Since the advent of COVID-19, remote working has become more of a norm than the traditional office setting. While the pandemic taught us a lot about what it means to be productive in shared spaces while keeping each other safe, it also showed us just how convenient remote working could be when orchestrated correctly. Cape Town is one of South Africa's largest cities and contributes to the employment of hundreds of thousands of people. With bustling industrial, commercial and retail sectors, we look at how Capetonians have adapted to remote working.
A new way of life
Cape Town is not a city to shy away from trends and remote working is one of them. With countless companies being forced to shut down during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have chosen to remain closed, yet fully operational online. Online employees are commonly becoming known as digital nomads, a term that's been coined to reference remote working. Apart from logging in from the comfort of your home, digital nomads have the option of working from wherever there is a stable internet connection. However, co-working spaces have reimagined the way entrepreneurs, freelancers and the rest of the digital nomads collaborate.
Cape Town has welcomed the remote working phenomenon with much fanfare. From governmental level decisions to incentivise co-working spaces to the hospitality industry offering discounted accommodation to the nomads, the future of remote working in Cape Town looks promising. The city boasts the highest number of co-working spaces in Africa with over 30 co-working spaces and 715 free wi-fi spots on offer. Accessibility to reliable internet is a big drawcard, especially in a country that often experiences electricity shortages. Remote working requires one to always be connected and available. Cape Town has one of the largest open fibre networks in Africa and is an extremely energy-secure province.
Tech takeover
Cape Town thrives on a strong local and tourist economy. Keeping up with the latest advancements in technology is a must and this is no different in the workforce. Living and working in CapeTown guarantees you will build a network of like-minded professionals across a range of industries. The city is known as the tech capital of Africa. 40 000 people are employed by more than 450 tech firms, making this fraction of the Western Cape more tech-heavy than the likes of Lagos and Nairobi combined. New business models have formed as a result of remote working and with governments seeing the positive imprint it has left on the daily economy, there's no indication commercial office buildings will be making a full return.
But what to do with this prime real estate space left vacant? Co-working spaces have been developed to fulfil the need for creative alternatives to zoom meetings and collaboration between companies. Now you can rent boardrooms, book individual silos that double as private offices and meet in shared spaces with countless attractive amenities on-site and close by. The wi-fi is speedy, the coffee is artisanal and the traffic is non-existent. Welcome to the future.
Implementing remote working for good
While many locals and internationals are praising Cape Town for its accessibility, convenience and practicality of remote working, one wonders if it's here to stay or a passing fad. With real estate adapting to this new way of life and work, properties will become more flexible and attractive as co-working spaces or airbnbs to service those who travel and work remotely. Companies across the globe are seeing the advantages in a happier, more productive workforce who are saving on transport costs and managing their time and families more effectively. All factors considered, remote working seems to be here for the long run and Seeff looks forward to fulfilling the need for property space in the Cape Town region. For expert advice on how you can turn your office into a contemporary co-working space or find a home better suited to your dream professional setup, contact us today.