According to the 2021 Second Annual National Remote Working Survey, three-quarters of organisations have not yet decided how their teams will function when the pandemic ends. However, of that remaining quarter, 78 per cent have decided to operate in a hybrid function. If returning to the office in any capacity is on your agenda as a decision-maker, there are plenty of daunting obstacles to overcome. Between Covid-proofing the office and organising desk rotas to function at 50 per cent capacity, there may never be enough time to prepare it seems.
A viable option that many might have previously dismissed is replacing the traditional office with a flexible office space. Despite the fact that flexible office spaces have been proven by some studies to increase productivity, they are subject to snap judgements from many companies due to a historic perception of what they are and how they work. Iconic Offices, a design-led workspace, want to set the story straight on flexible office space and showcase how their flexible packages could be the ultimate solution.
The common view of flexible workspaces is this desk-hopping scenario where people feel they’re working in a temporary space instead of a space integrated with their own company. If one is not physically anchored to a company-specific office then the assumption is that employees can’t feel like they’re working as one cohesive unit. This point has been proven false by the pandemic alone and our ability as an Irish workforce to continue to successfully function despite remote working.
This “desk-hopping” perception is also not necessarily true; flexible office buildings like Iconic Offices’ are not just rows of single desks without privacy. In fact, the majority of Iconic’s workspaces are made of private floors for individual companies. Meeting room facilities are also available for private rent on-site, so clients won’t even know that the building is being shared by several businesses. Iconic can support the client with in-house expertise on everything from property development to design and IT, so that they can alter their spaces to exact specification; so no compromises are made.
These private floors aren’t bland spaces either. Another assumption is that by renting office space, a company will be compromising on basic facilities such as meeting rooms, private desks, and IT supports. Downsizing to a rented space in a flexible workspace or serviced office is a cost-effective choice in terms of flexible commitments and variety in how they can work. A flexible workspace such as Iconic takes detailed care of what their clients value, from telephone answering to daily cleaning, looking after the utilities and guests' meet and greet, giving them more time to focus on their own work and core business. Being a design-led space, they pay attention to the detail because they understand the small stuff matters when it comes to business productivity - even when it comes to décor.
Flexible workspaces aren’t just for start-ups or small companies; a company of any size has customisable options. As an Irish SME themselves, Iconic understands the challenges businesses face and are continuously evolving their solutions to solve business problems that both themselves and their clients have experienced. Many multinationals avail of flexible workspace because they see how it can enhance their ability to trade. Iconic have clientele from all industries; from aviation to pharmaceuticals, tech and finance to design. A flexible workspace is by no means a means to an end, it is in fact a savvy alternative to fronting huge costs on a private building with flexible ability to change and scale up and down as needed.
Flexible contracts from a day, a month, a year or more are available to help businesses make smart short-term solutions
A huge cost which many companies are facing now is investing in Covid-proofing the office for a safe return to work. Signage, sanitisation and office layout restructuring all come at the cost of hosting the entire workforce without risk. A benefit of a flexible workspace such as Iconic’s is that the Covid-proofing is already completely done. There need not be the nightmare of sourcing temperature cameras and installing sanitisation stations because it’s all included in the package fee.
Breaking down the costs, clients of flexible workspace gain more than they may believe. Flexible contracts from a day, a month, a year or more are available to help businesses make smart short-term solutions. Flexible workspace via private offices, coworking or a blended approach is a great option for any industry to explore as they can be tailored to their exact specification. If you’re a decision-maker feeling frustrated with figuring out a short-term office plan, take another look at a solution that could be lying right under your nose. Tell Iconic Offices your workspace or return to office challenges, they’ll consult and build you solutions and packages to suit, then adapt it as you need.