The Commercial Inspector Blog Posts

Flexible Offices and Adaptive Workspace

FLEXIBLE OFFICES AND ADAPTIVE WORKSPACE
 September 22, 2021 |  CRE News, Investment, Management |  real estate trends, business tips, interior maintenance, commercial real estate tenants, office space

With offices changing their dynamic as employees return, accommodating permanent remote or split workers has been a giant hurdle. With everyone working from different places, communication can break down and disrupt the workflow. Flexible spaces have allowed for more efficient collaboration in offices where not everyone can meet. Now, what could be the “phone booth of the future” aims to add even more flexibility to the new office space.

Flexible Offices Doing More
The typical cubicle setup is quickly becoming a thing of the past in office buildings. Especially as millennials begin to make up more of the working population, open concepts and customization are the two key factors they’re looking for. Another benefit to flexible offices is that multiple businesses can utilize the same space, saving overhead costs. This has made co-working offices more attractive to companies. However, the one drawback that can come with an open layout is having enough meeting rooms for everyone. Too many rooms and you can lose that open feel, but too few, and people will be displaced or made to talk over each other.

New Meeting Spaces
Enter in the “phone booth of the future.” These modular rooms have brought a once antiquated feature into the modern day. They’ve been adapted to hold everything a regular office has, complete with a desk, chair, and screen. Instead of having to build out a meeting room, you can assemble a private area for workers to use. They’ll be able to block out the noise of the rest of the office and communicate efficiently with other employees or clients.

Zoom Rooms
One example of these assembly outfits is the commercial property outfitter ROOM. Launched in the early part of September, their “Room for Zoom” line has become widely popular. Their prefabricated rooms come in several different styles. The traditional phone booth allows for one-on-one video conferencing, or a quiet space to finish a project. Their meeting rooms and open rooms allow for teams to come together and collaborate. Each pod is designed with technology and comfort in mind. They’re also constructed out of recycled materials to reduce your carbon footprint.

Creative Space
Another office supplier, HermanMiller, is re-inventing the way cubicles look. Instead of splitting up desks, you can use moveable walls to design your own environment. You can create an open area that provides for more brainstorming, or enclose it for privacy. The walls help absorb sound, which is always important in flexible spaces where it can sometimes get loud. Presentation and solo spaces give everyone their own zone to work.

Mix and Match
Spacestor also offers a variety of meeting rooms for workers to use. You can have a fashionable veranda that connects a larger room to smaller ones and gives you a more aesthetic look. Or you can choose covered booth-style seating. If you need to have a quick chat with your team and can’t find a room, their Residence Huddle lets you duck in and get work done.

Big Teams in All Places
Combining a flexible office with new design elements isn’t always the easiest. But companies that provide personalized workspaces can make it a bit smoother. Modular booths and offices allow the people in your building to grow as they want and not be stuck to one path. They can also help you as property owner save on the cost of multiple remodels. You’ll even be able to reduce the timeframe of build-outs, lessening the disruption of traditional construction. From single person boxes to larger team rooms, there’s something for everyone!

National Property Inspections is the partner you can rely on for all of your company’s inspection needs. Schedule a consultation with our inspection coordinators to see how NPI can assist you.