A new independent research report from ZZA Responsive User Environments has scotched the myth that flexible working means home-working.

The report, which was supported by Regus, a provider of flexible workspace, combines data from a global 17,000-strong business survey with in-depth qualitative interviews with business people across the world, and demonstrates that working in 'third places' - neither office nor home - is the new normal.

These 'third places' encompass business centres, clubs, libraries and informal areas such as coffee shops. Moreover, the report also reveals that 'third place' working brings a wide range of benefits, including improved work-life balance, reduced stress and improved productivity for the employee, as well as cost-effectiveness, scalability and reduced property commitment for businesses.

More than half (52%) of third place workers globally use business centres for some or all of their working time, 72% of these third place users spend three or more days a week in their favourite business centre or other third place, and 70% of business centre users find them more productive environments compared to more informal locations.

By far the majority of interviewees did not want to work at home. They wanted to work amongst other people who are working, motivated by the synergy and common purpose of other people working around them, with no distractions, benefitting from access to technology and facilities not available at home, and the freedom to focus on their work in a non-domestic, professional environment.

Being able to work in a place close to home radically improves people's work-life balance, job satisfaction and productivity. Convenient location was cited by 73% of respondents as the top benefit of third place working.

Authored by Ziona Strelitz, the report says: "Today's dynamic technological, economic and social conditions create opportunities for individuals and pose new challenges for organisations. Attracting and harnessing talent is a central challenge for business. Third place working that enhances the quality of work life supports this agenda."

Mark Dixon, Regus group CEO, said: "This is a very important independent study that underlines just how commonplace third place working has become in modern business. Commercially, we have seen an increasing trend, but the study shows how prevalent, motivating and productive third place working has become."