Third Mainland Bridge closure reason companies should consider coworking spaces
I don’t work on Lagos Island but I felt the impact of Third Mainland Bridge’s closure in Yaba on August 24th. I couldn't get keke after waiting unusually long at Sabo bus stop, and, in the end, I had to trek from there to work — thankfully, it’s a short journey!
Now imagine the hardship workers who used the bridge to get to work that day went through. A search for “third mainland bridge” on Twitter will give you a peek. People waited several hours at bus stops for buses, and then spent more hours in traffic on alternative routes that were littered with petrol tankers. It was chaotic!
Besides crushing the souls and body of the workers, the traffic jam will affect the Lagos economy — the state already loses ₦42 billion yearly to the monster. The companies will also be affected as productivity of workers will drop due to lateness and stress.
The Lagos State Government has been working hard to tackle the issue and reduce losses. It established LASTMA and introduced BRT for this reason. Also, it is developing other mode of transportation and is continuously fixing roads. But are companies finding a fix for stressed-out, unhappy and unproductive workers? I’m not certain but they can start by embracing coworking spaces.
Coworking spaces are shared workspaces that provide known office amenities and much more. An example is LeadSpace. Its locations — Yaba and Ojodu, Berger — have distinct aesthetics and vibe, and provide super fast Wi-Fi, uninterrupted power supply, ancillary services and free coffee. The icing on the cake? They have a vibrant community!
LeadSpace members are highly productive, meet people from different walks of life at networking events like Happy Hour, which holds every last Friday of the month, and gain (new) knowledge and perspectives, especially from coworkers working in different fields, that can be applied to their own work.
Had companies, especially the small and medium sized, made arrangements for some of their workers to work from LeadSpace on the 24th, the issue of stressed-out and late workers would have been averted, eliminating drop in productivity and whatnot. Longer term, they’ll save cost as coworking spaces are far cheaper and come with additional services at no extra cost.
Workers in Lagos have been at the receiving end of poor transport infrastructure for long. August 24th was only a different dimension to the menace. Small and medium-sized companies should consider coworking for healthier, happier, productive workers which will invariably lead to business growth.
