Now more than ever, people seem interested in working from cafes rather than their homes or offices. With heating costs at an all time high, many are looking to save money by not having to keep their home warm during the day. And with fuel costs being high too, a commute to the office may also not be financially appealing.
So one solution to both problems is working from a nearby café – and that’s’ something Three is looking to make all the more desirable.
Three Business has crunched the numbers and found in a study of 2,000 office workers that 70% are concerned about the impact working from home might have on their energy bills, while 66% are worried about the cost of commuting.
As a result, 92% are looking at ways to reduce their energy costs while working remotely over the winter, and 76% are worried about paying their bills over the coming months.
So how is Three Business helping? Well, it has partnered with three independent cafes in Birmingham, providing them with two years of free Superfast 5G Business Broadband, plus a hot drink tab for office workers who’d rather work from a nearby café, and marketing support to bring in more customers.
It sounds like the ideal setup, as not only are many people worried about their own costs, Three has found that they’re also worried that their favourite businesses won’t survive this latest cost-of-living crisis. Specifically, 70% of respondents said as much, with 66% wanting to give more to support the businesses in their area.
71% even specifically said they’d work from their local café if they knew that would help it survive, and in terms of ideal places to work, independent cafes top the list, with 46% of respondents saying they’d like to work from one, beating out coffee chains, co-working spaces, pubs, and hotel lobbies.
Yet there’s a barrier to many doing so, as 49% say unreliable internet connections put them off, while 74% say they’d try it if they knew they could trust the Wi-Fi.
So this initiative from Three Business is just what cafes need – providing a lightning-fast and rock-solid 5G connection that workers can rely on.
Of course, with only three cafes taking part in this pilot scheme that still leaves most people and businesses out – but hopefully it will highlight the potential of 5G broadband to other cafes, and of potentially working in cafes to customers.
And while Wi-Fi speeds and stability could definitely be a worry, there’s no need to wait for your local café to get set up with better internet – if you want a change of scene you could always sign up for a 5G mobile broadband plan and take high-speed internet with you.
