Workers turn to flexible offices as Tube strikes boost outer London demand

"London's transport strikes have driven a surge in demand for flexible offices, with workers increasingly choosing to base themselves closer to home rather than commute into the city centre or remain entirely remote. Data from International Workplace Group (IWG), the world's largest provider of flexible workspaces, shows a 43 per cent rise in visits to outer London locations during the four days of Tube strikes between 8-11 September."

"Instead of defaulting to homeworking, many employees are opting for professional workspaces in suburban hubs, supported by companies that are offering staff access to wider networks of flexible offices. The shift is credited with boosting productivity, retention and wellbeing while reducing commuting costs. To meet this demand, IWG has been expanding rapidly across London's suburbs, opening new centres in Uxbridge, Sutton, Twickenham, Harrow, Putney, Wimbledon, Kingston, Richmond and Croydon, with more planned."

Transport strikes in London triggered a surge in demand for flexible offices as workers increasingly choose to base themselves closer to home instead of commuting into the city centre or remaining entirely remote. IWG data recorded a 43 per cent rise in visits to outer London locations during four days of Tube strikes, with Hammersmith, Richmond and St Albans seeing demand climb by as much as 55 per cent. Many employees are opting for professional suburban workspaces supported by companies offering access to wider flexible-office networks. The shift boosts productivity, retention and wellbeing while cutting commuting costs. IWG expanded across London suburbs with multiple new centres and almost 500 new global locations added in the first half of 2025, reflecting growing appetite for "local platform working".

Read at Business Matters