Businesses in the world today are adopting a range of different working models – from hub-and-spoke models to hybrid working. Amongst these, we are seeing a significant rise in businesses opting for flexible workspaces. This means that the workspace can be used and adapted for a range of different uses instead of simply allocating a desk to each employer and everything staying static.
This arrangement gives the business more flexibility over how it runs on a day-to-day basis and enables it to focus on what the requirements are at any given time. With changes in working models since the COVID-19 pandemic especially, collaboration has become one of the principal motivations for leaving home and going into the office again, and it therefore follows, that office spaces should be co-ordinated to enable and even encourage collaborative working.
Collaboration is known to boost creativity as well as increase the motivation of employees using the space. Encouraging collaboration is important, as, for many, it is one of the main reasons that they have for going into the office.
With this in mind, there are a number of aspects that should be considered when you are looking into incorporating flexible working into your business model.
Technology
Technology can play a big part in the management of a flexible workspace as well as collaborative work. It might be that you need to implement a booking system for desks or spaces, or perhaps consider people that cannot be present and need technology to be able to participate in any collaborative work. Do you need meeting rooms where everyone can access Zoom or Microsoft Teams, for example? Display screens for brainstorming? Would you benefit from a ‘virtual watercooler’ where employees can chat, network, and bounce ideas off each other? Is your internet fast enough to accommodate all of your needs without your staff tearing their hair out?
There is much that technology can do these days, and it can be used to facilitate and improve the running of your business. It is important, however, that this is not done to the detriment of the personal touch and company culture that every business needs to display.
Meeting Spaces and Rooms for Collaboration
It is impossible to encourage collaboration if there is nowhere that your staff can sit and work together. It is important that you create spaces where two or more of your employees can get together and work together – where they will not be interrupted or distracted, where they have the privacy to discuss whatever they need to, and the comfort to be creative.
This is not only about ensuring that there is enough space, but also that the space is conducive to the kind of collaborative work that you are expecting from them. Flexible workspaces enable employees to change the space according to their needs, whether they are looking for somewhere to work alone or with one other person or change it to a collaboration between large teams of people.
Communication Between Teams
When you have a flexible workspace within a business, sometimes communication can get a bit lost – often through the luck of whether two or more people are in at the same time. This can mean that it is not always the case that everybody who can contribute manages to contribute.
By incorporating a central area where projects or notices are posted, you can go on to encourage your employees to check in and contribute to the work that is being done – even if it ‘belongs’ to a different team. This means that even if not everybody is physically in the building at the same time, a static central space that displays information can ensure that everyone is included.
Function Over Trends
The truth is that flexible workspaces are on-trend at the moment. That does not mean that you shouldn’t be considering your needs if you are incorporating it into your business model. Flexible workspaces must also work for your business. When you are thinking about how to set up your workspace, make sure that you consider the needs of your business and make it work for you. Consider the number of staff that you are expecting to have in at any time and the collaborative requirements that they might have, for example.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be looking at what other people are doing and taking inspiration from them, however. They might have ideas that you hadn’t considered and it is good for businesses to stay as up-to-date as possible to keep you attractive as an employer.
Employee Autonomy
As an employer, there are some aspects of working that you need to keep control of. And there are others that you can let go. One of these is about enabling employees to have the power to rearrange the spaces as and when they need them in a flexible working situation. This not only boosts spontaneity and potentially creativity, but also helps with getting employees on board, boosts motivation, and taking responsibility for their own collaborative working.
Power
When businesses are looking to incorporate flexible workspaces into their business modes, one thing that is often overlooked when it comes to the design of workspaces is having adequate power. You will need to make sure that there are more power points for people to use to enable you to move workspaces around and ensure that power is not a limiting factor. Power columns are a great idea for this, giving everyone more flexibility over where they are working within a workspace.
Final Thoughts
Collaborative working is a major feature of flexible workspaces – which can be very successful for a business, and it is important that this is considered when you are designing your commercial property layout. You should incorporate elements of building a community – especially if you are not going to have all of your employees in at the same time – as well as providing employee autonomy, a central information point, and ensuring that you have the physical features needed (such as technology and power points).
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