REVIEW: Regus workspace Willowbridge

Working from home with high levels of load shedding can be rather stressful and, over time, can have a big impact on your finances.

As we emerge from years of unprecedented change and growth, it's clear that work as we know it has been forever transformed. Remote work has proven to be overwhelmingly successful; however, there are numerous benefits provided by offices and other locations that simply can't be replicated in the home environment.

Since inventing the concept nearly 35 years ago, the Regus brand has dominated the global workspace market. Now, as that market grows at an unprecedented rate following the Covid-19 pandemic and the mass transition to the in-demand hybrid work model, the brand is set to grow alongside it.

This way of working - which empowers employees to split their time between the company HQ, a local flexible workspace and home - offers continued opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and the convenience of regular remote working. Put simply, it’s the best of both worlds.

Regus describes hybrid working as a better way to work that gives businesses and workers more choice on how and where they work. A healthier, greener, flexible and more cost-effective way to do business.

Working at your local family restaurant or coffee shop during load shedding is simply not sustainable, no matter how small your operation is, and in my experience, it's simply not reliable and cost-effective in the current economic climate

So, when offered the opportunity to review a remote workspace, I was keen to check out a viable alternative that gives you all the perks of an office environment - reliable electricity and WIFI connections - whilst still being financially viable.

Regus markets itself as a “multi-national, flexible workspace company, with over 3 500 locations in 1 200 towns and cities in over 123 countries worldwide.” I went to the Regus remote working offices at the Willowbridge shopping centre, opposite Tygervalley in Bellville to work for the day.

Fully furnished offices for individuals, teams or entire companies,customisable to match your brand with company logos and colour schemes. For teams of all sizes, private offices are available by the day, or choose 5, 10 or unlimited days per month. On-demand, fully serviced and available at thousands of locations worldwide, For teams of all sizes, your very own space in a shared office – available by the hour, or the day, includes everything you need to get to work, from WiFi to ergonomic furniture

They have solutions for meeting rooms - big and small -, private offices for the day or co-working spaces with enough privacy and space to get the job done.

The office booked for me was a single office space with two desks - the second desk is for hosting a one-on-one meeting or if you need more space. It was big, though, bigger than I had imagined.

I was given the WIFI code and was immediately impressed by the speed. I had a podcast and a few online meetings, which went swimmingly because of the connection. But the fact that I had enough privacy in my “own office” made the meetings even more productive.

The co-working spaces are just as efficient. It’s a cost-effective alternative if you just need a few hours “to get things done” and are comfortable working alongside other professionals on a short or long-term basis.

Amazingly the co-working spaces, and the offices of different sizes, come with full access to printers and other essential office equipment, allowing you to keep a record of everything you print to keep track of your work.

The bottomless coffee pot and access to the clean and tidy kitchen are also part of the allure.

The fact that Regus offices are load shedding proof - even in Stage 6 - is the real drawcard from a South African work force perspective.

Regus pride themselves on being an environmentally friendly organisation, and they go above and beyond doing their bit for their environment while keeping the lights on and their its clients powered up.

Besides the offices and workspace, there are also conference rooms that you can book. This is fantastic for a face to face meeting; they have different spaces to brainstorm ideas in private for your entire workforce.

At the end of a productive day, I had one more coffee from that lovely pot and handed back the key and tag.

My parking was then validated - which off course can also be a great expense! - and left wondering why I hadn’t used Regus and their offerings sooner.

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