Is there change on the horizon? Could we soon be seeing a huge difference in the way in which traditional commercial property and serviced office space are used?
Well, according to a report, conducted by UK based serviced office provider, Regus, there is indeed a desire for change and the traditional serviced office could find itself extinct.
The global survey of 600 commercial property executives reported that, nearly 60 per cent of respondents predict a decrease in the need for office space as a result of future work styles. With advances in technology, which continue at a pace, allowing workers to become more nomadic.
The survey looked into whether or not large companies were researching new ways for employers to work. With Regus, declaring: ‘New ways of working’ are already being put in place. In our survey only 8.5% of respondents from large organisations reported that no programme was in place. Of large enterprises surveyed, 62.5% have already rolled out new ways of working.’
In the report, 59 per cent of respondents said they no longer struggle to work effectively outside the workplace. This is in the main thanks to the internet being available in pretty much any location and advances in mobile phones, which mean emails can be accessed from pretty much anywhere in the country. ‘79 per cent,’ of respondents feel that they are given technology which enables them to work from any location.
This could well signal time for companies taking large scale commercial property headquarters, with virtual offices and hot desks, becoming the preferred choice for companies with sales teams, who are often on the road.
The majority of those surveyed believe that younger workers and the generation still at school, will be more accepting of virtual working and reject the traditional office.
Mark Dixon, Group Chief Executive, at Regus, said: ‘As the concept of virtuality gains ground, monetizing agility and creating a robust business case for changing the way we work will become essential…The future of work will involve organisations moving toward a more flexible work model where employees will be allowed to buy their own office space.’
