Why the Future of Work is Flexible

Pre-Covid, businesses with a flexible working policy were few and far between. However, since the return to work, many organisations have opted to work in a more flexible, or ‘agile’ way — not just with where they work, but with how they work too, such as remote working and flexible hours. And this trend isn’t set to slow down. Here, we’ll look into how the future of work is looking to be more flexible than ever.

What is Flexible Working?

“Flexible working” is an umbrella term used to describe any work arrangement outside of company offices or standard hours. This includes part-time work, condensed hours, telecommuting, remote work and flexi-time.

It used to be the case that flexible working was seen as a benefit for employees, mainly for parents or carers. However, before Covid, a trend was emerging amongst forward-thinking companies that saw the business benefits of flexible working. This trend has been accelerated by enforced remote working during the pandemic, as managers have seen that productivity isn’t necessarily impacted by a flexible approach.

While it is possible to run a business entirely remotely, having a central hub for employees to work from can be a huge benefit to the company. Many employees may still be used to working from the comfort of their homes, so business owners would do well to bring some of those home comforts into the office space, from creating communal areas for relaxing and casual meetings to individual pods suited for focus time. This is known as an activity-based office and is a form of flexible working.

Post-Covid, increasing numbers of businesses, both big and small, are looking for ways to integrate both flexible working and agile working by embracing flexible hours, processes and workspaces.

Businesses need offices for their employees to come into every day if they need to, and for their team to collaborate in person, but they can still be more flexible. Post-Covid, increasing numbers of businesses, both big and small, are looking for ways to integrate both flexible working and agile working by embracing flexible hours, processes and workspaces.

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The Benefits of Flexible Working

There are plenty of benefits of flexible working for both employees and companies, ranging from cost-effectiveness to employee satisfaction and work-life balance.

Cost-effective for businesses

If businesses are going to work flexibly, they don’t need to pay for a desk for every employee. It makes more sense to introduce agile working, and only take a desk for some staff (40% - 70%). This requires organisation on the part of the employer or workspace provider but can be seriously cost-saving — and especially important in the current environment.

Increased productivity

It might not work for everyone, and it might not work forever, but many businesses have reported increased levels of productivity under flexible working policies. This can be put down to employee autonomy, as well as individuals using their time more efficiently — for example, focusing on their own work while at home and using office time to collaborate and brainstorm.

Employee satisfaction

Shorter or fewer commutes — and more time for employees to focus on things outside of work — can improve wellbeing and overall work-life balance. In turn, this can mean better employee satisfaction and even a boost in brand reputation for the employer. It’s a win-win!

Talent attraction

Post-Covid, flexibility is something employees will look for more than ever. A clear flexible working policy is something that will help employers attract and retain the best talent.

Flexible Working Post-Covid

Workspace providers are increasingly creating offices and memberships to accommodate flexible working. There are a number of different options available for freelancers and businesses of all sizes.

Coworking spaces

One option for freelancers, smaller or mid-sized teams is coworking. Within a coworking space, you can rent a desk or a fully-furnished private office and gain access to various office amenities you may not be able to afford by yourself.

You’ll also have the option to up or downsize your office at short notice. Simply discuss your needs with your office space provider, and they’ll be able to immediately alter your space depending on what you need.

To offer maximum flexibility, coworking space providers are now taking it a step further, offering part-time “timeshare” offices, where the occupier splits the office with another business for 2-3 days each, or by offering temporary office space passes.

Managed offices

For bigger businesses, managed offices can be a great solution to help them embrace agile working. There are a number of managed office providers on the market, but Yours by Work.Life (the joint venture of Knight Frank and Work.Life) offers the service and great amenities of coworking, all rolled into one monthly bill, with the ability to customise your own workspace.

The workspace design team can help you create an office layout for agile working, and work out how many desks you need for your team size.

Shift patterns

Businesses that already have an office space might want to still split or rotate their team between the office and home. This is a way for teams who need to work together to meet in-person, without everyone having to be in the office all at once.

It does take some coordination from the employer, although many workspace providers will be able to help with this.

Scheduled meetings

Some businesses may still be happy working from home most of the time, so might use workspaces every now and again to collaborate on projects or brainstorm ideas. Scheduling in face-to-face meetings, however regularly you’d prefer, helps to foster genuine relationships between colleagues and managers

Temporary office space options are becoming more and more popular, or there’s always the option of hiring out a meeting room for a few hours. Many coworking space providers and hotels offer meeting or workspace for businesses to book on demand.

Flexible Office Spaces With Knight Frank

One of the biggest impacts of Covid-19 has been on how and where we work. Coming out of the pandemic, many businesses will be looking to work more flexibly — and there are plenty of options they can choose from. Discuss your needs with the Knight Frank team, who will help you find your next flexible office space.