Flexible work and agile work are two words that keep cropping up when people talk about businesses being future fit. The pandemic has altered the way in which we work forever, with remote working and hybrid working models growing in popularity, and the traditional office model becoming stale. Businesses need flexible mindsets and flexible processes in order to survive, and with that comes flexible workspace. But what is a flexible workspace and why does it exist?
Essentially, a Flexible Workspace is a fully-functioning serviced office that requires minimal set-up time and no set-up costs. A plug and play model that enables you to simply come in, plug in the laptop and focus on running your business, while your serviced office provider, such ourselves at Iconic Offices, look after everything else.
VARIETY OF FLEXIBLE WORK SPACE OPTIONS
Private Offices: Whether you need a one-person private office or an entire floor, a serviced office provider can typically customise and accommodate whatever your requirement may be, in a private space that you can call your own. Lockable, sound proofed – private.
Coworking: For individuals or small teams, typically taking a desk on a bank in a shared open plan space – having access to premium amenities at a low-cost, working in a collaborative environment. Also known as “hot-desking” or more recently “dedicated desks” to ensure social distancing remains in place.
Private Coworking or Office Hubs: A relatively new concept which has grown in popularity as a result of the pandemic. These “Hubs” provide a private coworking space or office, so companies can create their own schedule and rotation system for their employees within the space. This means they can have a desk for each employee in the company for when they are in the office, or only a fraction of the desks whereby staff can rotate use.
Having multiple options available in flexible workspaces means companies have the ability to grow and scale within the workspace, you could start out as a coworking member and progress to a private office as you expand.
LOW COMMITMENT CONTRACTS
One of the biggest perks of flexible workspaces, is hands-down their flexible contracts. Most office leases these days require a five-to-ten-year commitment, if not more. With a flex workspace you essentially have the option to be as flexible as you like. Whether you’re looking for a day office, a month-long coworking membership, or a one-year lease on an office space, you decide, and the space flexes to you.
Speaking with essensys, John Williams of Instant Offices believes there will be a 21% increase in flexible workspace globally over the next 12 months. Having the ability to be agile with contract commitments and adapt to the current situation is crucial for businesses in 2021 and beyond.
PREMIUM SERVICE MODEL
The flexible workspace now performs many of the tasks traditionally taken on by the occupier. These include space design, facilities management, and provision of amenities. All of which save companies and individuals valuable time and money, so they can focus on running their businesses as effectively as possible. For example, at Iconic Offices you can take advantage of our “Iconic Assist” service, so whether you need telephone answering to printing and binding services for company documents, just book it in with their team and they will look after it for you.
FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE PROVIDES AHUMAN CONNECTION
The pandemic has also meant that our daily human interactions are at an all-time low. Human connection in the workplace has been proven to impact productivity, collaboration, as well as workplace happiness. By working from home, employees miss out on meaningful conversations and interactions that only happen when we’re together.
In his book, “Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect,” Professor Matthew Lieberman writes that our need to connect is as fundamental as our need for food and water; we suffer when our social bonds are threatened or severed. As a result, by removing all physical human interaction, companies could see significant impacts on employee morale, as well as their overall work output over time.
Flexible workspaces not only provide a space to bring the team together, but they also bring a wider community of like-minded professionals together too. So, whether you’re looking to network amongst your peers or to collaborate on a project, having access to a broad range of industries and skillsets within the one community can be very beneficial, particularly for SMEs and start-ups.
TRUST IN YOUR SERVICES AND TELECOMS
There’s nothing worse than working from home with the constant worry that your WiFi is suddenly going to drop or your hotspot is going to stop working during a company Zoom call.
Flexible office providers cater for many different businesses within a single building. Therefore, their internet and telecoms services must be of the highest quality and, most importantly, reliable. This is where communal offices earn a certain allure and provide valuable peace of mind every time you have to log into that important meeting.
INTERESTED IN FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE?
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Interested in a Flexible Workspace? Simply fill out your details and a member of our team will get back to you within 24 hours. They will answer any questions you have and help find the perfect solution to suit your requirements.
If you are interested in experiencing any of our offices, we can arrange an in-person viewing or virtual tour.
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