Tech, Flex Space Will Bring Employees Back to the Office, Not Fancy Amenities

International Workplace Group (IWG) is the world's largest provider of flexible workspace solutions, with more than 3,500 locations in over 123 countries worldwide. Now, following the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more employees are demanding flexibility and more and more employers are finding ways to give it to them. As a result, the flexible workspace industry is booming and IWG is emerging as more relevant and essential than ever before.

According to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. office employees by Essensys, a commercial real estate building software firm that services office buildings and flexible office space, 81% of respondents were unhappy with their current office experience. Employees said tech and flexible workstations were much more likely to get them to return to the office than more superficial amenities like free coffee, beer and massage rooms. Instead, they want the convenience of space and layout and more reliable Wi-Fi.

“The workforce has made it clear they desire flexibility. They have also made it clear that they still want an office culture,” said Wayne Berger, CEO of IWG, The Americas. “This may seem like asking too much, but in fact, it isn’t. Every time we open a flexible workspace, we open a new opportunity to appease these employees. Workers have demonstrated that the more they feel empowered to have a choice, the greater results for organizations. Everyone wants to be treated like an adult. They are paid to achieve goals and results for the organization. They want the ability to do that wherever they see fit.”

As the world shifts post-COVID to a hybrid working model, it isn’t just the employees and the employers who need to adapt; it is also the landlords of office spaces. By partnering with IWG, commercial landlords and institutional investors in markets both large and small have an opportunity to cater to the demand for flexible, high-tech workspaces.

As opposed to a traditional capital lease, landlords, building owners and institutional developers can sign a partnership agreement with IWG and invest the capital in converting the space into a flexible workspace office — with either professional workplace brand Regus, creative workplace brand Spaces, hassle-free workplace brand HQ or luxurious workspace brand Signature. From there, IWG will presell the location, staff the team, deploy the resources and place it on the world's largest network of flexible workspace sites. 

Read the full article, here.

Learn more at https://www.iwgplc.com/en-gb/develop-a-location.