How to Create a Flexible Work Environment

Your company’s workspace is more than just a place to get a job done; it’s a place that can facilitate productivity, collaboration, and innovation. Find out more about how to create a flexible work environment and how it can help your business.

What Is a Flexible Work Environment? 

Flexible work environments can mean slightly different things for different companies in various industries. Flexible work environments challenge traditional workplace and office spaces in the broadest view. 

• Some aspects of a flexible work environment can include: 

• Hybrid and remote work options

• Compressed workweek

• Flexible work hours

How to Make Flexible Work Spaces

Flexible workspaces at first glance may look like a traditional office, but some key differences set them apart. Here are a few ways you can make your workspace more flexible.

Flexible Seating

Because employees can work variable hours and may not even come into the office some days, it doesn’t make sense for each employee to have their own dedicated workspace. Rather than reserved cubicles or desks, every spot in a flexible workspace is open for anyone. 

Flexible seating also focuses on dynamic seating. Gone are the days of every employee clocking in and sitting at a desk or cubicle for their entire day. Flexible seating can include a traditional office chair and desk, but it also has sofas, recliners, standing desks, ottomans, benches, coffee tables, bars, countertops, and stools. Flexible seating unchains your employees from their desks and makes it possible to work where they feel comfortable.

Flexible Meeting Spaces

When coworkers share ideas, work together, and collaborate, that is when you see the best results. There are various flexible meeting spaces in the best flexible workspaces, including everything from a casual nook to a formal meeting room to collaborate.  

Meeting spaces should be digitally enabled, making it easier to collaborate, share information, and meet with remote workers and clients. 

More Personal Connections

One of the biggest issues with flexible workspaces and hybrid and remote work schedules is that employees can feel isolated and disconnected. This makes it hard to create meaningful workplace friendships and relationships, and some employees will choose to shut down and isolate even further rather than reach out to others. 

To counteract isolation when dealing with flexible and hybrid workspaces, you have to manufacture and cultivate opportunities for meaningful workplace connections. By having the time to relate and connect, employees become better collaborators and feel more connected to their work, which provides more job satisfaction. 

Deeper Trust

The most challenging part of flexible workspaces for some managers and leaders is their lack of control. Some management styles don’t work in flexible workspaces because it’s much more challenging to micromanage and hyper-monitor your employees. Those leaders believe that as soon as their employees are left to manage themselves, they’ll slack off, procrastinate, and crash productivity. Luckily, that isn’t reality. It’s been shown that flexible, hybrid, and remote work options have increased productivity along with employee satisfaction.

If you’re still worried about switching to a flexible office solution, consider establishing clear job expectations and boundaries with your employees. When and where they work can be flexible, but the results are not. Work expectations should be meaningful and not overreaching while having clear boundaries. Once you have established the expectations, be consistent in enforcing those standards. 

What Type of Flexible Workspace Is Right for My Company? 

Flexible workspaces are as different as the companies that implement them. Some provide minimal flexibility, while others lean in and innovate in flexible office solutions. It’s important to remember that what may be the best solution for one company might not be the best solution for another. You have to find what works for you. 

Davinci Workspaces

Davinci offers coworking and meeting room spaces to help your company provide more flexible office solutions. We have locations around the globe to make sure your employees have a comfortable and professional environment in which to work. Contact us today to get more information and a live quote.

About Coco Quillen

Coco is the Vice President of Operations at Davinci Meeting Rooms. She manages the strategic development and operational implementation of services for Davinci. She works closely with all teams to ensure customers are well taken care of. Google