"Work Near Home"

Work-Near-Home is set to be the new and improved modern model for employees after productivity issues were raised by companies upon incorporating the "Work-From-Home" model Worldwide since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexible workspaces like Coworking Spaces, Serviced Offices and Hotel Workspaces will provide a key role in solving the series of challenges faced by the employees who are currently hampered by the constraints faced by working from home.

Post-COVID 19, large and small companies are adapting to the challenges of the new reality and adopting a reimagined way of working. Many employers across the World have risen to the occasion and helped pave a new way of working that wasn't envisioned to be in effect for at least another decade. The solution being, Professional Flexible Workspaces conveniently located near employee residences.

The advantages of working close to home - Flexible workspaces aren't just about cost savings and remote working culture. It is also about time. Living close to a flexible workspace can significantly boost productivity. Not only would it take less time to get to work, the convenience of having home nearby will even make employees more likely to put in that extra few minutes at the beginning or end of the day. This sense of freedom not only translates to improved productivity at work but also in your personal pursuits. Gaining extra time by being closer to where you live can provide the opportunity to explore new hobbies, spend more time with family, save on transportation costs, and much more.

A transformational approach to reinventing the office culture is now necessary. Companies should take a fresh approach at assessing the total space required for its employees and where a flexible workspace/ remote working solution could help drive desired outcomes for collaboration, productivity, culture, and overall work experience.

Key Benefits For Employers using Flexible Workspaces:

1. Increased employee productivity resulting in increased revenue.

2. Flexibility to upsize and downsize office size at will.

3. Optimized cost structure and zero furniture depreciation costs.

Key Benefits For Employees using Flexible Workspaces:

1. No soul-crushing commute along with tremendous time-saving potential.

2. Enjoy all the amenities and professional environment that an office could provide. No more Interruptions from family, pets, and/or a doorbell.

3. No more loneliness and lack of human interaction.

What are the types of flexible workspace?

In no particular order, here are a few key variants in the flexible workspace category today.

Private offices:

A private office is a space that is separated and out of earshot from other companies. Compared to open offices, private offices offer businesses control over the space, more privacy, and a quieter working environment. These workspaces all come with a host of services to meet the needs of your business.

Fixed desk:

Fixed desk spaces are basically hot desks with an additional benefit of having the desk exclusively to yourself. Getting yourself a Fixed desk subscription at any coworking space means that you have a desk and its associated amenities at your disposal to use as your own, as long as your subscription is valid. Thereby giving you access to your own private storage, reception facilities, hot & cold beverages, pantry facilities, etc. The scope of amenities available would depend on the type of lease package you select. 

Flexi desks:

Hot desks/Flexi desks are more or less like Fixed Desks, barring the usage exclusivity clause. Ready-to-use Hot desks/ Flexi desks are placed in several designated areas across coworking spaces and such products are typically used to support in-house staff, remote workers, temps, and visitors who don’t have permanent workspaces. The scope of amenities available with each hot desk subscription would depend on the type of lease package you select. 

Meeting rooms:

A meeting room is a space usually set aside for people to get together, often informally to hold meetings, for issues to be discussed, priorities set and decisions made. Meeting rooms come in various sizes; they can be small to accommodate two people undertaking an interview or a large number of people for a product launch.

What are the Amenities?

While size and scope of amenities provided would vary depending upon several factors such as - the service provider, package selected, location, etc, in most cases, the below amenities can be expected to be inclusive in any serviced workspace package:

- Reception & Secretary services

- P.O.Box & Post Courier services

- Utilities & Cooling inclusive

- Premium furniture

- Dedicated telephone landline

- Unlimited high-speed internet (WiFi & Wired)

- B/W & Colour print facility

- Meeting room access

- Pantry facility (with free tea, coffee, water)

- Office cleaning/maintenance services in-house

- 24/7 access with access keys

Now is THE moment for employers and entrepreneurs to break free from the status quo and get rid of suboptimal old habits and systems. Today is no time for nostalgia. Today is about reinvention. Flexible workspaces will give employees and employers alike a fresh lease of life, a safe and distraction-free environment where people can enjoy their work, improve work-life balance and achieve company objectives along the way.