A lot of talks has been going around on how office design can greatly improve employee productivity. Because of this, companies are investing in professionally customized workspaces for their employees. Often times, highly modified office spaces are costly and are not as efficient as some people might think. Because of this, companies are leaving traditional offices behind and are moving to flexible workspaces, a versatile, more cost-efficient alternative to the former. Flexible workspaces, also known as coworking spaces or shared workspaces, are revolutionizing the way people work because of its many economic and practical benefits, but how different are these to the office spaces that we have grown accustomed to?
A flexible workspace is a fully-functioning shared office space that allows different companies and businesses to rent physical office spaces, workstations, or a seat at a common area according to their preferred schedules. The standard setup in a coworking space typically consists of an expansive coworking area (shared space/common area), several private office suites, and function rooms (meeting rooms).
Staying at a shared workspace is highly cost-efficient, especially for companies who are still in the beginning stages because it requires minimal set-up time at almost no set-up cost. Coworking spaces come with all the fittings of a conventional office like phone lines, desks and chairs, internet connection, and all of these are readily made available to tenants upon signing up. Utilities (water, electricity, etc.) are already set up and included in the rent in shared offices, which makes coworking a lot cheaper and hassle-free. With a flexible workspace, you can easily expand or shrink operations at a fraction of the cost of traditional workspaces since you only pay for the space that you need. This makes growing or downsizing a lot easier and friendlier for your company budget.
Coworking spaces are also flexible in terms of accessibility. Workspace providers usually have centers spread throughout different cities and even countries. Membership in a coworking brand also comes with access to their other workspaces. Acceler8 by UnionSPACE has workspaces in various countries across Southeast Asia like the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. As a member of our community, you will get to have passport access to our other coworking locations.
Shared workspaces also offer lease terms that are highly flexible. Companies now have access to fully-equipped offices without the need for long-term commitments in terms of lease duration and contract terms. Traditional workspaces cannot always accommodate the needs of businesses through every stage of development. Some companies might need a temporary workspace for a short time, while some might need a longer lease, and all of these can be easily accommodated by the leasing terms of flexible workspaces.
What makes flexible workspaces different from the conventional work setting is the modified work environment that it has. Staying in an environment that hosts a variety of people, brands, and businesses provide more opportunities for your team and for your company to branch out and create real connections with other coworkers. This shared workspace cultivates an environment that is healthy, collaborative, and supportive for all coworkers, regardless of their backgrounds.
With the help of flexible workspaces, small companies, businesses, and startups are relieved of the pressure to fulfill all the “traditional” office needs in the early stages of their development. Instead of prioritizing the workspace needs, owners and team leaders can focus more on other tasks necessary to help their respective businesses grow. While at the same time, work satisfaction and productivity are increased in employees–it’s a win-win situation for everyone.
The coworking industry is expected to thrive more in the coming years as more companies explore the possibilities of flexible workspaces. To learn more about the power of coworking and how we can help you redefine the way you work, you can send us an email at connect@acceler8.ph and we will help you with your questions.