When people look for a job, flexibility is one of the highest-ranking criteria. After proving that their physical presence in an employer-controlled office isn’t linked to their productivity, employees are not keen on reverting to traditional work styles. 43% of respondents to a survey actually said that flexible working hours helped them be more productive.
While most employers aren’t keen on maintaining a WFH policy, they are open to the idea of a hybrid workspace. The key here is to give employees a structured yet convenient place to work from. Coworking spaces provide the balance between employees and employers expectations and hence, the coworking space future too looks bright. Here’s why:
For corporates, the switch to a hybrid working style helps lower costs. The corporate office is not likely to be at full strength at any given point in time. Hence, the space required is lower. Smaller offices mean lower rents. If the employees were to work from home, the company may need to reimburse them for the cost of setting up a home office, higher speed internet, etc. the cost may not be much for one individual but can add up to quite a bit depending on team size.
On the other hand, coworking space leases have an all-inclusive cost. This is much lower than the cost of renting a traditional corporate office. Further, choosing a coworking space close to an employee’s residence reduces the cost and time associated with commuting.
When employees work from home, they’re faced with constant distractions. A survey found that 38% of remote workers struggled with finding a suitable workspace. Working from the bedroom puts employees at risk of back issues and makes it hard to stay focussed on working while working from the dining table opens one up to constant distractions. Childcare responsibilities were cited as a challenge by 22% of the survey respondents.
Source: Ipsos
On the other hand, a coworking space is designed specifically for working professionals. Each member gets his or her own desk space. There are no distractions of children asking for snacks, maids wanting instructions, etc. There’s no chance of having a 5-minute break turn into a binge-watching session either. When an employee feels distracted, one looks around to see everyone else focussed on their work can help bring him or her back on track.
One of the issues with hybrid corporate shifts is making sure that employees have the infrastructure required to stay productive when they’re working from outside the office. This ranges from the basics like an ergonomic desk and chair to hi-speed internet and video conferencing equipment. For most employees, a laptop and a printer are the limits of the infrastructure they have available at home.
A survey saw slow internet speed and connectivity are listed as major challenges by 52% of the respondents. Unreliable connectivity affects the WFH employee’s ability to participate in online meetings and collaborate with their teams.
Since coworking spaces are designed for remote workers, they are fully furnished and equipped with all the productivity-related infrastructure that may be required. From hi-speed Wi-Fi connections to audio-visual equipment for hosting presentations, a coworking member gets access to it all.
The choice of flexible seating options further enhances productivity. When they need to work in a team, they can sit together at a community desk or book a meeting room. And, when they don’t want to be disturbed, they can pick a seat away from everyone else.
The Hybrid work style is all about flexibility and coworking spaces celebrate this notion. There’s flexibility built into every aspect of their operations. It starts with shorter leases. Rather than force companies to rent out space for years at a time, coworking spaces give them the flexibility to lease as many desks for as much time as required.
Let’s say there’s a task that requires a team of 5 employees to work together for a week. While they may otherwise work from different locations, they can lease shared desk space for the duration of the project.
This is helpful especially for growing companies that may need 5 desks today and 10 desks tomorrow. It is also helpful for companies with employees who need to travel frequently.
The main reason for adopting a hybrid work style is to improve productivity. A study found that coworking spaces help improve productivity for corporates.
Source: Otter
Corporate offices typically start at a set time and remain open to a particular time. The trouble is, that people feel energized and productive at different times of the day that may extend beyond office timings. Someone may like to start their day early but because of the office timings they have to waste their most productive hours.
Coworking spaces are designed for freelancers, entrepreneurs and remote workers. Recognizing that everyone has different work styles and timings, these offices are open for much longer. You might even find some coworking spaces that are open 24X7. This doesn’t mean that you must expect your employees to be at work all day and all night!
Coworking and a hybrid working style seem to go hand in hand. Of course, to maximise the benefits of the system, you need to choose the right coworking space.
You need a coworking space that fits your budget but more importantly is easily accessible, well laid out and equipped with the necessary infrastructure. It should have a community that you want to be part of.
The Office Pass (TOP) has several such coworking spaces in Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon. Whether you need a desk for 20 people or 100 or more, we have the perfect solution for you. To know more, reach out to the team at 08999 828282.
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