Flex office :
the importance of good workspace management.
With the pandemic that we all know about, many companies have been forced to review their work organisation, which may have led to a restructuring of their models and consequently a reorganisation of their premises.
Between the increase in hybrid work and the search for savings to offset the crisis, companies have swapped their office models (flat / open-space) for the flex office model!
But several questions arise:
- Is the flex office really an asset for the company and its employees?
- What are the impacts on the economy?
- What impact on employees?
- And how can it be implemented effectively?
The flex office phenomenon
What is a flex office?
It's a buzzword and do you really know it?
This concept has already been around for a few years and has been widely democratised in recent months, with the Covid-19 health crisis arriving in early 2020.
The principle is quite simple in theory: offices are no longer de facto allocated to anyone. The aim is to give employees the freedom to choose their own working space. They choose the most suitable location for their activities and have the possibility to have a more flexible working environment.
What are the motivations for companies to move to a flex office?
Savings, human relations, work comfort... Is it because of fashion, to be trendy and attract new talents that companies decide to take the plunge?
According to a survey* conducted for the company Deskeo among 3,978 professionals throughout France, if companies seem to be more attracted to the offer since the health crisis, it is above all to make financial savings. This reason was mentioned first and foremost by 77% of the professionals questioned.
The human experience is also part of the company's motivation. Indeed, 60% of companies tend to offer employees a better human experience and better management of their professional and personal lives.
Finally, in third place, concerning 43% of respondents : the desire to use space differently with more meeting rooms or spaces for socialising and meeting.
A phenomenon that works... or not
What are the benefits?
The flex office is an organisational mode which, once well established, has certain advantages for the company and the employees:
- Companies see their costs reduced because the flex model optimises the number and average size of workplaces in a company. This lowers costs and property rent.
- For a more environmentally friendly company. With smaller offices - because less space is used - energy consumption is also reduced.
- Fewer constraints, more collaborative spaces: the multiplication of common and collaborative spaces encourages exchanges between teams. This is ideal for gaining agility and working in project mode!
Tips for a successful transition to the flex office.
Please note that the switch to the flex office cannot be made overnight.
There are certain rules to follow for a transition to an effective and sustainable model. Again according to the Deskeo survey*, 62% of the companies that participated explain that the human factor is the most important aspect for management. For more than 80% of companies, the adaptation time is less than 3 months.
To ensure that the transition does not take place in anarchy, here are some tips to follow:
- The first essential thing to do when setting up a flex office is to know your employees' habits well. It is therefore essential to take their habits into account in order to adapt the offices and not to let this transition happen suddenly.
- It is also essential to promote collaborative space. We are talking specifically about accessible spaces where employees can work easily. For example, there are equipped relaxation areas or meeting rooms. The aim is to diversify these internal coworking spaces. This will make it easier for employees to enjoy these new spaces.
- Starting with a test phase is essential to find out if your transition is going well. This will allow you to identify the benefits and improvements of the redesign. Remember that it takes time to achieve a guaranteed result.
- It is important to involve the company's management. The flex office is a new way of looking at management. Managers need to take advantage of the benefits of this model and define appropriate attendance rules to win the adoption of their teams and employees.
As you have seen in our article, the transition to the flex office, although it has its advantages, should not be left to chance, it must be prepared carefully. For this to work, it is necessary to have an adapted tool and this is why the BeeMyFlex application was created!
Our solution, specialised in the management of telework and flex office, allows to :
- Quickly and easilydesign your workspaces and offices,
-Ensurethat your employees have access to a workspace, depending on the number of seats available,
-Give your employeesthe visibility they need to organise themselves and reserve a place in a space, depending on attendance,
-Analyse the occupancy rate of each space in order to anticipate the needs of each team.
The BeeMyFlex application guarantees the implementation of a successful hybrid and sustainable working model.
So don't wait any longer to become flexible!
For more information, contact us at contact@beemyflex.com
*Sources: https: //www.deskeo.com/blog/sondage-flex-office/