Post-Covid the entire operations of organisations globally were worst affected. The biggest challenge that the management was facing was ‘Business Continuity’. Which meant to run a profitable business, maintain the business operations and communications from a virtual environment that the pandemic made a necessity. A paradigm shift was taking place and both individuals and organisations were thinking of what the future of work and workspaces would look like.
Newer ways of working started becoming commonplace as it seemed unlikely that organisations would see a complete ‘return to office’. With technology in hand and business centres within reach the answer was pretty much clear. A disruption had started taking place, organisations started switching to Serviced Office Spaces which were best suited due to their flexibility to upscale or downscale, easier lease terms, and ready availability.
By switching, not only organisations were able to reduce their real-estate and overhead costs, but they were also able to expand to multiple and distributed locations which allowed them better reach. The employees also get the flexibility of working from a location of their choice, enjoy reduced travel time and lesser travel costs with a better work-life balance.
With the rise of entrepreneurial spirit, boutique agencies, startups and business revaluation by existing corporates increased the demand for flexible/hybrid workspaces and grade A offices witnessed increased traction from corporates, IT giants, BFSI, and others. The adoption of technology and to provide bespoke experiences to users started to have a multiplier effect on the demand.
Organisations started navigating ways to maximize the brand experience of clients. The unlocking of markets and return of consumer confidence set the pace for growth and no organisation wanted to lose on this front. The demand for better equipped and technologically-advanced office spaces picked up pace. Each client wanted that extra edge and a smarter workspace with flexibility.
Serviced Office providers started working on this front and made a paradigm shift towards redesigning office spaces with ‘smarter offerings’. Let’s take a sneak-peek as to what do these future workspaces have to offer:
1. Flexibility to Upscale/Downscale: The biggest factor that an organisation looks forward to in these times is the flexibility that can be offered to them. Business Centres/Serviced Office space providers understand this aspect well and offer clients the flexibility to upscale/downscale as per requirements.
2. Tech Foot Forward – Technology has been playing a very crucial role in these unprecedented times. Many office space providers have understood that there is a considerable need to invest into technological advancements for the safety and security of Clients and their employees. The below-mentioned are a few implementations being offered:
a. App Based Locks – All the office suites have App-based locks affixed so that none of the clients need to touch a key for opening the door. This not only increases the safety but also adds on the security of each suite.
b. Enhanced Security – Apart from the app-based locks, clients are always looking forward to additional security layers and which is exactly what Business Centres have been providing. Round the clock security personnel are deployed outside the building premises and Hi-res CCTV cameras keep a close eye on the Business Centre entrance and Common Areas.
c. Firewall Enablement – The plug and play office space providers now-a-days have started providing Firewalls so that the clients do not face any issues while using their emails and browsing through the net. This feature really adds up to a great extent especially for IT companies and other MNCs which have a keen eye for security.
d. Voice-command Based Rooms – Another big step taken towards the technological advancement is curating Board Rooms which accept Voice-commands. Imagine entering a Meeting Room with a Client of yours and the lights ‘turn-on’ with just a command of yours, incredible impact, isn’t it?
e. Digital Flipcharts – Gone are the days when in a board meeting you used a traditional white board for explaining your points. The future is of Digital Flipcharts which lets you connect your laptop wirelessly with the ‘Interactive Screen’ for giving presentations, writing points and even share the same with multiple audiences at the same time.
3. Business Privacy – Most Office Spaces forget to lay emphasis on a very important aspect that is ‘Business Privacy’. There are only a few Business Centres which focus on this factor. The dividing walls are kept to the ceiling rather open, and the glass partitions are also sealed with premium quality silicon so that no sound can pass through, keeping your business secrets intact.
4. Zero-Touch Centres – With steps taken towards high levels of service standards while keeping in mind the well-being & safety of the clients on top priority many Business Centres are converting their Office Spaces ‘Zero-Touch’, wherein the client need not lay his hands upon any critical touch-point like: handles, switches, etc.
5. Regular Sanitization – The plug and play office suites and common areas are sanitized on a regular basis through cold fogging using premium-grade disinfectants besides industrial-grade premium chemicals by teams wearing PPE Suits, Faceshields, masks & gloves.
6. 100% Vaccinated Teams – The clients feel safe and secure when they interact with teams which are fully vaccinated. This not only creates an aura of safety but also lets more and more organisations get back to their respective office spaces.
Office space providers are now more creative and carry a forward-thinking approach to maximize the market potentials. The office space segment in recent years has streamlined itself according to the emerging trends and demands of the new workforce and has been redesigning the office spaces and making them ‘Future Ready’. Modernity, flexibility, comfort and customer-centricity are the terms that are guiding them, and technology has taken the driver’s seat to drive this change.
(By Vineet Taing, President, Vatika Business Centre)