the Okanagan where you can set up an office for a day, an hour, or longer.
A virtual employee is just like a regular employee who works for your business. However, instead of coming into your office or physical location, they provide services remotely, and while creating a home office is one option, there are others. And many remote workers in the South Okanagan are entrepreneurs or freelancers as well.
Of course, there are many coffee shops to choose from, but we have a few other suggestions.
Have you thought about coworking? Is it right for you or your employees? Drop-Desk sums it up nicely: "...the definition of coworking is when people assemble in a neutral space to work independently on different projects, or in groups on the same projects. It’s different than a typical office workspace because the people in a coworking environment generally aren’t working for the same company. Coworking spaces offer the same amenities you would find in a traditional office, along with a lot more. A major differentiator is flexibility, since you don’t need to sign a long-term lease in a coworking space."
You could meet "virtual coworkers" from almost any industry, from almost anywhere, at a coworking space; especially helpful if you're missing some safe socializing these days. And maybe a fellow freelancer has some skills to share, or someone who's new to the remote work life has a good connection from their company.
Of course, look into current access and COVID protocols wherever you choose to work -- don't forget to factor in time for your virtual commute too.
The number of coworking spaces worldwide is predicted to double in the next four years, here are a few Okanagan ones to explore:
Fun fact about coworking from LeBureau: people who co-work are more productive. The majority of people who opt to co-work report being more productive, better able to focus and to working better as a team.