Tag: virtual office

Hybrid Work & Co-Working Spaces: The New Normal?

Date: Wed Aug 17 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

As unprecedented as the Covid-19 pandemic was, so were the business trends in the fallout. Once lockdown restrictions were lifted, 85% of British workers didn’t want to return to the office.

The hybrid working model provides benefits to both employers and employees. Given the flexibility to work part-time from home and the rest of the time in the office, employees have the work-life balance they crave together with the autonomy to choose where and when they work and save money.

Businesses also have an opportunity to save money by downsizing offices. By transitioning to a hybrid model, there is less requirement to rent office space to house an entire workforce.

There are two ways to downsize; rent a smaller office from a commercial landlord, or rent flexible coworking space which gives you the flexibility to rent the space when you need it.

Given the increase in office rental prices and utilities, co-working spaces are becoming the most cost-effective and preferred option for numerous businesses.

However, office managers should be wary about the nature of the contract you are entering into with coworking spaces. It can be the case, that you pay for services or office space you don’t need.

BluDesks has designed a business model most other co-working spaces do not offer. Firstly, we provide you with a portal to multiple co-working environments in the city where you live.

Secondly, our facilities are based on a pay-as-you-go basis which means you only pay for the space you use. Ordinarily, you are paying for space you are not using. The BluDesks model enables you to manage your office costs accurately – and save even more money.

What to expect from coworking spaces with BluDesks?

BluDesks offer affordable and flexible coworking spaces in London and across the UK. That means no matter where your employees need to work, they have easy access to a co-working space with all the amenities you can expect from a fully-functioning office. Because of the choices available, your team can book whichever workspace suits their needs. For example, you will be able to find a conveniently located meeting room for a 1-2-1 and a small room for 3 or 4 people to brainstorm or a large meeting room to provide training or a presentation.

If your business relies on team collaboration, it may be more convenient and cost-effective for a colleague to meet in a location that is more convenient for them to reach than your main base.

As we discussed in a recent article, reducing the need for all your employees to commute helps to improve your ESG score. Co-working spaces also serve as a convenient option for employees who prefer to work in an office environment rather than working from home.

Whilst the number of UK businesses that have adopted a hybrid working model is still relatively low at 37%, the number will increase as more office rental contracts expire. With hybrid working environments set to become the new normal, business planners need to look ahead to determine how they can save costs.

Are You Paying For 30 Days of Shared Office Space And Only Working 10?

Date: Mon Aug 1 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Coworking spaces have proven to be extremely advantageous in helping businesses to navigate the various stages of the pandemic. Enterprises switching to a hybrid model in the post-pandemic era will continue to reap the benefits.

However, spending money on coworking spaces is not all roses and champagne. The vast majority of shared office providers lock users into fixed-term contracts – which means you usually pay for space and amenities you’re not using.

Our data shows that most companies adopting the hybrid model spend, on average, about 10 days a month in the office. This figure is calculated from the number of hours users are physically present in the space they are paying for.

When you’re locked into a fixed-term contract you pay for 30 days a month no matter what. And coworking space contracts include broadband, various office facilities and any additional services you may have requested.

When you do the maths, it’s clear to see that businesses are overspending. In the current financial climate, throwing money at 20 days of nothing is a waste of resources you could put to better use.

Pay-As-You-Use Coworking Spaces

Today’s workers want flexibility and cost-effective solutions. For a company that has switched to hybrid working, pay-as-you-use coworking spaces tick all the boxes.

The pay-as-you-use coworking space model allows you to book office space and amenities by the hour. All you have to do is book the amount of time you want to spend in the office – and that’s all you pay for.

This high level of flexibility enables office managers to manage costs accurately. You can still accommodate staff members that are due in the office on any given day – but, crucially, you’re not overpaying for space.

Bludesks also takes flexibility one step further. We provide our users with a global pass which you can use to book office space anywhere in the world – with a single membership.

With BluDesks, you only ever need to log in and browse one website to get access to multiple private offices, hot desks and meeting rooms. This also means your employees can work in an office environment that is closer to their homes – which is better for their pocket and your ESG rating.

BluDesks Membership Pass

We don’t see the sense in forcing businesses and freelancers to pay for coworking space and amenities they are not using. It’s not fair on our clients – and you could use that money to help grow your business.

Our model is designed to make finding coworking office spaces, fast, convenient and easy. It also enables you to avoid paying for office space and amenities you’re not using.

The BluDesks personal membership and corporate membership passes give you instant access to thousands of coworking in one easy-to-use platform. You can book through our website or mobile app and pay as you go. It’s that simple.