Is coworking for civil servants? This is a question that is becoming increasingly topical and the answer can only be yes.
Teleworking of civil servants
Coworking is not only for freelancers or startups, as it also adapts to the needs of a Spanish civil service with more and more and better teleworking options. This is important since public administrations are the main employers in the country. The mass of potential beneficiaries increases due to the clear tendency of the public sector to favour teleworking, with coworking spaces appearing as a viable and economical option for civil servants.
There are many initiatives that the different administrations are implementing, as has occurred not only at the national level, but also at the regional level, as in the case of the Basque Country and Galicia. The aim is to provide workers with greater flexibility and to promote work-life balance, but also to encourage civil servants to set up their residences in towns at risk of depopulation.
In the case of the Administración General del Estado (AGE), recientemente se han incrementado los días en los que su personal puede teletrabajar as long as their post allows it. Until now, civil servants in the General State Administration could voluntarily telework 1 day a week, but from January 2022 they will be able to choose 3 days of teleworking. Thus, they will be able to carry out up to 60% of their work activity remotely. This teleworking will be voluntary (except in situations of force majeure) and reversible.
In the case of Galicia, the regional administration also favours telework among its civil servants. It is worth mentioning in this respect the Agreement on the provision of services in the form of teleworking in the Administration of the Autonomous Community of Galicia, approved by the Council of the Xunta de Galicia at its meeting of 3 December 2020.. The agreement includes in its terms a voluntary and reversible telework modality. It also gives priority to victims of gender violence, pregnant women, people with disabilities, people over 60 years of age, those who need to reconcile family and personal life and people who have a longer commuting time and distance from home to the workplace. This Agreement sets out certain requirements in Article 4:
The competent body in each case shall be required to authorise its assigned staff to provide services by teleworking:
a) A target-based work management system or a measurable task allocation system is in place in the body to which the post is assigned.
b) Personnel seeking authorisation to telework meet the following requirements:
(i) be in active service and be assigned to a post suitable for teleworking.
ii) To accredit a minimum of one year's experience of service in posts with functions and tasks similar to those of the post to be performed in the teleworking modality. However, in the report of the body assigning the post, teleworking may be proposed for persons who do not accredit the aforementioned experience, but who during the time that they have effectively carried out this post or another post of similar content have accredited, in the opinion of the supervisor, a correct knowledge of the functions to be carried out.
(iii) have computer and telematic skills, both theoretical and practical, that guarantee the ability to telework, as well as knowledge of data protection linked to the object of processing.
iv) Have a workspace that complies with the conditions established by the regulations in force on the prevention of occupational hazards.
v) Have a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth to access the Xunta de Galicia's network.
The Xunta guarantees the technological means for the performance of this teleworking modality.
Demand for coworking spaces soars
Coworking spaces, after the first impact of the pandemic, have seen their demand grow strongly, functioning as solutions in the world of work to the demands of the new normality. Teleworking has become the norm and the office has lost weight in favour of these shared spaces with everything necessary for the best professional activity in safety. In addition, companies have adapted to this teleworking scenario and have seen it as an opportunity to save costs.
This data is backed up by a study by CBRE, which confirms not only the increase in demand for these spaces after the first impact of the pandemic, but also the increase in the number of companies that consider that flexible spaces will play a priority role in their activity and also the multinationals that include these spaces in their long-term real estate strategy.
