Despite many organizations committing to remote working policies permanently, those in the workspace industry know that the office is not going anywhere.
In fact, some experts believe that the flexible office industry in particular will see an uptick in demand in the near future.
“People may not be going to their corporate HQs for a little while, but the expectation on them from their firms is to deliver,” said Jonny Rosenblatt, cofounder of flexible office company Spacemade. “For many, the idea of working from home for another six months is soul-destroying, so they are seeing a need to find somewhere flexible, ideally local and with Covid safety measures in place.”
Many workers have expressed wanting to come back to the office to get away from the distractions of working from home, while also socializing with their colleagues.
Additionally, companies looking to downsize their real estate footprint may start offering flexible workspace options to serve as satellite offices for those who still want a workspace to come into.
A survey from Spacemade found that half of respondents would prefer to spend at least part of the work week in a local office.
“The mix of remote working and being in a HQ is going to be different for every organisation, but getting the right balance and providing the right solutions will be critical to every company’s success,” said Rosenblatt.