Workplace Consulting:
Flexible Working
What are the flexible working options within an organisation?
Flexible working does not mean "hot desking". Here are some of our definitions that may help you in considering your requirements:
Flexible Working
This is recognition that beneficial work is not exclusively tied to the office or any particular work station or location. It recognises that most activities actually require more than a single working environment.
These environments can be anywhere where the individual has access to data, contact with others and can carry out the required tasks. The concept generally includes reduced ownership of specific work stations but does not necessarily involve complete "hot desking".
Most of us work flexibly today – does your organisation want to make the most of this opportunity to reduce costs and improve productivity?
Hot Desking / Hoteling
The practice of requiring staff, contractors and visitors to book work stations in the office. This can be through the company intranet and may be web-enabled.
Do you want to make sure your visiting or mobile workers needs are provided for?
Warm Desking
Our definition is in relation to a concept that provides effective team based working in a high density office solution. It may mean that teams are allocated a specific number of desks with touchdowns nearby to cover peak periods.
Do you want to make sure your desk occupancy level is optimal when team based working, holidays and meetings are taken into account?
Working from Home
This is accepted as a definition for arrangements where individuals, who are required to visit other locations and do not, of necessity, come to the office before and after but rather use their home facilities as a main base. This type of arrangement does not normally involve any health and safety obligations or responsibilities for the employer and are generally informal.
Does your accommodation strategy recognise those staff which do this on a regular basis?
Working at Home
This definition is reserved for individuals working most of their time at home as their main place of work and is considered to be rarely advantageous to either the individual or the organisation.
Such arrangements do carry responsibilities for health and safety to provide safe working environment, conditions and equipment and therefore need careful management and training, as well as integration into the wider corporate and team activity.
Do you want to ensure that your remote or regional workers are fully supported?
Touchdown Space
This refers to either work stations provided within the office for visitors and contractors or conversely the use of space remote from the main office, where individuals can use a work station, computer, telephone and other equipment.
Such space can be private or is increasingly available in other locations such as libraries and hotels.
Do you want to ensure the right sort of facility is made available to your organisation?
Break Out Space
This provides the ability for individuals to move away from their computer or desk to another area, often with soft seating combined with refreshment facilities in order to relax or converse and share ideas with others.
This facility is a statutory requirement where the staff are largely screen based workers.
Do you want to see how beneficial alternative forms of meeting space might be?
Club Space
These are areas provided with an office where staff that are based at home or out in the region can come in and meet within the office to share ideas, information and work.
Do you want to you help your remote or visiting workers feel a greater part of the organisation?
Quiet Space
It is essential in any flexible environment that all staff have access to quiet space for creativity, confidential discussions and sensitive phone calls. Again, this needs to be carefully managed through the booking system.
Do you find that private meeting rooms are taken up for individual or 1-1 meetings?
Whilst each of these issues can be addressed in isolation, the most value will come from determining the optimal mix of accommodation that suits your organisations future needs as part of an integrated workplace solution. Our Value Release Model will help you deliver this and demonstrate the benefits in operation and financial terms.
If you want to answer these questions and make the most of your workplace needs then call us now.
0870 242 0472
