Whilst more and more employers are beginning to recognise the multitude of benefits that go hand in hand with flexible office space and flexible working arrangements, there is always going to be a few flexible working sceptics.
“Employees work best in an office working 9 to 5 where I can see them all the time,” are the protests of a boss with a somewhat archaic attitude about flexible working practices!
If this sounds familiar, you might need some helping selling modern, less rigid working arrangements and fortunately you’re in the right place with our blog on ‘How to sell flexible office space to a sceptic.’
Reduce office space costs
Now this point is likely to be your greatest ammunition in your attempt to get your boss or any other sceptic to change their mind about flexible office space. With an office to furnish, lengthy lease contract to sign, a communications infrastructure to implement and all the other office essentials to worry about, leasing conventional office space can be time-consuming and costly.
By contrast, more flexible options, such as serviced offices, are already furnished, they don’t require lengthy lease contracts, they already have an efficient communications and IT infrastructure in place, and they are ready to go.
“Serviced offices are often a cheaper option of running a business because you are effectively paying to rent an office with all the benefits in one supplement, rather than paying for everything on an individual basis.”
A productivity boost
Arguably your second most valid point when it comes to selling flexible work space is that it equates to greater employee productiveness. In recent years, hordes of research has been carried out and shown that giving workers more flexibility in their working patterns is rewarded with a more productive workforce.
Forbes reiterates this point, stating:
“Research (our own and others’) shows that employees are healthier, experience less stress, and are more productive and engaged when they effectively make choice about how, where and when they work. One way to do this is by responding to individual “work styles.”
Greater flexibility for company manoeuvre
If you find yourself in a debate with a flexible office sceptic business owner, ask him or her this question – “How do you know how many employees your company will require in two or three years’ time?”
They may of course blind you with science and come up with the so-called answer but in reality nobody knows exactly where a business will stand later down the line.
Too many companies make the mistake of buying or leasing offices that are either too big or too small and find themselves battling with an office space quandary.
Flexible office space such as serviced offices and co-working centres provide businesses with a quality working space which they can adapt to meet the growing needs of their business. They have the luxury of not being tied down to insufficient space if they expand.
Accessibility
Another victory punch in your quest to sell flexible office space to a sceptic would be throwing this statistic into the debate – Research for the TUC has found the number of people spending more than two hours travelling to and from work each day has risen in the past decade by 72 percent to more than three million.
It doesn’t take an expert to understand that battling with a daily two hour commute is not conducive with a productive, happy and even healthy working day.
By contrast, enabling employees to use flexible working spaces means they are likely to work closer to home in a more accessible location and reap the many benefits of life without a lengthy commute.
Facilities
Quality serviced offices like Carrwood Park’s on the outskirts of Leeds are home to a number of facilities, designed to ensure office occupants have an efficient and enjoyable working day. For example, as we wrote in our blog titled ’14 things about flexible office space you didn’t know’, a mere 2% drop in body water can make it difficult to focus, concentrate and remember things.
It might sound trivial, but offices that have facilities like water, tea and coffee ‘on tap’ can be an invaluable feature in improving overall employee performance and wellbeing – another statistic to throw at a sceptic!
Cross department collaboration
Do you know the name of everyone at work, regardless whether they are on your team or not? If you don’t and your work-based communication tends to be limited to your own team, this might be a good point to bring up to a flexible office sceptic.
Put simply, flexible work spaces such as co-working centres and hot-desking, are designed for encouraging communication and networking. And you never know, an impromptu meeting with Joe from the design department or Sarah from Sales might lead to a fabulous innovative idea being born.
Networking galore
Networking has become a key buzzword of 21st century working practices. From gaining new connections that equate to new clients to raising a company profile and getting advice, networking is awash with opportunities, not just for freelancers and small business owners, but for companies of all shapes and sizes.
As business advisor Kim Baird decisively advises:
“I recommend business networking as a way to gain new clients and build a sustainable business.”
Working in a flexible office space such as a serviced office or a hot-desking centre nurtures networking and ultimately helps businesses of all shapes and sizes mingle with potential new clients and grow.
You don’t have to worry about support staff
Ask your flexible office sceptic boss whether they would enjoy living without the arduous, time-consuming and costly tasks of locating and employing quality and reliable support staff, such as receptionists, cleaners, security staff and IT support.
With many serviced offices and flexible work space, such staff are already in place, meaning bosses can run their business without having to worry about support staff.
A high profile address
Another question to pose to the sceptic is ‘How professional does their current work address sound?’ Another invaluable benefit of flexible office space such as Carrwood Park’s serviced and virtual offices in Leeds is the fact they enable companies to have a professional company address.
“A high profile address can make a great impression on contacts and build the quality of your brand.”
With the above facts and statistics under your belt, we feel confident that you’ll be able to sway a flexible office sceptic’s antiquated opinion about modern working practices. Getting them to take the plunge and move straight into a flexible office arrangement might require a bit more work…
If you require accessible, quality and well-facilitated flexible office space in Leeds, get in contact with the Carrwood Park team for more information about our premier serviced offices on the outskirts of Leeds.
