What Are the Benefits of a Flexible Workplace?
Workplace that allows more flexibility and adaptability can provide several benefits addressing the various needs we are witnessing in the industry.
Increasing Productivity
Flexible workspaces provide office workers with a variety of choices regarding where and how they get their work done. Whether you require occasional collaboration or want to work privately, flexible workspaces are adaptable to groups that need to come together, break apart, and re-convene later.
Interestingly, McKinsey’s recent research shows that 45% of employees reported working more productively when working remotely during the pandemic. Therefore, it’s important to provide comfort and safety at every level to make employees feel relaxed, as if they were at home.
Facilitating Hybrid Work
At the beginning of 2020, still only 5% of work hours in America were spent at home. By spring 2020 this had risen to 60%. As of October 2021, that figure was still at 40%. A study across six countries shows that 44% of senior executives want to get back to the office full time compared to 17% of their staff. Since most people still want to work from home, at least part of the week, it’s essential for businesses to adopt this hybrid model moving forward.
According to Microsoft, two-thirds of companies are considering physical redesign that ease hybrid work, in which employees can split time working in the office and at home. Meanwhile, Google has decided to dedicate around 10% of its office area, to test out hybrid design — including modular pods, inflatable privacy walls, and the like.
Therefore, people who work remotely most of the time can reserve a “hot desk” or “hotelling”, come into the office when they need to, and plug in. In other words, this is far more practical than keeping permanent desks for office workers.
This also helps promoting hygiene. Instead of taking any available desk, employees need to reserve, which allows cleaning staffs to ensure sanitisation of desks prior to arrivals.
Fostering Culture of Sustainability
Flexible offices are also more cost-effective due to its ability to transform the office based on the workers’ needs. They provide spaces where people can take part in ‘hot desking’ and general workspaces which aren't allocated to anyone specifically. And since the amount of people in the office won’t be as many as pre-pandemic due to hybrid working model, the flexible office trend is also very sustainable. It allows companies to save money with a smaller real estate footprint and require less energy for lighting, heating, and cooling.
