Over the last few years, the pandemic and the resulting series of events have impacted every aspect of life and workplaces are no exception.
As an increasing number of employees with desk jobs switched to remote working, there has been a transition in how organizations operate today. There is an increasing need to cut organizational costs, and one of the measures that you can commonly observe today is the transitioning of office staff to shared workspaces.
Moving your employees who work in the physical office location to a shared workspace is a great idea to minimize costs while remaining flexible. Moreover, it allows organizations to plan for unexpected situations that may affect their decision to return to the organization's physical office.
Indeed co-working spaces allow employees to interact with other professionals and actually "co-work," while allowing organizations and companies to find an actual middle ground for organizational tasks where there is a dedicated office space for employees. Moreover, there are common areas for employees that serve as a ground for networking with various other professionals while engaging in social activities.
While most businesses are aware of the convenience offered by shared workspaces, the concern for most organizations is how to transition their employees to a shared co-working space.
If your organization is considering moving, here's how you can conveniently transition to a shared workspace. By using these tips, you can look forward to a smoother transition that will help you accomplish your organizational goals while allowing your employees to enjoy all the benefits of working in a physical location.
5 Tips to Transition to a Shared Workspace
#1. Evaluate the Shared Workspace to Check Its Alignment with Your Organization's Culture
Before you transition your organization's employees to a shared workspace, you must know whether or not the shared workspace is suitable for your employees or teams.
Make sure you evaluate the culture of your chosen co-working space and decide whether it aligns with the existing culture of your office.
If not, then you need to work on whether your team will be able to deal with the change. Will a change in your organization's culture due to your office's changed physical location will positively impact your organization? Is your existing team willing to share a workspace with professionals from other organizations?
To decide whether the co-working space is appropriate for your organization, it's best to survey your staff and employees and go with the decision of the majority of your team. However, if the decision to transition to a shared workspace lies only with the senior management or leadership, it's best to weigh the pros and cons, such as assessing the benefits against the cost.
#2. Offer Flexibility to Your Organization's Employees and Other Coworkers Using the Space
Working in a shared workspace may be a relatively new idea to most people working for your organization, as co-working spaces have gained a reputation of being a working space for freelancers or startups.
Hence, as you provide the choice to your employees to work in a shared workspace, it's critical that you provide your employees and staff enough time to adjust to the change and get used to the idea of transitioning into a shared workspace.
Moreover, it's also critical that you provide your team members with the flexibility to work remotely or offer a hybrid working solution until they get used to the idea of transitioning into a shared workspace.
Remember, remote working and hybrid working are the future of desk jobs, and given that shared workspaces may serve as a great place for transition, providing a flexible environment and allowing employees to work remotely will enable your team members to be more productive members of the organization.
#3. Invest in Appropriate Organizational Security Measures
As you transition your employees from your physical office location to shared workspaces, there's a need to invest in appropriate organizational security measures.
While it is often perceived that shared workspaces have security flaws, you can find co-working spaces that have even better security measures compared to your existing organization.
In fact, physical security isn't often a concern with shared spaces as they are usually large corporate buildings spread over several floors. Moreover, there are often other security features like the lobby and elevator security along with specific check-ins for individual desk users.
Before you transition your employees to a shared workspace, make sure you lay out security ground rules for all users of the shared workspace. It is one of the best ways to let your employees know about workplace essentials they can leave in the office building, whereas the valuables they need to carry with them to and from work.
Moreover, it is also critical to consider the security of common and shared workspace areas, such as the cafeteria or any other common area.
Very often, you will find a shared workspace that is designed with common areas in mind, and there will also be enough security measures for the shared areas. However, if your chosen shared workspace needs more security measures for shared areas, it's best to lay some ground rules for shared spaces as well as it will help ensure the security of all your employees using the shared areas of the workspace.
#4. Know Your Employee's Furniture Needs Before Shopping
As we discuss the transition of employees from your organization's physical location to a shared workspace, it is also important to discuss your employees' furniture needs.
Know that the dimensions of each workspace are different; however, you should also remember that regardless of the physical location, it is still important for you to invest in appropriate ergonomic furniture for your employees. However, as you transition to a shared workspace, you don't have to buy a specific piece of furniture just because it looks good or it could be a fancy addition to your newly transitioned workspace.
Instead, your primary consideration should be the value that the furniture will add for your employees. Your chosen ergonomic office furniture should be such that it fulfills a specific need and purpose in your space while looking good. If you are unsure which office furniture you should buy before you transition to a shared workspace, get in touch with Flexispot.
FlexiSpot is home to a reliable height-adjustable standing desk, desk converters, ergonomic office chairs, and more. Apart from the basic ergonomic office furniture, you can find ergonomic office accessories, including small storage units like Under Desk Cabinet S02. The convenient and space-saving under-desk cabinet makes excellent storage for shared workspaces as it features a large storage capacity and a security lock that allows you to conveniently keep all your valuables safe under your desk in your shared workspace.
With an appropriate storage solution, your employees can conveniently leave their valuables, including their laptops, at the facility instead of getting into the inconvenience of carrying everyday essentials to and from work daily.
#5. Communicate the Transition Plan with Organization's Employees
While we have shared almost all the essential tips to transition from a physical office location to a shared workspace conveniently, one of the last things on the list is to communicate the transition plan with the organization's employees.
It is best to start planning for the transition at least a few months before the actual relocation. Moreover, as soon as the senior management has made a plan for the move, it's best to share the plan for transitioning the office to a co-working space with the employees in a diplomatic and respectful manner.
As the senior management communicates the office transition plan, some employees may need more details. In that case, it helps if you provide more details to staff members who are interested in finding out more about the transition and upcoming changes, as it helps boost the confidence of the employees and aids in gaining trust in the organization.
Are You Ready to Transition Your Office Staff to a Co-working Space?
If you are planning to transition your organization to a shared workspace, it's best to create a plan for the move. Moreover, it's also critical that you give enough consideration to your shared workspace prior to the move to ensure that its culture aligns with your organization's culture.
Furthermore, offering flexibility to the employees should also be a priority, as it will help your employees get used to the idea of working in a shared workspace.
Lastly, invest appropriately in your employee's security needs and take measures to meet their furniture and accessories need, as only when you provide a safe and comfortable working environment will the employees be more productive regardless of the physical location of the workplace.
