After three decades in the making, BC Public Service employees who live in the Westshore and surrounding communities can now work closer to home thanks to the new Westhills ShareSpace.
“Today, we’re opening the door to a new way of working for the BC Public Service,” said Premier John Horgan.
This innovative, green, modern, spacious and flexible co-working office with views of Langford Lake, has a mix of co-working spaces and private rooms with office technology including interactive rooms, desk-booking apps, digital signage and audio-visual meeting systems.
“For over 25 years, my council and I have been advocating for government offices in Langford,” said Stew Young, mayor of Langford in November 2019.
There are electric-vehicle charging stations, bike storage facilities, and day-use lockers with showers that promote active and green transportation options.
“Having the option to work and collaborate in this bright, open and innovative workspace near home will be a game changer for many people – giving them more time with their families, cutting commute times and helping reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
More than 20% of the BC Public Service employees who work in Victoria live in the Westshore area. Many have long advocated for an office space close to home due to the time and money they spend commuting each day.
With COVID-19 forcing workers at home, remote working has become widespread and the orthodoxy of the 9-5 Monday to Friday work week is being reimagined.
“We all know that work will never be the same, even if we don’t yet know all the ways in which it will be different,” says Slack co-founder and CEO Stewart Butterfield.
“People are making new choices about where they want to live and creating new expectations about flexibility, working conditions and life balance that can’t be undone.”
Slack’s Future Forum research found that of the knowledge workers polled only 12% want to return to full-time office work, and 72% want a hybrid remote-office model moving forward.
For government workers in Langford, it means less of a commute and more time with family, said Su-Mei MacDonnell, a B.C. government employee and Colwood resident.
“Having the choice and flexibility to be able to work at this ShareSpace location is fantastic.”
