How easy is it to transform an office building, or an office space, into a flexible workspace?
This is a pertinent question and one that many landlords will be pondering. After all, demand for flexible workspace is rising sharply, with many businesses turning away from large private offices and inflexible long-term leases in favour of modern, dynamic flexible workspaces that better fit the hybrid working model.
In fact, infinitSpace recently commissioned a new independent study, and we can share a few intriguing findings with you…
We spoke to more than 350 UK businesses. Almost two-fifths (39%) said they are currently considering or looking for a new workspace. Of those, the majority (56%) are looking for a flexible workspace. Indeed, across all the companies we spoke to, 52% said that flexible and co-working spaces would be the most appealing for employees.
How to transform an office
It is a trend that landlords must be alert to. For those who own office buildings, it makes sense to consider whether the property – or part of it – ought to be converted into a flexible workspace.
So, for landlords in this position, here are some key questions to consider:
- How much of the building will be dedicated to a new flexible workspace?
- What facilities will it consist of?
- Private offices, co-working and hotdesking areas, collaborative breakout spaces, meeting rooms, event spaces, barista coffee, gyms, showers and so on
- How will the space be fitted out – what will the style of the furniture be?
- How will the workspace be branded? What will it be called, what will the colour palette be, and what ethos and values will the workspace champion?
- What IT and technology will be on offer?
- Superfast WiFi, printers, scanners, projectors, shredders, and so on
- Will there be an app so members of the workspace can access facilities, book meeting rooms, network with peers, release print jobs and register guests?
- How will the workspace be marketed once completed to ensure it secures tenants?
In truth, this is just a very top-line checklist of some of the most important considerations. Ultimately, in creating a flexible workspace, it is important to think beyond the space itself – it is not just about having desks and chairs in a room with WiFi, but rather about the environment, the brand and the overall experience.
How infinitSpace can help
Reading that list, the task of converting traditional office space into a flexible workspace might suddenly feel somewhat daunting. But fear not: infinitSpace can help.
We work closely with office landlords to guide them through the process. As we like to say, we will take care of the “heavy lifting” at each step of the process.
Whether an entire building or just certain floors within it, we will convert traditional offices into modern, flexible and innovative spaces. We support with the fit-out, layout, design and functionality – but, importantly, we work with the landlord to create a brand for that space, one which will resonate with their tenants. All of this is perfectly exemplified by the work we did when taking over 60,000 sq ft in Brookfield Property’s Aldgate Tower, where we have created 'beyond Aldgate Tower'.
Crucially, at infinitSpace we go well beyond the design, build and branding of the space. We are a trusted flexible workspace provider working on behalf of landlords to help manage their spaces day in, day out. On top of the daily operational management, we also take care of the sales and marketing to match tenants with their dream workspaces. Plus, we have the tech to implement within the entire building, including a white label, best-in-class app, elevating the tenant experience for all tenants, long-term and flexible alike.
We are on a mission to make flexible workspace easy for landlords, without them having to relinquish control over their buildings. Get in touch today to find out more.