<img src="http://www.sas15k01.com/49193.png" style="display:none;">

Will flexible office space Ever Rule the World?

Posted by Oliver Corrigan on Dec 28, 2015 8:30:00 AM
Oliver Corrigan
Find me on:

snappa-1450776277-1.jpg

 

Will flexible office space ever rule the world? Now there’s a question and whilst literally speaking of course flexible office space will never rule the world, metaphorically speaking it could well do, at least in terms of the rapidly evolving office space industry.

How you might ask? Let’s take a look at why flexible office space is becoming an increasingly ubiquitous feature of contemporary working practices.

Demand for flexible office space such as serviced and virtual offices has never been so high. Cities around the country are witnessing surges in businesses of all shapes, sizes, niches and backgrounds demanding flexible office solutions where they can come and go at their leisure.

In fact according to research conducted by Office Genie, as more and more entrepreneurs look for ‘better value’ outside London, demand for flexible offices in northern cities is spiralling. In 2014 Leeds alone experienced a 17.3% rise in flexible office demand.

Snowballing demand for office space that offers a much less rigid solution than traditional office leases is clear for all to see, but what stimulating the race for flexible working premises?

 

 

Rise in flexible working patterns

The arrival and prolific growth of technology that enables us to work and conduct business remotely has meant that flexible working patterns in which employees and businesses have much more freedom over when and where they work has become a reality instead of a utopic vision of a way of working.

Though the rise of flexible working is not solely pinned on the phenomenal advancements in modern technology and communications as the benefits flexible working brings has also been an influencing factor in the rise and reign of flexible working habits.

New Call-to-action

Health benefits

From creating a greater work/life balance to helping reduce stress, flexible working arrangements come with many benefits to the working population’s health.

According to a study  compiled in 2013, almost seven in ten workers say they believe flexible working is crucial to easing work-related stress. Commenting on the survey, which interviewed 400 businesses, Regus UK CEO John Spencer spoke of the need to extend flexible working options.

“This trend [flexible working] is in evidence across our national network, with demand for flexible workspace growing – especially at key transport hubs – as employers recognise the benefits of letting staff work at more convenient locations,” said Spencer.

Without lengthy office commutes and having greater freedom to choose your own hours and location of work, the flexible patterns flexible office space such as serviced offices, co-working centres, hot desking and virtual offices generate, this modern working phenomenon is proving enormously beneficial to workers, and it’s hardly surprising it’s being lapped up by the working community.

Though flexible offices aren’t just beneficial to employees and another reason for their prolific rise is due to the fact they bring huge benefits to employers.

 

 

Better employee engagement

One such benefit is related to better employee engagement. As Personnel Today writes:

“Used strategically, flexible working practices can improve employee engagement and productivity.”

The increased productivity and engagement associated with flexible working arrangements can be pinned on several different factors. Sally Gray, founding director of Good Work Consulting, mapped out the multiple advantages enabling employees to work flexibly brings to organisations. Greater engagement, increased employee productivity, effective virtual teams, meeting customer and operational needs, reduced business travel, attraction and retention of senior executives and agile office space and infrastructure, amongst others, are the different benefits that giving workers greater flexibility  brings to businesses.

 


Arrange to view our professional co-working space

 

Helps businesses find talent and generates greater employee retention

If two employers offered you a job, both with the same responsibilities, opportunities and salaries but one offered flexibility in where and when you worked and the other required a more rigid 9 – 5 office-based structure, which job would you go for?

Given the rise of the flexible office, it’s safe to surmise that a vast majority would go for the job offering the flexible working arrangement.

It’s not just the immediate benefits of being able to work in a flexible office such as a hot desking centre that’s convenient to get to but it’s the fact that offering flexibility at work builds up an element of trust between employees and employers.

This trust helps generate greater staff morale, which transpires into less staff turnover and higher levels of employee retention.

Being seen as a company that respects and trusts its workforce and that is ‘moving with the times’, employers that offer flexible working can be seen as more attractive to potential employees than firms that stick to the old-fashioned 9 – 5 office routine. Consequently, the company with the modern, flexible working attitude remains attractive to potential employees, thus helping them find the right talent.

As we can see from the wealth of benefits and the rapid rise in demand for flexible working patterns conducted in flexible office spaces such as virtual offices and serviced offices, it’s difficult to argue that flexible office space won’t end up ruling the world.

For top-quality serviced offices on the outskirts of Leeds that cater for the burgeoning demand for flexible office space, get in contact with Carrwood Park to discuss all your flexible office requirements in Leeds.

Click here to subscribe to our blog

Topics: Co-working and Flexible Working

Posts by Tag