History will look back to this current time period as a major change in what “the office” looks like. While in-person workplaces are still important for many businesses, priorities have shifted.
The workforce has become more mobile, and companies have to adjust to this. One 2022 study indicated that 65% of businesses are considering changes to offices, workstations, and amenities—shifting from “me” to “we” in the way workspaces are designed and used.
Today, SMBs, solopreneurs, and even some enterprise organizations are most interested in how they work and achieve their goals, and—by extension—how their workplace fits into that.
To meet that goal, there are a variety of new options available to companies and professionals. Flexible workplace options include:
- Traditional coworking spaces, with options for private offices (including part-time options), or dedicated desks. This arrangement is often favored by solo pros, remote workers, or small teams and offers shared amenities and access to a professional coworking community.
- A private office in our Annex Suites. This is a great option if you want to work around other professionals to stay motivated, but enjoy working alone without distraction.
- Fully serviced options like The Post’s Annex Suites. These are large private suites for your team, equipped with offices and open space, conference room, and professional fundamentals like printing, scanning, and A/V equipment. They’re fully customizable to your needs as far as decreasing or increasing office space. Whether you need just 1,000 square feet or 2,000 plus, we have created a way to easily and affordably connect or disconnect office suites with ease to scale up or down. Plus, you still get the same access to a coworking community and events.
These flexible options are transforming the way people work. Here are eight reasons why organizations and professionals are making the shift.
1. Amenities and Services
Many traditional office spaces include amenities like meeting rooms and kitchens, used exclusively by the organizations that rent the space. You’re paying for the space, whether it’s used optimally or not.
In contrast, flexible workspaces provide more options. Fully serviced options like our Annex Suites allow you to choose the amenities you need, meaning you aren’t paying for something you don’t use. You still have access to all the amenities of the building, in addition to coworking community and events.
Additionally, flexible workspaces include amenities and services that aren’t always available in traditional offices. This might include:
- Event or flex spaces
- Kitchenettes, lounges, and outdoor spaces
- Complimentary coffee and tea
- Bookable meeting rooms
- On-site staff
- Insulated phone booths
2. Professional Community
Many remote professionals struggle with isolation, which is a challenge to individuals and the overall company culture.
Flexible workspaces provide a collaborative environment where professionals can build community both with their immediate teams or with other people using the space. A professional coworking community is built through:
- Informal socialization in common areas.
- Professional development and networking events.
- Organized socials and member activities.
3. Operational Efficiency
As the pandemic demonstrated, businesses need to expect and plan for uncertainty and volatility. Staying adaptable and nimble is important for operational efficiency.
Unlike traditional leases, serviced offices and flexible workspaces don’t lock you into a long commitment with rigid terms. This lets you be more agile and reduce costs and liability by only using space that suits your team’s current needs.
4. Turnkey Solutions
Serviced offices like our Annex Suites provide turnkey solutions, where you can get your team into a new space and working within a matter of days rather than months.
Instead of wasting time and money on purchasing furnishings or setting up the office, service suites are ready when you’re ready.
5. Cost-Savings
Flexible work options like coworking and serviced suites easily accommodate hybrid work models, eliminating the need for large workspaces with individual desks for every person.
This drastically reduces office space expenditures as you only pay for the space you need.
Further cost-savings come from sharing overhead costs with other businesses and professionals using the flexible workspace.
6. Flexible Contracts
Traditional office leases are typically rigid and long-term, meaning you may get stuck with something that doesn’t work for you longer than you’d like.
Flexible workspaces, whether coworking or in a fully-serviced suite, are designed with flexibility in mind. Contracts are shorter and you can more easily adjust and change things depending on your organizational needs. This all means that you’re paying for what you need, when you need it so you can scale, grow, and pivot when you want.
7. Spatial Diversity
Many professionals today look back at their previous cubicle life and wonder—how did I do that?
With the rise of remote and hybrid work, we’ve collectively realized that there’s no need to simply sit at one desk all day, every day.
Flexible workspaces offer spatial diversity. You can change locations throughout the day to optimize productivity and output. Here are some examples:
- Common rooms and lounges with comfortable chairs or couches.
- Insulated phone booths for private conversations.
- Desks and tables for concentrated work.
- Outdoor spaces to catch some fresh air.
- Kitchens and dining areas to connect with other professionals.
8. Hospitality
Unlike traditional offices, flexible workspaces are designed around people and intentionally created to help professionals thrive. That’s why hospitality is such a core component of their design.
Hospitality is infused into daily experiences, from reception and IT support, to event planning and hosting. Instead of relying on your team or hiring other people, serviced suites and coworking spaces have built-in hospitality to help you every step of the way.
Recent data tells us that traditional office space has simply not recovered from the pandemic, with record-high vacancy rates sitting at 12.9%. And we see why—despite working for some companies or organizations, they don’t always suit a new style of working.
If you’re looking for a serviced suite or flexible workspace intentionally created for modern organizations and professionals, contact us to book a tour of The Post today.