What does the future of work look like in this post-pandemic world? It’s still too early to say, but one thing we do know – flexible work is a big part of it!
Many studies conducted over the last couple of years show that employees enjoy and are now expecting flexibility during their work week. In fact, most of these studies reflect that hybrid work is the most popular choice amongst workers. Seen as the ideal middle ground to achieve maximum productivity from days spent working out of the office, with increased team communication and the nurturing of company culture from days spent in the office.
As we move forward and settle back into our “normal” lives – this includes remote workers who are now heading back to the office. Since the Covid pandemic and the resulting work-from-home measures that where in place, many businesses and industries have reevaluated their real estate portfolios, communication channels, infrastructure needs and talent retention strategies. Resulting in coworking spaces becoming increasing popular, with this trend continuing to rise as more time passes. Coworking spaces offer flexible and collaborative working environments to professionals, entrepreneurs, and service providers, providing the ideal spaces to foster productivity, while benefiting from social interaction.
In South Africa, as business owners and entrepreneurs set out to establish their best office options, many are opting for a more flexible workspace environment. With the modern workplace continuing to evolve, we look at the ways coworking spaces facilitate those changes and adapt to this new way of working.
Short term contracts
Every time a company spends money, it takes a risk. A big risk is committing to a long-term lease when you don’t know what the future holds – which is why coworking office spaces are becoming so appealing to business owners. Most of these spaces offer flexible, short-term contracts which can change as your business evolves. Choosing a space that can grow with your business or a space that can accommodate the members of your team if using a hybrid working model has become very important during these uncertain times. This model gives businesses much more flexibility to scale up or down, and even to relocate at relatively short notice compared to a lease
with a landlord.
Fully furnished and serviced offices
The serviced office is no longer a novelty but is the best choice for those customers who expect all the benefits that these spaces provide – without the capex risk. With life moving back to its regular pace, businesses can’t risk the delay in setting up their business space’s infrastructure, which can take weeks or even months. By choosing fully furnished, serviced offices – businesses can move in and carry on with business as usual the very same day, whilst having boardrooms/meeting rooms, etc easily at their disposal.
Disaster management de-risking
Coworking spaces provide an affordable alternate space to rotate teams either for convenience reasons, such as transport or a location near to employees’ homes, or strategically – for example to split teams in case of an emergency.
Alternatives during loadshedding, especially for highspeed reliable internet
This is becoming an increasing concern for South Africans as we move onto Level 6 of loadshedding, with many areas experiencing up to eight hours a day without electricity. Having access to an alternate power supply during work hours is of huge importance to most businesses in the country. Most coworking spaces in South Africa offer back-up power supply so your business day can continue as usual.
Dedicated private
video conferencing/Zoom rooms
Due to the extensive use of videoconferencing/video calling throughout the pandemic, it has ushered in a new acceptance of virtual meetings and other aspects of work. Even now that business travel is open and life has, in almost all respects returned to normal, businesses are still relying heavily on video conferencing for meetings outside of the office.
Due to this demand for privacy in coworking areas during these calls, many of these spaces have/or are creating small private rooms for this very reason. Constant power outages resulting in poor/no internet, as well as those individuals that lack access to high-speed internet are further driving the demand for
these facilities.
Memberships to coworking spaces
Offering monthly subscriptions to easily accessible space and services on a first come basis is becoming more and more popular in the coworking landscape. Members can often choose a package that best suits their needs, and which allows them access to all amenities and services that the space provides clients. These subscriptions are ideal for individuals that travel for work, or who work remotely and need a space on
flexible terms.
Off-site training facilities
With coworking spaces generally offering training room facilities, it enables training businesses to minimise their capex risk and costs, as they only need to hire a room for specific training days. Many businesses simply don’t have the space to facilitate certain events but making use of spaces which provide a professional setting with state-of-the-art technology for one of these events is a vital element for these businesses.
Admin outsourcing
Virtual assistance is becoming increasingly popular, as many individuals just can’t keep up with their admin on a daily basis. Companies supplying this assistance are based both locally and internationally, are offer fee structures that suit businesses or individuals alike.
Coworking spaces offer virtual offices, which includes a businesses address, a dedicated phone number with staff to handle calls and receive deliveries. This is a cost-effective way of giving someone’s virtual business some physical roots.
For more information, get in touch with us:
We are not entirely certain what the future of work looks like – but we do know that Connect Space will be a part of it
We will evolve our services to meet the demands of our clients. Successful companies in the future will need to adopt flexible working practices, which will see flexible workspaces as an asset for a changing workforce – and will be for years to come.
At Connect Space we offer private office spaces, shared workspace areas and virtual office solutions. With boardrooms/meeting rooms and training and conferencing room facilities provided for our clients. With a focus on creating collaborative workspaces, we tailor our space offerings to our client’s needs, making areas that are unavoidably productive with agreement terms that suit your business.
For more information, contact us today: info@connectspace.co.za
We are Connect Space! Humans spend so much of their lives working, striving to find purpose and create a meaningful impact. The world of work has changed so drastically, yet one truth has endured – humanity is better when we work together. With a focus on creating collaborative workspaces, at Connect Space we tailor our space offerings to our Client’s needs, making areas that are unavoidably productive with agreement terms that suit your business. Need an hourly rate for hot desking? We can do that. Need a weekly solution while you’re in town? We have you covered. We pride ourselves in going the extra mile to formulate the best agreements with our so they can focus on what they do best. Our 3 locations in Musgrave, Umhlanga and Mount Edgecombe are conveniently located close to major transport routes. We offer a prestigious address that includes serviced offices, meeting rooms and coworking spaces, with fast and reliable wifi and shared break-out areas – perfect for meeting others and collaboration. Better together – Let’s connect and see how we can accommodate you and your business’s needs!
