The idea of a part-time vacation home is not new, but the concept of a flexible part-time office is a more recent phenomenon. It is still very rare for companies to take up flexible part-time offices, but if this idea takes hold, the future possibilities could be huge.
How does it work ? Let’s say you have two companies: Company A and Company B with a private office. Company A can choose to use the premises on Monday and Tuesday, while Company B uses the premises from Wednesday to Friday. This can be done in different ways: companies can alternate weeks, alternate morning and afternoon, or even more than two companies can share an office.
In general, the cost is distributed proportionately. If the total monthly cost of the office is 5,000 €, the company that occupies the premises two days a week will pay 2,000 € / month and the one that occupies them three days a week will pay 3,000 € / month.
This type of contract is different from a standard contract for a private office in a flexible workspace, where typically a company rents a number of offices for a certain period of time and the space is not shared with d ‘other people. It is also different from renting a non-dedicated office in a coworking space, where offices are defined on a first-come, first-served basis, but also from renting a dedicated office where offices are reserved for advance on a much shorter basis than a part-time office.
Benefits Of Flexible Part-Time Offices
The main advantage of a part-time office is the fact that businesses can benefit from more flexibility when it comes to their office expenses. We expect greater flexibility of employees in the years to come, especially in terms of the workplace, especially in a post-COVID-19 world. A recent Savills survey found that 34% of employees would like to work from home two days a week. A flexible part-time office can provide some structure to remote working arrangements – you have a guaranteed workplace for a set period of time.
Flexible part-time offices can meet a number of needs and dramatically reduce office costs for businesses that would otherwise have paid for an entire office and ended up with vacant space on days their employees work remotely. Whether you are a self-employed person, a five-person start-up, or a large corporation, saving on office costs is an attractive proposition, especially in these times when many businesses have seen their sales drop and costs are cutting back. is a necessity.
Another advantage of flexible part-time offices is the environmental aspect. The fact that space is used more efficiently and that resources are shared can have significant environmental benefits. In a world where the emphasis is increasingly on sustainability, this is key.
Disadvantages Of Flexible Part-Time Offices
This setting up of flexible part-time offices also poses problems. There can be legal issues, especially when it comes to dilapidation. For example, if a wall is damaged, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to know which company is responsible for the damage. Similar liability issues can arise for stolen goods. One solution is to adopt a policy similar to workspaces where people remove all their belongings and clear their desks at the end of the day. Lockers can be provided to prevent people from having to bring all their belongings home at the end of the day.
Another downside is that you have to find a business that has needs for reverse desks to yours, i.e. if Business A wants the workspace on Monday and Friday, the other company will have to agree to use it on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This is especially difficult because the concept of a flexible part-time office is fairly new and not many companies are familiar with it, although it could develop well over time.