Why a Flexible Working Future is a Win-Win

Jane Erasmus, Sales and Marketing Director at Flexible Space Association member UBC, shares an insight into how the company is adapting its services to meet the new ways people are working.

 

The way we work is constantly evolving and there’s a lot of speculation about how we will work in the future. Work from home? Hybrid? Or sweep everyone back into the office?

Here at UBC, we work directly with businesses of all sizes and we’re privy to many of the thought processes and decisions that business leaders are making.

One thing they all have in common is a need for flexibility.

This usually presents itself in two ways:

• Business leaders want flexible workspace agreements to reduce costly commitments and help protect their company from economic turbulence or uncertain market conditions.
• They want flexible usage of space to accommodate their employees’ preferences – including those who want to work in a hybrid way and split their working week between home and an office.

At the heart of it all, businesses want to operate with more agility.

That’s why UBC has adapted its workspace offering. We’ve always offered flexible workspace, but the many conversations we have had with business leaders throughout the pandemic led us to further develop our flexible offerings to accommodate a greater variety of business needs.

Here are some of the major changes we have made:

More virtual office options

We have expanded our virtual office to offer three tiers, now with even more flexibility and budgetary control. Our basic package starts with a business address, mailing services, and free use of our lounge areas, while our ‘Elite’ level provides additional amenities including a local phone number, personalised call answering, and inclusive access to meeting spaces and coworking.

Managed workspace

UBC has always offered managed workspace for corporates that want a longer-term head office without the fixed commitment of a traditional lease. Now more than ever, our regional managed services are in-demand as corporates seek to reduce lease liability.

Interestingly, this aligns with research from The Instant Group, which suggests that corporate headquarters will shrink by 40% in the coming years as businesses become more flexible in their infrastructure, with less long-term commitment and greater agility.

What’s next?

As businesses all over the country continue to adapt to the current situation, one of the great trends to emerge from the pandemic is the desire to accommodate workers’ needs and individual preferences.

The way businesses work is truly becoming people-focused, and at UBC our award-winning customer service teams are excited to offer even more flexibility both for individuals, and their employers.

Ultimately, we believe a more flexible working future will enable teams to work more happily and productively, and for businesses to operate with agility and cost efficiency. Quite simply, a win-win.