Finding the middle ground between flexible workspaces and dedicated offices
Feeling forced to compromise on compliance for flexibility?
The 20th century office, the 21st century co-working space and fully remote workplaces are suboptimal for many businesses seeking to improve employee retention and company culture.
While many businesses found greater flexibility in working remotely during 2020, 75% of Australians[i] missed the social interaction and the energy found in working from an office. To attract and retain staff, employers now need to provide flexible work arrangements that include both remote working and face time. With fewer staff on-site, businesses are seeking opportunities to reduce their office space with real estate budgets being cut by 7% on average in early 2020, and plans for an additional 8% reduction.[ii]
Co-working spaces may seem the obvious choice, offering flexibility in space, as well as face-to-face interaction. Unfortunately, they are not set up for the strict security requirements of APRA-regulated businesses and those that require 100% uptime or close to it.
So, where is the middle ground? That is where Interactive’s serviced office can come in.
Agile spaces in a shifting business world
There is a global shift away from the conventional office building where costly spaces are underutilised, especially with the impact of the pandemic to on-site staffing. Business owners now realise that returning staff don’t want to go back to spending 10-20 hours a week commuting. Few companies will want their workers in the office 100% of the time, but not many will opt for a 100% remote workforce either..[iii]
Australia’s largest employers expect to have 57% of their workforce in the office on any given day. So the need for more flexible options is growing.
Unlike conventional office spaces, our serviced office is an agile workspace that can be upgraded and downsized depending on the business’ needs. Much like co-working spaces, private areas are rented out to businesses ranging from small, single-roomed offices to entire floors with shared spaces such as meeting rooms allowing for both privacy and collaboration.
The energy of a co-working space
For the most part, humans are social creatures and difficulties over the past year due to the pandemic have only highlighted how much. A Zoom call doesn’t provide the interaction that sitting around a meeting room or brainstorming over a coffee in the kitchen does.
Our serviced offices provide a flexible, collaborative space that facilitates engagement and allows for a far greater sense of connection in the workplace. Most have meeting rooms, expansive dining areas, bathroom and shower facilities, on-site receptionist and even a barista to help staff feel at home.
Employees want a welcoming space with the option for privacy as well as areas that might be shared with other businesses. Interactive’s serviced offices offer larger spaces, without the privacy issues common in co-working spaces, making for a more comfortable working environment.
Fully maintained and managed offices
One of the draws of alternatives to conventional office spaces is avoiding hidden costs like maintenance, facility costs, furnishing and equipment installation. Hiring, moving into, and maintaining a new office is an expensive process and a logistical headache.
We offer a package of both office space and services. They’re fully equipped, ready-to-go, office suites complete with desks, chairs, PCs or laptops and telephony that are maintained by the company who manages the office. There is an on-site facility management team, receptionists and IT professionals who keep the day-to-day organised and provide more time freedom to the businesses hiring the space – an attractive idea for those coming back from a mostly remote environment.
Flexibility without loss of continuity
Companies that need to guarantee 100% uptime usually don’t have the luxury of flexibility, especially the kind that comes from working remotely. If you are an APRA-regulated or digital-based business, any time offline can result in reputational damage, financial loss and legal consequences.
Interactive’s serviced offices have resilient infrastructure, so your business remains operational, even through power and server outages. Even internet provider outages are covered with all major telco options on site.
The middle ground
Our Serviced Offices balance flexibility with stability, a middle ground between conventional 20th century office space and the fully remote workplaces most businesses have had to struggle with through the past year.
To learn more about how our serviced offices can support your business, request a tour with one of our experts today.
