Modern offices have been striving to get away from the old school style of bland colors, if any, tiny cubes, dim lights, and stale air. While some businesses stick with tradition, many new startups have been rethinking the way we operate. Their searching has been paying off, as both employee satisfaction and productivity have been increasing recently.
The Latin word of “office” actually means something along the lines of Bureau or Service, not a building downtown somewhere. Smaller companies are taking this to heart and several groups have since sprung up to meet the demands of the new way of doing business, giving more flexibility and options while allowing the business to focus on business and not building maintenance.
What Working in an Office Meant
It was during the industrial revolution that the modern office was first brought into existence as businesses became large national corporations and needed more and more space to conduct affairs such as accounting and sales. In 1906, the Sears company opened its three million square foot office in Chicago which was, at the time, the largest building in the world. The 9-5 work week also came to be the norm during this time.
Workspaces used to be fairly open, until the mid-1960’s when the cubicle came into being, created with the intention of helping employees to work without distractions, but still allowing a manager to oversee their work if they needed. Though the cubicle did offer some benefits in terms of privacy, a common complaint was that people felt isolated and disconnected from the rest of the staff and that it did little to nurture a sense of teamwork or unity. Many younger companies have been leading the way in changing this space to be more lively and pleasant for all.
While the old style has been popular in the West, Japan has been doing things its own way. In offices throughout the nation, the most commonly used layout is what is called the Island layout in which the group shares a long workstation with the leader sitting at the head of the table. The sense of teamwork is greatly increased by this, and problems are typically solved with a group rather than an individual having to struggle on their own.
Each of these approaches has its pros and cons and businesses want to be able to maximize their staff’s potential for productivity while also increasing their quality of life so that the staff motivated. Small businesses and startups have a variety of options to choose from, and no matter the budget there will be a solution that they can afford, and will give their staff what it needs.
The new way of Thinking
We used to require a large enough space where we could put not just our teams of people, but all of our cabinets and storage which would be filled with paperwork, however in modern times this has become unnecessary. Jobs that used to take full teams to do now only need a couple of people, perhaps even just the one. Big businesses are growing, yes, but with these changes they’re also able to scale back.
As the younger generation become the decision makers, they’ve decided that while they want to work hard and make an impact, they don’t always want to show up at 9 am and that sometimes their best work gets done at 3 am instead. They want their spaces to reflect the desire for creativity and innovation, not just be a reminder of the number game that corporations used to play. As the generation who coined the term “thinking outside the box” they are not afraid to try new things and make a few mistakes in finding what works and what doesn’t.
Read more about downtown Seattle coworking space meeting rooms.
Only Paying for the Space You Need
There have been a few groups, including FedEx, which have opened rental offices to help move this industry forward. These offices are made for small companies, even to the point that they allow them to only pay for the time they spend there, and they mean these startups won’t need to think about the hassles of building care. They allow you a clean and professional space to meet with clients, host presentations and get work done and can easily grow with your business.
The spaces offer a variety of prices that can fit most any budget, from the small company that just isn’t ready to sign a lease, to a single writer that only wants a quiet place they can work. With prices starting as low as $19 per day for space in the lounge to private locked offices, this kind of space is budget friendly, allowing you and your staff to only pay for the space you use, while you are using it.
No Need for a Lease
When starting a new business, one of the biggest costs has traditionally been renting space to house the company and this often meant a long-term lease ranging from one to five years. This can be pretty intimidating to a newer business, but these new spaces are far more friendly in this way.
You choose how and when you use the space and they have programs that range from twenty hours per month to forty or more per week depending on the needs of your business. For anyone that’s working full time but is also trying to start up their own company, you now have a professional and welcoming space you can go to one or two days a week, whatever suits your needs, for however long works best, and you won’t need to pay a royal price. If your budget is tight then this is a make or break decision.
Forget about Maintenance and Utilities
A bonus with the new spaces if you never have to worry about the utilities. Water, electricity, doesn’t matter, it’s not on you. You don’t even need to think about cleaning the place, all you have to think about is your business, your work, nothing more.
Work how and when You want
These spaces are well aware that you need innovation and diversity to really get things going. They offer a variety of spaces that allow you to pick the environment that works for you, whether it’s a standing desk, a more traditional cubicle or even a lounge.
If your team needs to meet to go over some concepts or brainstorm new ideas then you can certainly use a classic boardroom, but you also have the option of a less tradition meeting area, and probably a few different ones.
Hot Desking
People used to think that everyone had to have their own space that they could make their own. Those old, large cubicles and desks are no longer necessary though, as all of our work, and even plenty of “our space” is found on our phones and laptops. Some places still assign their staff workspace, however modern offices tend to have a more open layout, one which allows employees to pick the seat that suits them best.
The other reason for this is that pay as you go office spaces are becoming more and more popular for small businesses allowing team members to come in and work when they please without having to pay for time and space they don’t use. Smaller companies benefit greatly from these spaces, not only because they’re so budget friendly, but because they provide a professional, clean, and varied space for employees to work, and for potential clients or partners to meet them. With these spaces, you simply go in when you need to and find a comfortable spot and get to work without the hassle and overhead related to the traditional model of a long-term lease.
You’re given the freedom to sit on a couch and brainstorm, focus yourself at a standup desk, or go in a meeting room with enough space for 30. Consider that if you had a traditional office area you wouldn’t have this sort of availability and flexibility, and if you needed to host an event you likely would have to rent out a separate building anyways.
Snacks for the Workers
It’s easy to build an appetite for more than just success while working and these offices are well stocked with hot coffee, fresh fruit and assorted pastries that are as good if not better than what you will find in most cafes. It’s important to keep yourself full of energy, and as such the healthy options will be a great way to keep your employees, and yourself, happy and productive.
FedEx is Right Outside
Now, you may be wondering if these spaces have access to things like printing, and for this you’ll have to look at the individual, however spaces like Atlas Workspace in Seattle have partnered with FedEx, meaning that you don’t even need to worry about the printer having problems. You never have to go far or take long to get what you need, when you needed, because everything is right there, under the care of professionals.
Professional Staff and Fellow Small Companies
In the world of business, great customer service is one of the biggest keys to success. These spaces are well aware of the fact that you only normally get one chance to make that great first impression, so they are swift and skilled in offering friendly service. The first thing you see when you walk in is the smiling face of a professional who is happy and ready to help your business.
Should you need to host a presentation or a meeting then you know that any guests you have will be presented with a friendly staff, clean building, and a professional environment. Your guests will see you, and spread stories about you, based on the environment you work in and meet them in, so rather than a coffee shop that’s noisy and messy, you can show them you’re a professional that values their time and their comfort.
The many Amenities and Features
These spaces include more features than just a work space. Often these spaces host meetings and social gatherings for people in various industry, and these offer small business owners a chance to learn and network. As well, if you have a higher membership then you’ll have access to their lockers, showers, and even kitchen.
These spaces are also very proactive, listening to the comments and feedback of their members. These companies live to help your business, and they’ll do their best to ensure that you have what you need, and what you want, to get that done.
What Happens when Your Business Grows?
Businesses are living creatures, and like other living creatures they want to eat and to grow, and the more that a business is able to focus on its goals, the better chances it’ll have at actually reaching them. So many people are joining the world of business, trying to push their new ideas out and into the hands of the public. Whether you need some time to brainstorm or a place to celebrate a major success, spaces like the Atlas Workbase are a great place to meet with whoever is involved, when you want, and where you want.
They offer a new way of thinking about efficiency and customer service in professional and polished space that is still inviting and easy to work in while being affordable enough to allow the entrepreneurs of tomorrow a way to work that works for them. Business is always changing, and that means our environments need to change with it.
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