After trying full-time home office, hybrid working models that combine remote and on-site work or even attempting to go back to normal, what is going to be the office of the future?
The 9 to 5 working model was proven to be redundant. We have all seen our companies, colleagues, teams or projects work perfectly well even through digital technologies. There are several alternatives to the traditional office space. All of them have certain differentiative characteristics but one thing in common. They are a transition from the obsolete way of office-life management to a more flexible up-to-date setup.
The following office solutions are those that suit the growing need of multiple companies, to offer new benefits and greater flexibility to their employees. This approach proved itself to be the key to keep talented individuals loyal and satisfied with their work environment.
Coworking space
Coworking, as its name suggests, is an office in which several people or companies share the space in order to have the service they were used to when having a traditional office without a need to pay for their own premises. Besides having a fully operated space for lower costs, coworking also allows for more social interactions. Networking or casual discussion during a coffee break open doors for new business opportunities and help with hiring new talent. It also helps to fight the routine as there are people from different industries and the team can get a real break from their work-related issues during the day.
When we look at coworking from a more practical point of view, we have to mention that the premises are typically very well equipped. High-quality furniture is a must. All the office necessities such as printer, WiFi, meeting rooms, cleaning service, coffee machine and snack are included. Also there is a facility manager who cares for the tenants needs immediately.
Flexi office
Flexi office is a standard private office which is located in a shared space. Simply said, you have basically the same comfort and conditions as in a traditional office, but you are sharing common areas with other companies. The main difference, in comparison to coworking, is lack of assistance from the facility management and higher privacy as the space is not used for event organization, networking or anything similar. There is still a common kitchen, bathrooms or meeting rooms, but all other office equipment needs to be covered by the tenant.
When it comes to pricing, the price of coworking is usually counted according to the number of people while flexi office price is set based upon the number of square meters.
Hybrid office
Hybrid office is more a theoretical term than a physical location. Any office, even the one your company used to rent before, can be transformed into a hybrid version. In an easy way it can be described as a combination of office work and remote work with the aim to give your employees more flexibility, lower company expenses and keep the pandemic-related restrictions in mind. In a typical hybrid office setup a company divides their employees into several groups, usually based on their need to see each other face-to-face. Each group has some time per week during which they are allowed (or supposed) to come to the office, while the other groups are not allowed to enter the premises. With this approach you can still keep personal meetings and company culture alive, while limiting the amount of people present. Nevertheless, it can also significantly reduce company costs as smaller space is needed to fit the entire company in.
As the job market is evolving every day, the offer and our comprehension of what office actually is keeps changing rapidly, as well. What is your experience with office work and how you feel while working remotely? Let us know. 🙂
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