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4
How You Work: People, Places & Flexible Workspaces
From the Business Centre of the eighties to the Coworking revolution of
recent years, the world of work is changing and Flexible Office operators
face increasing demands from a young, technology enabled workforce,
influenced by career-needs and lifestyle-wants in equal measures.
TRADITIONAL & NEW
The Traditional
The Flexible Office market has for over 30 years
sought to provide growing businesses with an effective
alternative to the traditional office. Introduced in the
1980s to small business operators in the US, the
Serviced Office or Business Centre
closely followed
advancements in desktop technology that resulted
in greater requirements of the workplace. Expensive,
immovable hardware demanded large capital
investment, while Business Centres stepped in to
provide on-demand access to a desktop computer,
telephone and fax machine without the capital outlay
and unencumbered by a long and costly lease.
The Business Centre popularised a total occupancy
solution, providing a range of professional workspaces
under one roof. This typically included private offices
and semi-private cubicles, distinguished by size and
cost, and room to expand and contract as growth
determined. The all-inclusive office combined the cost
of facilities, equipment and administrative support into
one convenient monthly rental payment; a feature that
has remained its hallmark.
Commonly, a Business Centre licence operates
on a rolling renewal basis for a minimum of three
months, compared with a traditional office lease of
three to ten years. The rent payable is determined
by a single, tangible unit - a desk - providing a
simplified contractual process for the customer. The
layout and design of Business Centres are typically
functional and unbranded, with a universal standard
applied throughout. This enables customers to set
up and move in with minimal effort, together with a
neutrality to customise according to business and
brand requirements. Sylvia Allen, Manager of The
Executive Company in Shanghai comments, “we have
a no-brand policy in each centre because we want
to create a space for the client so that they feel it is
their own. We care about our clients and always try to
think about the office space from their perspective”.