5 ways that flexible workspaces let employees do their best work
Feb 24, 2023
5 mins read
Future of Work
With the rise in remote work and hybrid work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, the realization that office space is, in many ways, an unnecessary expense, flexible workspaces are here to stay.
But that doesn’t mean their role in the workplace won’t continue to evolve. For some companies, flexible workspaces will completely replace in-office activity. For others, they will be used on a regular or semi-regular basis, whether it’s a remote work employee needing a space for an in-person conference, or a hybrid employee wanting a change of scenery for the time they’re not working in the office.
However they’re used, it’s important to understand the benefits of flexible workspaces. Here, 5 ways they can help employees do their best work.
Flexible workspaces allow for more connection
Humans are wired to connect. And while some may not need as much connection as others, it’s part of how we function. And according to the recent World Happiness Report, people who experience an increase in connectedness with others (in this case, during the COVID-19 pandemic) had greater life satisfaction, more resilience, and better mental health.
Flexible workspaces provide the opportunity for remote work and hybrid work employees to engage with others, whether it’s a short interaction on a coffee break, or a potential brainstorming session with a peer in a similar field.
Flexible workspaces can be more work-style inclusive
Similar to learning styles, employees may have different work styles. Whether it’s a standing desk or a balance ball chair, working late at night or early in the morning, there is no one style of work. And, when people are able to do their work in a way that fits their style, they’re able to do their best work.
When employees have access to flexible workspaces, they may have the opportunity to work within a more structured office setting the first thing in the morning or late into the evening, depending on their hours. And, they may have the flexibility to sit or stand, bounce or roll, due to the many options available at the flexible workspace.
Read more: What’s the future of flexible workspaces?
Flexible workspaces support a more office-like routine
Humans are creatures of habit. The predictability of routines contributes greatly to productivity, but when a remote work or hybrid work employee is not working in the office, they may find it hard to maintain that type of office-like routine.
Utilizing flexible workspaces can provide employees with a physical space that they can arrive at in the morning, and leave in the evening. They can also provide a setting without interruptions, as well as a lunch space for breaks. All of these features help provide some structure to a workday.
Flexible workspaces offer access to better resources
Let’s face it. There are only so many gadgets and resources employees can have in their homes. One of the benefits of working in the office is access to equipment, whether it’s a color printer or an industrial-sized copy machine. And as much as people might not enjoy meetings, a conference room or professional meeting space can be necessary.
Flexible workspaces are often equipped with the tools that employees need to get the job done. They’re also host to a variety of meeting spaces, whether it’s an open space area, a closed-off conference room, and even podcast recording spaces, none of which the employee would have access to in their own home.
Flexible workspaces can make employees more productive
Working from home can create a myriad distractions that are oftentimes unavoidable unless you’re outside of your home. There’s the pile of laundry in the closet, the dishes that need to be washed, and a personal to-do list that’s a mile long.
Flexible workspaces give employees a place to focus and separate from their personal duties so that they’re able to get more work done. And because they can utilize their flexible workspaces based on their own schedule, they can leave their home to work in the morning or afternoon/evening, and get their work tasks accomplished in that short amount of time.
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