We have already touched on the shift from traditional office spaces to more flexible solutions post-pandemic, but we wanted to take a look into this in a bit more detail. The corporate world is undergoing a big shift following the introduction of flexible remote working caused by the pandemic.
Businesses are relying on government guidelines in order to prepare their office space for the new normal, but some business owners are thinking outside of the box. Finding a solution for their staff that is safe, but also allows easy collaboration and interaction. Something that Zoom has really put a pause on during the recent year. Let’s have a look at some of the options for business owners moving forward.
Office Costs
When lockdown eases it is going to be a real opportunity for people and businesses to reset. To take check of what has happened over the past year, and plan for the future once the end is in sight. Things are going to be very different in a variety of ways, and commercial property is no exception to this rule. Businesses are going to be looking for working environments that positively influence the mental health of their workers, and of course, reduce overheads too. No more being tied into lengthy, expensive contracts.
With the implementation of social distancing measures, more square footage may be required in order to accommodate this, which puts the rates up significantly. With so much economic uncertainty, businesses are searching for a flexible model where they can upsize or downsize where required. A flexible workspace is an answer to all of these problems, so let’s have a look into this model in further detail.
Flexible Workspaces
Flexible office spaces are just that, flexible. This means that they come in a variety of shapes and sizes and include all of the following types of workspaces: serviced private offices, coworking spaces, managed offices and hybrid spaces. The flexibility comes into play with the environment itself – the office is ready when you are. The furniture, IT, electricity, security and more, are all ready for you to just rock up with your laptop and get to work straight away.
Flexible offices are available to move into tomorrow, and all costs are simplified within one monthly invoice – so no unexpected surprises at the end of the month. If you opt for traditional leasing arrangements, there are lots of extras you will need to budget for: property rates, buildings insurance, furniture, stamp duty, building maintenance, air conditioning… the list goes on.
Main Benefits of Flexible Workspaces
Here are some of the advantages to business owners that flexible workspaces provide:
- Cost – by the time you have cost up a complete office refurbishment and fit-out, a serviced office is a much cheaper option. That is before you have even considered ongoing maintenance and service costs!
- Convenience – as everything you need within an office is provided in a flexible workspace, you can get set up straight away. There is no waiting for desks and chairs to be delivered and assembled before you can bring the team in.
- Flexibility – the contracts drawn up are often designed to suit the needs of your business. Short-term agreements are fairly standard, with the flexibility to change offices as and when your team grows.
Looking To The Future
Some businesses will be looking to get back to their traditional office spaces and make those work. However, there will also be some that will be innovative with their thinking and reduce costs where possible in order to keep overheads low. The future is very unpredictable, and working patterns are likely to change – leading to more business owners needing to provide an agile working environment for their staff.
At McCue House, we are providing a range of flexible office spaces to suit the individual needs of businesses across North East Lincolnshire. For more information please feel free to book a tour of the site.