The way we do business is changing. Digital technology has had a huge impact on our professional processes, and many traditional ways of doing things no longer make sense. An increasing number of businesses are moving towards more flexible practices to reflect these changes, and professional resources such as co-working spaces and virtual offices are becoming far more readily available.
If your company hasn’t yet adapted to a more modern way of working, it may be time to make some changes around the office. There are a great deal of straight-forward ways to make your professional working space more appropriate for the 21st century, and most of these developments are likely to have a very positive impact on employee productivity. In this blog, we take a look at some of the different ways you can adapt your working space for the modern day:
1. Embrace flexible working
One of the most significant ways that offices are changing is through the introduction of more flexible working practices, including flexi-time and tele-commuting. Doing this has been shown to boost recruitment, increase staff retention and improve employee relations.
The number of organisations offering flexible working options has seen a huge spike in recent years, with reports even suggesting that flexible working will become the main option for most employers by 2020. Giving employees the option to set their own working hours and even to work from home, or another location, when appropriate, can really help to ensure you get the best from your workforce.
2. Consider a virtual office
Virtual offices aren’t just for freelancers and micro-businesses. In fact, this particular 21st century office development has opened up a whole range of possibilities for SMEs too.
A virtual office can be an excellent way to establish a base in a new area without the investment of setting up and staffing physical premises. A local business address not only helps to develop a presence, but it can also help to build trust amongst a potential customer base.
3. Experiment with video conferencing technology
It’s no longer necessary for people to be in the same physical space in order to collaborate. Colleagues, associates and customers can now work together from any location, whether they’re in the same city or on opposite sides of the world.
Video calling technology is one of the ways that this kind of collaborative working has become a great deal easier. With apps such as Facetime and Skype, as well as a bunch of others, individuals can still feel as if they’re having a face-to-face meeting, but can do so with all the convenience of a quick phone call. However, most professionals still prefer to access these meetings from a professional space, with 60% of virtual meeting attendees logging in from a conference room rather than their desk or a mobile device.
There is a wide range of technology available that can make this easier to manage. Wireless connections, screens in meeting rooms and smart boards can all help to incorporate video conferencing technology seamlessly into everyday office life.
4. Share professional spaces with other businesses
We all have so many more communication options than we did a decade ago. As a result of this, far more business conversations now take place virtually. This means that business meeting rooms often get used less frequently than they did before the advent of email and video conferencing technology.
Because of this, many businesses have found that they don’t necessarily need to have a conference room for their sole use. Instead, many serviced office providers now offer meeting room hire within the same building. This means that businesses can benefit from on-site professional business meeting rooms whenever they need them, without the added expense of having to constantly maintain them.
Have these tips struck a chord for your business? We’d love to talk to you about our virtual office Leeds addresses and meeting room hire options. Why not get in touch for a chat about what we have to offer?
