A more flexible company culture sounds tempting, but some business owners fear it is too good to be true. Regus, one of the pioneers in
flexible workspaces, addresses some of the concerns of entrepreneurs.
Far too often, we’re inundated with lifestyle gurus and influencers that claim to have discovered the secret to balancing work and life or
the silver bullet solution to running a business from their laptop as they sip a beer by the pool.
Increasingly, we’re losing faith in the validity of these claims, dismissing them as social media hype rather than a viable option for 99% of the global population.
But there is, of course, a happy medium. Finding tangible ways to introduce a flexible working culture into your business is a step in the
right direction towards a better work-life balance for you and your team. But flexible working can get tarnished with the same “unrealistic”
brush as the hype bandits, which often puts business leaders off the idea.
In essence, flexible working is about taking a more intuitive approach to our working lives. It encompasses remote working, the
option of flexible hours or part-time roles, and/or renting flexible office space, which offers a more bespoke way of leasing workspace,
compared to the “one-size-fits-all” conventional office space.
Flexible working is already growing in momentum.
IWG, of which Regus is an operation brand, found that 50% of global employees now work outside of their main offices for at least
two-and-a- half days a week. An increasing number of companies around the world are introducing flexible working policies into their
operations. According to the 2019 Global Workspace Survey from IWG, 62% of businesses interviewed now have one.
So, what’s stopping everyone from making the leap from commuting, the nine-to-five working day and the traditional office space to
something more flexible?
Overall, there seem to be three main areas for concern.
The first overarching reason some business leaders hesitate to adopt a more flexible working culture is the fear that it will affect productivity negatively. If employees work remotely, how likely is it that they’ll be less productive?
Will they slack off if they’re given the choice to work extra hours?
IWG’s findings revealed that it is quite the opposite. In the 2019 Global Workspace survey, 85% of respondents confirmed that
productivity increased as a result of greater flexibility. By hiring talented employees, building trust and empowering them to work in a way
that allows them to better manage their lives, makes them more able to get their jobs done effectively.
Flexibility is a two-way street.
Teams feel encouraged to work hard when they’re respected enough to manage their own workload and time. Another reason many business leaders turn away from flexible working has to do with infrastructure. What if the remote server isn’t secure enough to prevent company data from being hacked? What if moving into a flex space proves too noisy and distracting for the team?
In terms of cybersecurity, the help of an IT specialist will minimise the risk of a hacking incident. Flex space brands offer private
interview rooms and exclusive office space to guarantee privacy and quiet time, as well as the benefits of a staffed reception and cleaning and maintenance taken care of.
Plus, when a change of scene is desired, the social spaces are still there. Either way, the leading flex space brands typically offer more design-centric, newer and more inspiring office spaces than their conventional office counterparts.
Finally, business leaders resist opting for flexible working, and flex space specifically, because of the fear that it will cost more
money.
But, the flex space model is built around efficiency, using no more time, space, resources or money than you need to run your
business. Scale up or down as demand dictates and enjoy the luxury of a shorter lease over the traditional 10-year contract.
With a range of packages to choose from, businesses can select what makes the most sense for them and adjust accordingly as
their company’s situation changes.
Supplied by GoContentLab on behalf of Regus.
