In 2021, Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in an email to employees: “Before the pandemic, we had thousands of people working in locations separate from their core teams. I fully expect those numbers to increase in the coming months as we develop more remote roles.”
Pichai ended his statement with, “the future of work is flexibility.” And as there are now three times more remote jobs available compared to 2020, the CEOs’ assessment was eerily accurate. Flexibility has become the keyword in the post-pandemic revolution. From when and where we work, flexibility has replaced our traditional office environment. Turning flexible workspaces from an idea into a needed solution.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed office culture forever. With the advancement of digitalization, such as Dialpad cloud-based PBX solutions, tradition has opened the doors to innovation. The pandemic shifted our perceptions of conventional office landscapes.
Flexible workspaces have grown in popularity across a multitude of industries. This is largely in part to employees enjoying agility and being able to freely create their ideal work environments and collaborative spaces. Companies can create vibrant workspaces with the tools needed to become a Permanently Flexible workplace.
While there are many benefits to a flexible workspace, one of the key advantages is cost efficiency. Let’s take a closer look at the definition of a flexible workspace and how it can reduce your company’s overhead costs.
What is a Flexible Workspace?
In contrast to traditional office models, which are dedicated to one building or floor, flexible workspaces provide adaptable seating options that accommodate how and where employees prefer to work. Inside these spaces, workers will find traditional office necessities. From desks and chairs to phones and computers, the necessities remain the same. What separates flexible space from a traditional office environment is the necessities are easily-moveable. As items can be moved, flex spaces can conform to the needs of whoever uses the workspace.
Investing Wisely in Flexible Workspaces
While there are many benefits to adopting flexible workspaces, the perk with the greatest impact is savings. Flexible workspaces help companies save money by not investing in resources that may not fit the organization’s long-term needs. Let’s take a closer look at how a flexible workplace approach can make your business bank accounts look a lot healthier!
Reduce office overheads
If your business isn’t ready to go fully remote, a flexible approach allows you to retain a physical premises and operate a hybrid working model. Using hot desking and flexible layouts, you can accommodate a large workforce in a smaller space, as not every employee needs a permanent workstation.
Whether you own or rent the premises, reducing underused space will help you reduce overheads. And a flexible workspace will ensure you’re prepared for the future, as it’s fully scalable and adaptable. Flexible solutions include multipurpose furniture like foldable tables and movable divider walls, which make even a small space more versatile.
Much like a PandaDoc bookkeeping contract template, you can keep the basic office framework in place and customize it to suit your changing needs. For example, the CORT Furniture-as-a-Service™ (FaaS) solution means you can lease office furniture while you decide if the new arrangements are going to work out rather than buying it upfront.
An additional wise investment to consider is using space utilization sensors and data to better understand how your office space is being used and where it could be optimized for better performance.
Improved productivity and retention
Flexible workspaces also help to improve employee productivity, which in turn will increase your revenue. Dynamic and versatile spaces enable workers to move around and interact with colleagues rather than being tied to one workstation. The enterprise collaboration benefits include enhanced creativity and team bonding.
With multipurpose stations and mobile furniture solutions, workers can adjust the office layout to work differently, such as getting together in teams or forming breakout groups. Mobile privacy panels create private spaces for focusing on individual work. You could also include a lounge area for informal chats or all-important breaks.
A flexible, comfortable environment positively impacts employee motivation and well-being, which helps you save money by retaining workers and attracting the best talent.
Furniture and furnishings
In a flexible workspace, furnishings and furniture promote a work-friendly environment. Traditional workspaces continue evolving with collaboration and multi-use areas becoming more attractive and welcoming for the post-pandemic worker.
Companies like CORT believe organizations have an opportunity to reset their workplaces by treating flexibility like an unspoken amenity that is provided to employees. We encourage organizations to experiment in this time of flux, measure how their office space is being utilized with real-time, informative data, modify their layouts and furnishings where improvements are needed and repeat as needs change. This, we believe, is how the traditional office model can grow to become one that is Permanently Flexible.
Flex Your Workspace
The pandemic has affected the life cycle of business operations completely. What used to follow a direct path is now being shaken up and becoming something new entirely. Organizations that provide flexible workspaces to give their employees a sense of control over where and how they work not only save money but increase their chances of having a productive and satisfied workforce.
We are experiencing the role of the office evolve. Facilities and environments adapt to our new circumstances with the gentle push of flexibility and encouragement.
