Real estate leaders of Asia joined in on Thursday's BWT virtual event to discuss the many rising issues regarding COVID-19. Our CEO, David, participated in a virtual round table on the topic of “Workplace Design Post-COVID". Here are the key takeaways from the zoom discussion if you have missed it:
- Flexibility: The appreciation for coworking spaces have increased since people have been working remotely, and many can benefit from the flex space motto - ‘work from anywhere’. Landlords and developers can partner with existing operators to make spaces more flexible and to minimise structural vacancies. Not only is there flexibility in space, but also in choice. We are democratising the workspace wherein employees can choose whether or not to work from home.
- Productivity: Companies are putting more structure to enable people to work from home efficiently. Measures are being taken as well regarding employee’s psychological welfare, such as conducting surveys to monitor their well-being. Especially in places like Hong Kong, working from home is a struggle due to the prevalence of small homes. Along with the culture of having big families, there is no surprise that coworking spaces are still in demand.
- Technology: COVID brings an opportunity to fully embrace technology into our workspaces, beyond just contactless facilities but also introduce video conferencing as a regular meeting method. Employees can return to work with newly acquired skills that can benefit future work trends. Challenges with data privacy can be alleviated as well with secure connections from coworking spaces, since people are unable to work securely at their headquarters.
For coworking spaces, many are already equipped with contactless thermometers. However, these measures are very labour intensive, so how can we use technology in minimising the need for contact? These are questions that, hopefully, can prompt many companies into adopting technology in their workspaces.
- Cost: The pressure is on cost, where the profit margin is likely much lower compared to pre-COVID. Companies are looking to optimise their space effectively and be smart about their methods in COVID-proofing their workspaces. Deciding on which long-term strategy to invest in is tricky, almost a hit or miss, so it’s something that warrants serious consideration.
- Health and Safety: The obvious concern with COVID is health and safety. Making sure employees are safe is the number one priority to many coworking spaces. Workspaces have to be organised in a way that adheres to government guidelines. It is better safe than sorry, so many companies are still encouraging employees to work from home and return to office only when necessary.
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Get Workspaces with BOOQED
As mentioned, coworking spaces are useful in providing an escape from home. Get your workspaces with BOOQED! We provide meeting rooms, hot desks, private workrooms, and more. Currently operating in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shenzhen and Shanghai, so download our app now for a productive working experience - available in Android and iOS.
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