20 . Nov . 2020

Workplaces That Move People: 7 Things About Flexible Office Spaces

by ZIOKS

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Zioks: Workplaces That Move People: 7 Things About Flexible Office Spaces

Summary Work and its nature have changed entirely since we remember. Gone are the days when desk jobs meant slogging at work and waiting for the day to get over. Today, employees have risen above cubicles and enjoy working in flexible spaces with more work life balance. Evidence proves that it works better for employers as it comes as the right win-win all companies need, especially in current times. 

Looking back, we realize how drastically workplaces have changed in the last fifty years. Remember the times when offices used to be defined by open spaces with bulky furniture and crammed cupboards in the 1950s? In the 1980s cubicles came into existence and private workstations became a rage. It was almost impossible to imagine any workplace to be aesthetic, recreational, social, as well as flexible in that era – because evolution can’t be rushed. Today, the concept of workspace has changed entirely where employees seek fulfilling experience and a more agile landscape to keep work and play balanced. Technology provides employees path-breaking possibilities to work from different locations and timings – collaboratively, without limiting to any social presets. For companies too, such flexible office spaces bring in newer, easier rent options that can keep up with its dynamic profiles. 

Because of its fluidity, it may get challenging for an employer to understand and project the concept of flexible working arrangements. According to Clutch’s 2019 Future of Work Survey reveals that employees would prefer more cohesive work environments with many inherent communities from different verticals.  

BBC.com
Credits: Clutch

The Rosetta Stone of Flexible Workspaces: 

What a flexible workspace means differs from person to person, and for an employer, it may get difficult to break it down accurately. It’s also important to know that there’s more flexible office space than flexibility in terms of timings or schedules. Here are some benefits of a flexible office. 

  1. Ergonomics and Mobility:

The difference between a typical office and a flexible office is that it shapes itself based upon the employees’ style of working; instead of being the other way round. For example, if your employees prefer to move around and work (instead of sitting put in one place), you can go for standing desks and flexible seating arrangements. Flexible workspaces are designed keeping these little things in mind since they all converge into enhancing work quality as well as building a collaborative environment. 

  1. Contractors:

For a startup or a small enterprise it isn’t always feasible to throw open bright and airy office spaces; especially when they don’t know how many they’ll be seating in the near future. Flexible office spaces cater to businesses that hire contractors, as they can scale up or down as needed on short notice. 

  1. State-of-the-art Technology Upgrades:

The flexible workspaces are usually complete with state-of-the-art technology and peripherals for employees’ convenience. It can provide a massive power boost, high-speed internet, data accessible outlets, high-end security devices – in short, every finicky thing that employers have to invest a major chunk of money every year. This saves a lot of time, hassle, and adds a modern, minimalist side to your office space.

  1. Attracts a Larger Talent Pool:

The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) study revealed 58% of all human resource staffers say flexibility is one of the most crucial ways to bring in the industry’s top profiles. Since collaborative office spaces are located right in the heart of prime locations across the city, employees may find it easy to drop-in to any of these according to their convenience. For the employees too, it may be easier for them to quickly open new office spaces in such on-demand neighborhoods without any hassle or buildup expenses. 

  1. Thriving Networking Opportunities:

Obvious from the name, flexible workspaces have a solid growing community of professionals from related domains that makes the experience of employees more valuable over time. Internal networking is also good for your employees to have a surge in their productivity. According to a recent study conducted by Gallup shows that employees who prefer to stay engaged within themselves show 27% more productivity and excellence in their performance; in terms of their creativity and innovation.

  1. Balance Between Liberty and Control:

Such flexible workplaces function on a more dynamic – ‘bend, don’t break’ order. For your employees, it can mean sheer freedom with the adequate weight of governance. Such improvising methods of flexible workspaces make it popular across all generations and not just millennials. More and more cafes, hotel retailers moving into such spaces only show to prove the rising demands.

What’s in it for You as an Employer?

A workplaces design isn’t just about ‘work’, but more on ensuring getting work done the right way. Unlike traditional offices, your flexible workspace doesn’t have to worry about the rather-expensive space and cram precious talent into a pigeonhole ambiance. It can be a conference room, a brainstorming nook, or a marketing studio whenever you want it to be and then become an asset. Here are some of the benefits that a flexible workspace brings:

  • Scale at the Pace of your Business

Your business may be your moonshot project, but it doesn’t have to cost you to the moon and back in terms of setting up your foothold or starting things from scratch. Flexible workspaces provide the freedom to change the team and location, without having to commit to unrealistically long leases. 

  • Pay-Per-Usage and Breathable Contracts

Have you ever wondered how much of your yearly expenses go on unused spaces at your office? With flexible workspaces, you can never run into such situations as you pay exactly for the places you use, including plans that provide you to make the payment as per the frequency of its usage. You may even choose to increase the size of your space gradually with time, judging your usage and their serviceability. No more contracts that lasted up to 25 years or more.

Your workspace reflects your vibe to an outsider – be it an employee or a client. The more you care about your employees’ workability and growth, the more you can leverage it to build your business. In light of the current pandemic, people are rising up to the fact of paying more weightage to collaboration and networking – to pull each other up and there has been no other opportune time for flexible workspaces to thrive in terms of relevance. Cleaner, well-lit, wisely used space, minimalist furniture – stands out as your brand identity, because being present in a flexible office space refined the employee perception of your company. 

As the last few months of 2020 trickle by, the more people realize the need for a safe, open space where they can come together, have fun, learn from each other, and give their best while maintaining social distancing. At least that’s what researchers say six months of working from home has taught most professionals. In case you’re located in India and looking for such a value-based coworking office space in Kolkata, drop into our location at Zioks.

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