Let’s be real for a second, working from home isn’t always the dream it was sold to be. Sure, the commute is non-existent and the coffee is cheaper, but by 3:00 PM on a Tuesday, the walls start closing in. The "office" is also your kitchen, your laundry room, and the place where your cat decides to have a mid-day zoomie session across your keyboard.
You’ve probably looked at coworking spaces or a Reef membership and thought, "This would be a game-changer for my focus." But then you saw the price tag and hesitated.
Here is the secret: you shouldn't be paying for that out of your own pocket.
If your company is remote or hybrid, they have a vested interest in you actually being productive. But asking for money can feel… awkward. Whether you’re worried about sounding demanding or you just don't know how to word the email, we’ve got your back. This is your ultimate guide to getting your coworking membership expensed, backed by data, logic, and a bit of "insider" tax knowledge.
The Reality Check: Why You Can’t Just "Deduct It"
Before you go to your boss, you need to understand the landscape. A common misconception is that remote workers can just "write off" their coworking costs on their taxes at the end of the year.
Spoiler alert: If you’re a W-2 employee, you probably can't.
Since the tax law changes in 2018 (specifically the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the US, with similar tightening in other regions), unreimbursed business expenses are no longer deductible for standard employees. If you’re a freelancer or a 1099 contractor? Great, you can deduct those day passes and memberships as a business expense. But for the millions of us working for a company, that money comes straight out of our post-tax paycheck.
This makes the "expensing" conversation even more critical. Since you can’t get a break from the taxman, your employer needs to step up.
Step 1: Shift the Narrative (It’s Not a Perk)
The biggest mistake employees make is asking for a coworking membership as if it’s a "nice-to-have" perk, like a Friday pizza lunch or a meditation app subscription.
Stop doing that.
A workspace is infrastructure. It is a tool, just like your laptop, your Slack subscription, or your high-speed internet. You aren't asking for a luxury; you are asking for the environment required to do the job they hired you to do.
When you frame it as "infrastructure for productivity," the conversation changes from spending money to investing in output. Your manager cares about results. If you can show that a Reef membership helps you "smash out" deep work tasks without the distraction of the doorbell or the fridge, you’re speaking their language.
Step 2: Hit Them With the Productivity Logic
Managers are often worried that if they pay for you to work from a "buzzy" café or a design-led coworking space, you’ll just be hanging out drinking lattes. You need to flip that script.
Research consistently shows that a "third space", somewhere that isn't the office and isn't home, boosts cognitive function. Why?
- The Hawthorne Effect: We tend to work harder when we are in a professional environment surrounded by other people working.
- Context Switching: Your brain associates home with rest. It associates a dedicated workspace with "Deep Work."
- Reliability: Unlike your home Wi-Fi, which might flake out during a storm, or a random coffee shop where you can't find a plug, Reef venues are vetted for high-speed internet and professional amenities.
Mention that your productivity-focus increases by X% when you have a dedicated space. Use specific examples: "I noticed that when I worked from a professional space last week, I finished the quarterly report two hours faster because I wasn't distracted by household chores."
Step 3: The Cost-Saving Angle (The CFO's Best Friend)
If you're talking to HR or a CFO, bring up the "Real Estate ROI."
Traditional office space is incredibly expensive. We're talking thousands per desk, per year, once you factor in rent, business rates, heating, cleaning, and the dreaded "office snacks."
By staying remote and using a flexible solution like Reef, your company is saving a fortune on overhead. A Reef membership is a fraction of the cost of a permanent office lease. In fact, many companies are now adopting "Work from Anywhere" budgets because it allows them to hire top talent globally without the anchor of a 10-year building lease.
You can even point them to the Reef for Teams page, which shows how businesses can manage multiple employees' access without the headache of individual invoices.
Step 4: Use This "Script" (Copy & Paste)
Not sure what to say? Try this template for your next 1-on-1 or email.
Subject: Proposal to optimize my remote work setup
Hi [Manager Name],
I’ve been looking at ways to level up my productivity and hit our targets for the next quarter. While I love the flexibility of working from home, I’ve found that having access to a professional "third space" a few days a week significantly improves my focus and output for deep-work tasks.
I’ve been looking at Reef, which gives access to a network of vetted workspaces. It’s significantly more cost-effective than a traditional office lease, and it would ensure I always have guaranteed high-speed Wi-Fi and a professional environment for our client calls.
Since W-2 employees can't deduct these costs personally, I was wondering if the company would be open to expensing a monthly membership? I truly believe the boost in my daily output would far outweigh the cost.
Happy to chat about how this could work!
Best,
[Your Name]
Step 5: Handling the "But We Have an Office" Objection
If your company has a hybrid model with a central office, your manager might say, "Why don't you just come into the HQ?"
This is where you talk about time-wealth and energy. If the HQ is a 90-minute commute away, that’s 3 hours of your day gone. 3 hours where you are tired, stressed, and not working.
A local Reef venue might be 10 minutes away. By expensing a local membership, the company gets a "refreshed" version of you, someone who has already started their day while others are still stuck on a train. It’s about meeting in the middle: you get the professional environment, they get the high-performing employee, and nobody has to deal with the M25 at 8:00 AM.
Documentation Is Your Friend
If they say yes (and they often do!), make sure you keep your ducks in a row.
- Keep Every Receipt: Even if you’re using an app, download the PDF invoices.
- Log Your Usage: If HR asks why they are paying for it, show them your "check-ins."
- Use the Booking Platform: Platforms like Reef make it easy because all your bookings are in one place. You can show a clear trail of where and when you worked.
Why "Wait and See" Is a Bad Strategy
The longer you wait to ask, the more money you’re leaving on the table. If you spend £200 a month on day passes and coffee shop "rent" (those £4 lattes add up), that’s £2,400 a year of your post-tax income.
Companies today know that the world has changed. They know that to keep the best people, they need to support the "new way" of working. Often, the only reason they aren't paying for your coworking space yet is that nobody has asked.
Be the person who asks. Frame it as a win for your focus, a win for your mental health, and a financial win for the company’s overhead.
Ready to Make the Switch?
If you’re ready to ditch the kitchen table and find a space that actually inspires you, check out our map of venues. From chilled hotel lounges to high-energy coworking hubs, there’s a spot waiting for you.
And if your manager needs a bit more convincing? Send them to our Reef Demo page so they can see exactly how the platform works for professional teams.
Stop paying for your own "office." Start expensing. Your bank account (and your productivity) will thank you. 📍
