Future of Work News Free eNews Subscription

Coworks: Flexible Space is the Future of Work

By

DeShawn Brown is so convinced that flexible work space is the wave of the future, he designed a software management system for remote work-space providers.

“Remote work capability is becoming a must have for employers,” he told attendees at Future of Work Expo in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Brown is CEO at Coworks, a firm that offers software for managing flexible work spaces. His company itself is headquartered in a flexible work building that uses his software.

In “The Future is Flexible: How the Remote Work Shift Changes Everything,” Brown offered his perspective on the move to remote work that was fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The upshot: Nobody wanted to come back to work as the pandemic eased.

  • 52% of workers considered quitting their current job for a remote job
  • 33% of workers say they’ll leave if remote options aren’t available.

Brown listed four ways companies can benefit from adopting a tech-enabled flexible work strategy, including:

  1. Using technology to rethink corporate headquarters arrangements;
  2. Leveraging flexible workspace to develop a complete work ecosystem;
  3. Enabling on-demand space discovery to improve corporate flexibility;
  4. Employing data analytics to provide you with space usage information.

“It starts with tech because that’s the key underlying that lets you experience all these other things,” Brown said.

He noted there are hundreds of different tools available to flex-space owners. What’s really needed is a centralized platform that acts as an operating system for both the building and its clients. For instance, Brown’s program includes:

  • Analytics and reports
  • Employer/tenant applications
  • Events notices
  • Billing services
  • Announcements.

Remote work from home has its drawbacks, though. Not everyone has space to work from home.

“There’s a physical component here,” Brown noted.

Among the most common complaints heard from people who work at home are

  • Feeling lonely (21%)
  • Needing collaboration (21%)
  • Suffering distractions (16%)
  • Lacking motivations (14%)
  • Bothered by time zones (14%).

Somewhere between work-from-home and office work lies flexible work space. Most arrangements are subscription-based, month-to-month deals that include shared amenities and available community space.

“The focus is more on hospitality,” Brown says, “The other thing is community.”

Larger companies haven’t invaded the co-workings space as owners – yet. Brown said 85% of available coworking office space is maintained by independent operators.

The forecast is that, by the end of the decade, one-third of occupied office space will feature flexible work arrangements, Brown said.

The government has given official notice that flexible work arrangements are here to stay. The General Services Administration (GSA), which helps manage and service government agencies, issued in September 202 a $50 million contract to provide Federal employees with flexible workspace.




Edited by Erik Linask
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]

Future of Work Contributor

Related Articles

AI-Powered Platform Acts as Glue to Keep Teams Connected

By: Greg Tavarez    3/31/2023

Glue, previously known as Mystery, recently introduced an AI-based platform that provides HR and people executives with real-time and in-depth insight…

READ MORE

How to Level Up Your Recruitment with ChatGPT

By: Special Guest    3/31/2023

New uses cases are emerging for generative AI. Can ChatpGPT be used for recruitment, to augment, automate, and transform the hiring process?

READ MORE

Calabrio Integrates with Zoom to Bring Workforce Management to Zoom Contact Center

By: Tracey E. Schelmetic    3/31/2023

Workforce management company Calabrio announced its new integration with Zoom's contact center platform.

READ MORE

Martello Technologies Group Improves Microsoft Teams Rooms with Vantage DX V3.10

By: Alex Passett    3/31/2023

With its newest end-to-end visibility and performance-monitoring solution, Martello Technologies Group brings improvements for IT and AV teams managin…

READ MORE

The Future of Women in the IT Workforce

By: Juhi Fadia    3/31/2023

Despite the many contributions of women in computer science, technology, telecommunications, and other fields, significant gaps still exist in represe…

READ MORE