This may be the millionth time you’ve heard this but… yes, COVID-19 has changed everything! But what is the new normal when it comes to the office? It’s hard to say anything definitive this early, but one trend we are seeing is that the cookie-cutter office model is becoming a relic of the past and businesses are seeking different solutions to their differing office needs.
Part-time offices are the buzz of 2021. As businesses return to the office, many are seeking something more flexible and budget friendly. Having adapted to remote working over the last year, businesses are now in a very different position when it comes to how the work gets done and not everyone wants or needs to return to the full-time office model with a big old inflexible lease.
For some, a part-time office can be a low-risk steppingstone towards being back in a permanent office - a space for you and your team to trial out as you dip your toes back into being back in a workplace.
What is it?
A part-time office at DeskLodge involves sharing the space with another business with designated days of use, with hotdesking included alongside for any of your team that has had more than enough of working from home on a wobbly table. The part-time model gives your employees the flexibility that they have come to desire from working at home whilst providing them with a workplace that they can escape to. It’s clear from our conversations with DeskLodger’s that wants and needs widely differ - while some are happy to continue working from home, others want to be back in the office full time, and many fall somewhere in between.
What are the advantages?
At DeskLodge we see the following 4 major advantages for a part-time office:
1. Flexibility for your team
2. Cost savings for the business
3. Weekly team together time
4. Use of the whole building
Among the DeskLodge team we have found that, while video calls are a perfectly acceptable way to communicate, there is nothing quite like getting together in-person to discuss the business, increase team unity, and oh my isn’t it easier to have a natural, flowing conversation when you are in the same room as one another!
DeskLodge isn’t just private offices and hotdesking either. There are meeting rooms, team booths, kitchens, coffee machines – with a part-time office you get access to an entire building dedicated to making your workday more productive and seamless.
Additionally, there are many processes in place to make DeskLodge a safe space to be during the tail-end of COVID-19. There is a temperature scanner at the front door, hand sanitiser across the building, and a tight daily cleaning regime in place so you can feel confidence when walking in.
Will it work for your team?
As a business leader, you know whether the model could work hypothetically for the business, but is it right for the team?
The only way to find out is to ask them! Over the past year, teams all over the country have proven that they can work successfully from home - it seems only fair to extend a branch and see what they desire going forwards and try to find a middle ground between business and personnel needs and wants.
What next?
So, you’ve mulled over the options, discussed it with the team and come to the conclusion that a part-time office is the best thing since sliced bread and the tonic of 2021? Well you need to get in touch with Ellie (sales@desklodge.com) and book in a tour – seeing is believing after all!
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