When the Coronavirus Pandemic started, several businesses let their staff work from home. Many employers are becoming aware that this may be a long-term, even permanent, alteration to how business is done as the epidemic spreads.
Today, roughly half of people work from home. It’s the perfect scenario for individuals with the proper set-up (private workplace, no dogs or young children to distract them, and a large garden to walk about without a mask).
The situation outlined, however, is not plausible. In urban compact flats, many families are spending the epidemic. They are eager for some fresh air and a change of scenery after spending many months inside.
In addition, one out of three remote employees said they would relocate to a different city or state if they could continue working from home. For owners of vacation rentals, this is excellent news.
What are Remote Workers or “Workationers”?
Renting vacation houses as a venue to do remote business is a recent development. They get a change of scenery and often more room to stretch out rather than being caged up in a little apartment in the city. Large outside areas allow kids and dogs to play unrestrictedly while parents work in peace.
These so-called “workationers” are also far more likely to reserve vacation rentals for periods of one month or more. They discover that not only can they do more work in these peaceful settings, but they can also unwind and recharge.
More visitors are utilizing websites that provide vacation rentals to discover new workspaces and make temporary moves. It enables them to see new places and become closer to their family. You may now work from any residence while working from home. The flexibility is being abused, according to trends in evaluations of vacation rentals. For instance:
The number of visitors using terms like “remote working” or “work remotely” in written evaluations has increased since the epidemic started.
The number of visitors looking for accommodations that let them work remotely climbed by 90% over the previous year.
How to Welcome Remote Workers into Your Home
Weekend trips are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Working remotely allows visitors to remain as long as they like without worrying about avoiding Sunday afternoon traffic.
But how can your vacation rental house be modified to accept remote workers?
1. Post Your Reservation on the Proper Channels
Nowadays, websites like Booking.com and Airbnb extensively advertise the business travel sector. Each website has “business-ready” choices below its listings that enable owners to advertise their vacation rental property to distant employees. Users may more simply and rapidly locate lodgings that meet their work demands. These locations also provide opportunities for long-term stays.
2. Benefit from Facebook Groups
There are many Facebook groups with working remote professionals among them. They often seek advice and guidance from other like-minded professionals in their communities.
Knowing this is just another justification for utilizing social media to promote your vacation rental. Once your property has their attention, send them to your vacation rental website so they can make a secure reservation.
3. Review Your Prices
Offering long-term stay discounts is a great way to get visitors to consider staying at your house. Making the property accessible for weekly and monthly rentals will encourage more bookings from visitors who understand they will save money over time by forgoing overnight rents.
Indeed, you can perhaps earn more money by charging a nightly rate. But keep in mind that times have changed. Even if your calendar was fully occupied with a variety of visitors in years past, you’ve undoubtedly already seen a sharp decline since the epidemic.
Instead, pay attention to the fact that you will get money every month, even if it is a bit less than you were earning before. Also, keep in mind that they are likely to be returning visitors who will soon want another “workstation.”
4. Remodel your house
Your vacation home doesn’t need to be completely redone, but by giving its furnishings and design some care, you could see an increase in reservations.
For instance, the old sofa in the living room is a stunning focal point. But how pleasant would it truly be to use every day? Will it be something that your visitors will like utilizing for more than a few nights?
Making little adjustments can not only make your visitors more at ease while they are there, but the proper décor will also inspire them. We could all use a bit more of these two things throughout the workweek.
5. Establish Several Work Areas
Using the kitchen counter as a desk is feasible for a few days, but remote employees need a dedicated workplace for many weeks of work.
In addition to being clean, their workstation should ideally be located in a space that offers them the seclusion they want for virtual meetings. Desk chairs should if at all feasible, be movable to accommodate all of your visitors’ demands.
Keep in mind that other family members may want a workspace if both parents are employed remotely. Children may need a place to do their schoolwork and stay connected to their schools.
The family may spread out and focus on their work if enough tables, desks, and seats are available. You don’t have to convert your vacation house into a cubicle office. If feasible, there should be enough dimmable lighting in every room.
6. Make Your Outdoor Living Space Better
Your guests will particularly appreciate the added work you put into your outside living space. If there are tables and seats, people could even decide to work outside.
Your visitors will have a spot to unwind after a long day at work if there is cozy seating nearby. Possibilities for outdoor cooking or a fireplace outdoors will promote tranquility and increased productivity.
7. Examine Your Internet Connection
You should confirm the connection’s quality if you offer free WiFi. Test it out on your own. When using video conferencing, is the video seamless, or does it take ten minutes for an email to load?
Perhaps you should update your internet package. Being without internet access for a few days wasn’t that horrible in past years. But the signal had better be vital if you’re inviting distant employees to stay at your house for a “workstation.”
Your visitors aren’t only staying for the weekend. They intend to stay a while. Their performance at work is closely correlated with how well their internet connection works. It is impossible to overstate the importance of having a reliable internet connection.
8. Give out free office supplies
You may either accomplish this by putting them on the desk or by making a basket of guest office items. Consider the little details that your visitor could forget or decide not to bring, and add them to the basket. It could consist of:
- Pens
- Pencils
- Paper
- Paperclips
- Stapler
- punch a hole
- Scissors
- Envelopes
- coffee and tea to boost productivity
Make sure there are enough electrical outlets in the appropriate workstation locations as well. Include extension cables or power strips if necessary if the closest outlet is distant from the desk.
9. Be child- and animal-friendly
If you aren’t already, being a family- and the pet-friendly house will probably enhance these reservations. Families with children will be more motivated to leave that cramped city flat.
With so many people spending more time at home, pets are also gaining popularity.
Writing your rules with dogs and children in mind will affect the number of visitors that make reservations with you.
10. Add fresh images
You want to flaunt your house after you’ve made some of these modifications to make it more conducive to a “workstation.” Get visitors’ attention with fresh pictures that highlight the collaborative atmosphere you’ve built.
Draw attention to the surroundings as well as the work areas themselves. Is there a lake in front of the desk’s window? Are there suitable chairs in the outside area for work? Will children and dogs enjoy going outdoors safely?
These are all places that will interest your visitors and increase their likelihood of reserving an extended stay with you.
11. Improve the Details of Your Properties
Now is a wonderful moment to enhance your listing with fresh descriptions in addition to upgrading your photographs. Make sure to emphasize how your property is a great place to “working” and that you welcome remote employees and their families.
Include details about the office space, internet connection, and whether or not you offer long-term availability in your list of amenities.
In the last several months, a lot of changes have been made to almost everything we do. That applies to both our job and personal lives. You can maintain a consistent stream of revenue from your vacation rental property by adjusting to these fluctuations.
