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Open Source Workplace

Remote Work Strategies for Large Teams

Work Life Balance

It is no longer necessary to be in your cubicle to complete a project report or meet an important client in the conference room. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way freelancers, startups, and organizations work. Flexible working options have accelerated immensely in the last few months.

With remote teams collaborating from different corners of the world, companies are now open to flexible or remote working policies. This requires line managers or department heads to devise remote working strategies. As different countries now prepare to return to their normal routine, hybrid models for workplaces are emerging as the preferred choice for several ventures.

Apart from using project management software tools that allow large teams to know how roles, duties, and tasks are distributed among the workforce, hybrid workspaces can also elevate the productivity of the team. Usually, hybrid workspaces can be of two variants. First, ones that can be subscribed on a rental basis, or second, ones that provide workstations in different parts. As per the structure of the team, large companies can opt for any hybrid model and work efficiently as a remote team.

Whether it is a team of two or two thousand, co-working spaces offer the best platform to have a productive day with your team. Listed below are the key highlights on how flexible workspaces allow the best ways to implement remote work strategies for large teams

Better scope for flex and work

Employee productivity is a prerequisite for good work and has an immediate effect on the goal achievement of an enterprise. Co-working spaces allow professionals to get a better chance at networking with each other. The collaborative atmosphere amplifies the employee convenience by encouraging more space for meetings, webinars, and brainstorming sessions in an open space. The flexible layout of the rooms and the entire campus encourages employees to make the best use of the space available to them to feel productive and work without feeling pressured to sit inside a cubicle and complete their work.

Open space to collaborate

The relaxed areas and calmness of the co-working spaces allow professionals to have seamless video conferences, work in silence, and not to have to conform to a strict and particular style of working. Everyone has the liberty to work at their own pace and style, thus making it easier for both the employer and employee to create effective work and reach goals faster.

A decentralized system of operation in large companies has evolved with the increasing popularity of the work-from-home culture. Many employees are now willing to work remotely or in flexible workspaces that are perfect for them. It allows them to adjust to the routine of working outside their workspaces but simultaneously enjoy flexibility on their terms.

Cost-effective solution for the employer

It is noteworthy that a lot of energy is consumed when organizations use dedicated office spaces. Electricity, water, and packaged food are utilized, which may not be sustained effectively. In the last few years, research has also confirmed that offices have been a primary source of excessive resource utilization.

The three main pillars of a hybrid workspace are functionality, a peaceful ambience, and flexibility. All these are possible in co-working spaces as experts in ergonomics, design, and architecture are responsible for creating spaces that boost productivity and promote a healthy mindset.

It is known that until last year, large corporates would emphasize formal settings that were not necessarily mindful of the need for furniture that promotes a good posture. As offices resume working flexibility, employees will be more eager to work in a setting that facilitates a seamless transition from the casual setting of a home workstation to a collaborative co-working space.

Promotes employee convenience

As several large companies are now willing to operate remotely, most teams can collaborate with each as per their convenience. This allows the employees the ease to work in a setting where they feel most productive and content. A hybrid workplace amplifies the convenience of working remotely by enabling the employees to make the best use of the space and amenities provided. They can make changes, sit where they wish to, and produce work that is accurate and matches the quality standards of the organization.

Since Awfis workspaces are located all across India, remote teams can easily decide on a particular location and meet each other in their preferred branch. Important review meetings or other discussions can be held at any of the meeting rooms designed specifically for teams of all sizes. The easy booking system makes it even more seamless to book the premises during a preferred time slot.

A safer setting for teams

The need to maintain social distance is of utmost importance in current times. Therefore, unlike the pre-pandemic times, it is hard to work in closed working spaces alongside many team members. Co-working spaces allow large teams to meet and collaborate whenever necessary.

The use of a flexible workstation permits teams to gather without invading anyone’s personal space. Awfis provides such a tech-enabled workplace that allows teams to work with each other while maintaining social distance. Moreover, to ensure that there is no risk of infection, the premises are constantly sanitized and equipped with quality hand sanitizers.

Conclusion

By opting for shared office space, large teams get full access to return to work with the best resources. Such workspaces also provide an avenue for line managers to meet new team members, brief the team regarding any new plans or objectives, and schedule face-to-face meetings for review sessions. As the idea of flex working opportunities appears to have taken over the traditional mode of office culture, co-working spaces will be the hubs of new ideas and innovation.

 

decentralized Co-working space

Decentralization of Workspaces (Hub-and-Spoke Model)

Business How To’s, Business Innovations,

Decentralization of Workspaces (Hub-and-Spoke Model)

With a swift surge in the technological dimension, various enterprises and industries are inclining toward changing their organizational structure during the COVID-19 pandemic. One such consideration is the decentralization of workspaces to accomplish an effective business workflow, while strictly adhering to social distancing. The notion of decentralization has existed for decades. However, it is attracting attention now to create a stimulating workspace. Let us explore its aspects.

What is decentralization of workspaces?

Decentralization of workspaces refers to an organizational structure in which the co-working environment is stretched, giving the employees opportunities to work remotely or from several satellite offices. The primary aim is to create an extensive yet comfortable network for employees, retaining the same co-working space with effective online services.

However, though it sounds like a cakewalk, it is not easy to accomplish without well-defined plans and constructive models. For this reason, prominent platforms such as Awfis provide top-tier co-working and flexible workspaces that aid the decentralized approach of companies. This approach offers several effective products such as flex workspaces, enterprise workspaces, remote, and work from home solutions for considerable growth in the ventures. Among the persisting hybrid models provided by these online service providers, the hub-and-spoke model stands out for its optimal framework.

Hub-and-spoke model: A decentralized workspace solution

According to this model, the main building (hub) interconnects with satellite offices (spokes) established at different places, depending on the requirements and availability. All these spokes directly report to the main office with complete security and privacy guidelines. The productive services of flex spaces facilitate this network with efficient communication between the main office and its micro-offices.

Benefits of decentralization through the hub-and-spoke model

The merits of decentralization double with the proper integration of flex spaces. A need for interactive arrangements and organized systems with efficient tools and services often arises. In the section below, we list some of its beneficial aspects.

1.Expanding business reach

The plan to extend the business depends on the reach to the targeted place. The decentralization of workplaces facilitates the process of instituting new offices where this requirement arises. By identifying that the demand for certain products and services is escalating in a specific area, a satellite office (spoke) can independently cater to the needs of that area.

For example, you can design a suitable layout for a particular office vis-à-vis that native office area. Moreover, it will enhance the reliability of your users experiencing the precisely targeted products as per convenience, retaining more consumers. The new business units can be established in various places to keep track of that specific region and implement the necessary modifications in strategies accordingly.

2.Empowering employees

Employee empowerment is a key outcome of the decentralization process, and with the rise in official units, the independent positions also increase in number. The employees assigned these positions usually feel like valuable assets and have a sense of importance. The mental reward associated with empowerment tends to increase their input, leading to the betterment of the business. This overall process of assigned autonomy compels them to make crucial decisions wisely, blending them with creative ideas that are the consequences of their experience.

The empowered and resourceful employees with autonomy can do wonders for the company, as they can reduce redundant tasks and enhance the efficiency of the workplace. The hub-and-spoke model can bind the employees with the desired perks before they are assigned their posts.

3.Retrenching the burden

The decentralization process is already alluding to the notion of distributing the daily tasks. To elaborate, whenever you establish novel business sub-units away from the main office, many tasks get transferred to employees. One aspect is that new offices have less work as compared to established offices, so the daily operational workload is shared among them. Further, the hub-and-spoke system curtails the average work and produces opportunities for formulating business expansion plans.

4.Quick and efficient decision-making

With the availability of more managers or heads of a particular sub-unit (spoke), the autonomy they enjoy leads to unrestrained decision-making without any red-tapism, where each decision is approved after going through a long chain of command. Hence, the hub-and-spoke model reduces wasted time and allows the enterprise to act quickly to reach various resolutions.

5.Cost-effectiveness

The economical aspect of the decentralization process is mostly positive. First, the real estate costs of a company can drastically decrease if they choose to decentralize by implementing work from home (WFH). Various utility bills are eliminated if the workspace is largely online, using cost-effective services from a renowned provider like Awfis.

Industries adopting decentralization

A large chunk of industries is opting to decentralize their workspace to operate more efficiently. Many industries such as information technology (IT), marketing, advertising, and real estate have started investing in co-working and flex spaces, providing online platforms. The global market demands various productive hybrid models to efficiently decentralize their entire business, due to high competition.

All the aspects discussed above hint at the considerable advantages of platforms providing cost-effective solutions for companies with efficient flex spaces for work. These services also facilitate the flexibility that provides the freedom to make decisions and implement them without delay. Besides, employee satisfaction increases due to the convenience these services provide.

Security is the utmost priority as sensitive data transmission occurs daily. Choosing decentralization and working in conformity with flex spaces during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic sounds like a good deal. Preventing the spread of the virus through human contact will eventually lower the number of sick employees. Thus, a stronger, larger workforce will enhance productivity.

Final thoughts

Decentralization has already gained a lot of prominence among large corporates. It involves the constructive blending of the workflow of businesses with well-organized and technology-enabled workspaces. The companies following the hub-and-spoke model of decentralization are responsible for providing every vital amenity an office needs for its efficient working.

Here, Awfis shines, empowering the small- to large-scale corporate businesses while elevating their overall performance. Awfis provides office spaces through different enterprise solutions such as virtual and physical cabins, design and build solutions, integrated facility management, and remote working solutions. Hence, every potential requirement in the decentralization of your business will be met in one place.

 

The Rise of Flex Space Demand for Enterprises (Trends and Benefits)

Business Innovations

Introduction

The world is still devising ways to maneuver this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Enterprises are grappling with the restrictions posed by nationwide lockdowns. However, in times of crisis, innovation molds the market and paves a way for businesses to move forward. Flex space is an example of an innovative organizational system that has altered the market dynamics in the real estate sector. Enterprises are now opting for hybrid models in office spaces to simultaneously ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency. In its new report, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) South Asia Pvt. Ltd revealed that India’s flexible office space market is expected to grow by 10–15% year-on-year over the next three years. Let us look at some of the reasons that account for the rising demand for flex spaces and their associated benefits for enterprises.

1. Cost reduction

The economic crater is yet to fill up, which is pushing enterprises to cut back on their finances. In this turmoil, flex spaces are turning out to be their knights in shining armor. Cost-effectiveness and affordability make flex spaces greatly beneficial during these unprecedented times. It is relatively cheaper and convenient for enterprises since they can collaborate and share the rental expenditure. This helps them manage their expenses and divert more resources into other aspects of their business to stay afloat. Cost-effectiveness is very significant among the startups and SMEs that are identifying ways to sort out their expenditure at this point. Since enterprises cannot afford hefty rentals and long-term leases of single office spaces, flex office spaces prove useful due to their low rental costs and higher return on investment.

2. Customization, specialization, and nichification

Flex spaces offer enterprises the liberty to organize and plan their work. The rising demand for flexible office spaces is due to the customization, specialization, and nichification of office spaces according to the demands of the enterprises. Now, enterprises have the liberty to work in a decentralized way from any part of the country due to work-from-home options. According to Naveen Nandwani, Managing Director, Commercial Advisory and Transactions at Savills India, “A hybrid model with a concept of work from anywhere has taken over, were employees are either working from their home or flexible office spaces.” Software as a Service (SaaS) companies such as ClickUp and Asana are offering virtual office management tools that keep track of the work progress in the firm and boost productivity in employees. The freedom of managing a decentralized office model was unimaginable a few years back. However, it is now possible with the help of flex spaces.

3. Flexible lease program

The flexible lease program is a significant advantage as it allows businesses to account for uncertain times. With single office spaces, the companies usually must execute rigid seven- to fifteen-year lease agreements, which make it difficult for companies to stay afloat. However, with flex spaces, the lease deeds are relatively welcoming for the companies since they can extend from a few months to as many years as the enterprise may deem fit. They also allow the enterprises to leverage their warehouse or office spaces when they need to expand or curb their operations.

According to Andrew Kupiec, the Chief Executive Officer of Hana, “The beauty of flex space solutions is how they’re tied to the line of sight you have and not any longer. If your business needs change and you find yourself in need of more space or less space, you have the flexibility to meet those needs accordingly.”

4. Ensure employee convenience and productivity

Flex spaces are supporting enterprises to manage employee convenience to ensure a better work environment. The work-from-home culture has burned out most employees. To tackle fatigue, using hybrid working models and investing in flex spaces is the way forward. Many enterprises are reaping the benefits of investing in flexible workspaces.

Accenture, a global consulting firm, has seen a surge in productivity after shifting to a flex space office model. Dan Johnson, Global Director of Workplace Innovation, Accenture, said, “Our flex work arrangement is one of the reasons people stay at Accenture and it has turned out to be very valuable and beneficial for us.”

Further, Mick Hollison, Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Strategy, Citrix, added, “Organizations are investing in flex space to create enticing workplaces that foster collaboration, innovation and creativity, resulting in a stronger organization with high-caliber people performing at their best.”

5. Offers safety compliances

In a bid to resolve the issue of on-site working problems due to the pandemic, flexible office spaces are adopting remote monitoring services to ensure adherence to safety protocols within the office premises. This increasingly effective trend is leading enterprises to opt for flex space. The remote monitoring services regulate and supervise every aspect of the office space with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep-tech learning. AI startups such as Wobot are collaborating with flex space offices to ensure that all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safety compliances are followed.

Conclusion

“Enterprises are coming up with ideas and are substituting their present working model with a remote-first model. The reason is simple. They advocate the fact that a full-time remote workforce is not conducive for all employees in the long run. Every company understands the importance of a dedicated space for their employees to meet and work since productivity and in-person exchange of ideas are undeniably the key elements for a company’s growth,” says Georgia Collins, Executive Vice President of Client Solutions, Hana.

Flex spaces are filling this gap by going a step further and giving the organizations an option to adopt remote-first policies and transform their standing with the current market trends. They even go as far as to offer a network of workspaces inside and outside urban centers for employees to use. Moving forward with this idea, an enterprise adopting the right flex space can devise a unique hybrid working model for their employees to choose the workspace location that works best for them and is conducive to collaborative working.

The Future to be Driven by Connectivity and Not Just Data

Business How To’s, Business Innovations, ,

The world is witnessing a swift upsurge in technological advancement as it treads toward the future. This advancement has engendered a substantial shift of masses to online services, automation, and IoT. The tech-dependent population produces an enormous amount of data, estimated – 2.5 billion Gigabytes while transferring, uploading, and working with various online Platforms. However, accumulating those large proportions of data has led to the realization. The realization that not only “Data” but connectivity is also the crucial aspect of the ideal future that we desire.

From the standpoint of the employee, a decentralized workspace model allows them to work from home while having access to a professional work environment near to home. It also provides a chance to work with close colleagues and engage in social contact with others.

The future of work might be “hybrid”

Enterprises are looking forward to the post-Covid era. For many, the ideal model incorporates both co-working and multiple offices.

Employees throughout the globe have adapted to the routines of enforced remote labor since Covid-19 upended our lives. As employers struggle to figure out the best path ahead for their employees, it is evident that many employees don’t want to put the genie back in the bottle.

Companies are now managed in a variety of methods. Employees have been granted permission to work remotely until at least 2021 in certain cases. Others have summoned employees back to work on various timetables and in staggered groupings. Others leave it fully up to individual employees to choose where they want to work.

However, companies all over the globe are beginning to consider several office spaces in the long run, including alternative methods to manage work communication and hours, as well as a physical presence.

The future of multiple offices is all about flex

Multiple offices benefits –

  1. Assisted intelligence, which is now widely accessible, enhances what individuals and organizations are currently accomplishing. A basic example is the GPS navigation system, which provides vehicles with instructions and reacts to changing road conditions.
  2. People and organizations can now use augmented intelligence to perform things they could not accomplish before. Car ride-sharing services, for example, could not function without a mix of programs that coordinate the service.
  3. Autonomous intelligence, which is currently being developed, builds computers that operate independently. Self-driving automobiles, when they become widely used, will be an example of this.
  4. Some optimists believe AI will enable people to spend more time engaged in higher-level thinking, creativity, and decision-making as robots assist humanity in processing, analyzing, and evaluating the massive amounts of data that make up today’s world.

Insight into Exigency of Connectivity

The true potential of data is unleashed by adding layers of speed and capacity and orchestrating greater connectivity. Greater connectivity has multi-fold implications. It implies connecting a greater number of devices, more kinds of devices, revolutionizing industrial use cases, enabling cloud-native data platforms, greater automation in the ecosystem, driving business processes through intelligent networks, and attaining exponential scale across different industries. This is the power of data that is waiting to be explored in the future, riding on the promise of better networks.

Hence, it becomes inevitable to invest the resources for escalation of connectivity that will be instrumental in achieving the needed business growth. Below, we have discussed the vital aspects of connectivity that corroborate it following better prospects.

Employee benefit

As part of an employment relationship, indirect forms of remuneration (also known as fringe benefits) are offered to workers. Employers must do more than give a “fair day’s pay” if they want to recruit top-quality workers in today’s environment. Workers also seek a benefits package that provides decent compensation. There are several advantages in place, and workers have become used to them.

Connectivity – Relevance in Future

The prominent companies will yearn for reliable and prevalent connectivity to efficiently deliver their services. These companies with advancement in the future have to ensure their extended reach towards larger masses. So, there arises a requirement of an extensive network to sell their products. Besides, to cope with the high investments because of state of the art equipment and technology incorporated. Hence, connectivity will play a vital role in escalating the reach to critical masses. Let’s shed light on some significant factors to ensure better connectivity in upcoming years.

Crucial Considerations by Telcos

Telcos, in general, need an infrastructure that will enable a very sustainable business model. This model needs to be made up of durable, manageable, affordable, and also reliable equipment. They must meet the demands of the people without succumbing to technological obsolescence. The unpredictable whims of the global economy must also be met with due diligence.

Connected Future – Internet of Things (IoT)

The future is demanding connectivity with the onset progression in tech devices. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, Personal computers are not the only devices that will require fortified connectivity in the coming days. Other household devices like doors, toys, robots, washing machines, fans, ACs are all getting smart with the time that can be connected with other smart devices. And with the ultimate connectivity with the internet, perfect sync can be achieved. These interconnections of things through efficient networking forms the term “Internet of Things (IoT)”. For this reason, a proper connectivity plan has to be executed to improve the working of all the devices.

The range of available smart devices is enormous, and their reach will increase with every passing day. More and more people will gain access to the devices which will further propagate the demand for connectivity. The majority of people own smartphones that can facilitate the Internet of Things (IoT). Several stakeholders seek connectivity solutions, including radio, chipset makers, and AI automation hardware.

 

Improvement of faster cycle

While operators enjoy the benefits of IIoT, others do, too. While production and process engineers gain from this as well, quality engineers, as well as other frontline engineers on the shop floor, also benefit. Shop floor engineers must manually gather, combine, and evaluate the data from sensors, all without the help of IoT. When using IoT equipped shop floors, companies can automate data collecting, allowing them to spend more time perfecting operations.

 

Automation Industry and seamless technology

Considering the automation industries where chemical and mechanical processes are regulated AI integrated machines. These are employed with advanced software creating an interconnected network coveting the improved connectivity options. With the entire revolutionized network of machines in the industries and factories, the automation industry will need to notch up its game. Connectivity will become a vital aspect to cope with the challenges of better future data handling with optimized and well-organized systems.

With unlimited design options, seamless technology allows for several different stitches to be added to a garment. For example, side-by-side jerseys and mesh knit knitting may be used. Other techniques such as rib and jacquard knits may also be used. You won’t be able to achieve this with any other knitting method.

The total global manufacturing process has been revolutionized thanks to seamless technology, allowing cloth companies to better respond to current fashions since garments do not require to be cut and sewed. This new technology is designed to generate completed goods and eliminates the use of conventional manufacturing methods. Using this knitting method, you may save up to 40% on manufacturing expenses when compared to other techniques.

A seamless system does not experience any waistband or side seam problems, nor are they susceptible to damage because of the large percentage of artificial fibers before, like nylon.

 

Visibility of the product

At the manufacturing shop floor, the use of industrial IoT (or IIoT) allows engineers and management to have insight into the production process. As another example, manufacturers may use sensors, such as RFID and break beams, to monitor components as they travel through assemblies. Industrial IoT apps may provide supervisors and plant managers a real-time picture of their teams’ yield by connecting with the tools and equipment employees need to do their duties and with the machinery in use on the production floor. This kind of visibility is beneficial to manufacturers because it assists them in identifying bottlenecks, determining the source of issues, and increasing productivity.

 

Factors Facilitating Improved Connectivity

The accessible networking frameworks today deliver the performance that is not sufficient as many places are still not well-connected. The companies should dynamically optimize and control the available network resources through efficient software. As companies optimize the whole system, CIOs should examine the core functioning and help in further digital transformation.

Fortifying the network speeds

The fundamental aspect that is significant in catering to the connections all over the world is cellular connectivity provided by telecom firms and established companies. There is a fifth-generation network in the pipeline requiring considerable tweaks before its introduction for public consumption. It will turn out to be a whole new ball game in the industry with top-notch speeds for data transfer and consumption all over the online platforms. More and more players will come to light providing the services increasing the accessibility to remote areas where even getting the second-generation internet speeds is rewarding. The masses will readily engage and involve further snowballing the data consumers.

However, this surge in data can be complemented with effective connectivity, proving that the future to be – driven by connectivity and not just data.

 

Technological advancements

The improvements in technology over the last two decades have ushered in a tremendous transformation in the business sector, affecting all parts of our working lives. Technology has become a fundamental aspect of the contemporary business environment, from the way workers enter the workplace to the way they attend meetings or cooperate remotely. While these cutting-edge, sophisticated technologies provide limitless possibilities, their main goal is to maintain a smooth workflow and boost staff productivity and efficiency.

 

Opting for Precise Services

As with the realization, albeit slowly, many companies will emerge to facilitate superior connectivity throughout the entire online network. Companies should excel in providing access to their services and that too with ease. This aspect can be accomplished while amplifying their reach to a large number, and types of devices incorporating highly advanced UI and a newfangled set of functional capabilities. This further generates the requisite for data like never before. Hence, that is where effective services come to the rescue, providing community-driven insights, analytics, and expertise to specific companies to expedite growth and reinforce the aptness. These tend to escalate the participation and contributions of its clients, acting as a Catalyst providing reports, interviews, latest stories, case studies.

Hence, choosing the services that provide pertinent prescience to companies about the relevant. Thereby, these can act in advance and achieve the desired outcomes.

Final Thoughts

In brief, the entire concepts mentioned above alludes to the equitable influence of Data and Connectivity on the future operational needs of various platforms and companies. Hence, opting for apt and reliable services to alleviate their growing needs and help make informed decisions is the need of this hour. It will prove to be a Panacea for both elite and budding companies in the coming years.

Why a Distributed Workspace Strategy is a Win-Win for Your Business

Business How To’s

With India reeling from the second wave of COVID-19, organizations are once again re-evaluating their workspace strategy for the future. Experts are now excessively discussing distributed workspaces – a decentralized combination of WFH, WNH (work near home) from satellite coworking spaces, and head office occupancy – as a viable, new-age workplace framework. It can ensure employee safety and wellbeing while delivering on business continuity needs. This distributed model is an amalgamation of adaptability, efficiency, and resilience. These all are critical for businesses to pivot quickly in the current uncertain times.

The unprecedented pandemic period has proved that while remote working can be effective, the long-term future of work is more likely to mix remote and on-premise working formats.

Benefits of Distributed Workspace Strategy

Hybrid or distributed workspace strategies are emerging as a win-win solution for stakeholders on multiple counts, with specific advantages associated with each format:

  1. Savings on recurring real estate costs:
    For a start, distributed workspaces do away with the need to incur enormous, recurring real estate costs for a large head office with thousands of staff. The cost of acquiring, developing, and maintaining such large campuses with well-appointed offices has significantly impacted profitability. Organizations also apply a sustainability lens when reconsidering large, under-utilized spaces or a one-size-fits-all strategy to workspace distribution.
  2. Tap the benefits of both remote and co-located work:
    While a remote workforce can collaborate across geographical, physical, and organizational boundaries in innovative ways, this collaboration is often easier for team members who interact more frequently or are previously well-acquainted. The transition to a remote workforce has not significantly impacted big group projects already underway; however, all-virtual collaboration on new projects has proven more difficult.  Moreover, a fully remote workforce often misses out on the ‘chance’ connections and engagements that depend on physical proximity and are critical for innovation and knowledge sharing within organizations. These findings further underscore the inherent advantages of a distributed workspace approach.
  3. Improved productivity:
    With less time spent commuting, a distributed workforce can focus on collaborative tasks and achieve an improved work-life balance. Technology-enabled remote collaboration and training can also help reduce corporate travel and other operational expenses.
  4. ‘Softer’ benefits:
    Social cohesion, collaboration, and culture-building are necessary for the sustained growth of organizations and are often best achieved through visual and sensory cues in physical settings.
  5. Employee retention:
    A distributed workspace strategy means that employees can work from home, or close to home, and amongst peers or solo. This flexibility helps improve employee satisfaction, which in turn can reduce attrition rates and recruitment costs.
  6. Diversity of talent:
    Distributed workspace strategies mean that organizations are not limited to specific geographies and can potentially tap into a wider base of diverse employees from varied professional and socio-cultural backgrounds.

The time to plan on how to combine the best aspects of remote and co-located work is now.

 Why do organizations opt for it?

Leaders and decision-makers must consider the following key aspects while envisioning reinvented workspaces of the future for their organizations:

  1. Hygiene, safety, and security – When asked to work out of physical office spaces, employees will seek robust processes and systems for workplace hygiene, sanitization, and social distancing. Tech-enabled, ‘minimal touch’ features will remain critical drivers of workplace safety. Wellness checks and IoT-enabled tasks might also emerge as standard features of in-person workspaces.
  2. Flexibility in usage – Workspaces will need to support organizational nimbleness. Office configurations must be flexible enough to adapt to changing requirements – for example, whether a team or individuals is brainstorming, hosting a virtual workshop, or conducting daily meetings. Organizations will need to find ways to establish a sense of employee ownership of personal space or create a temporary sense of ownership through a reservation system. Seasonal changes in office space use depending on business cycles will also need to be factored in.
  3. The right mix – Working out of satellite offices and remote work-from-home are both here to stay. However, the nature of remote work is likely to change, especially when devised as a blend of co-located work and work-from-home. While employees have been working virtually for more than a year now, it is entirely possible that the full range of opportunities that remote work provides is yet to be discovered. However, rather than apportion a chunk of work processes to remote employees, each enterprise should deeply evaluate its unique practices and workflows to design customized, distributed workspace strategies that deliver specific business needs. Naturally, this process of workspace rationalization will vary with industries, geographies, and even organizational culture.
  4. Digital beyond virtual meetings and email – Digital rostering mechanisms with inbuilt recommendation features can optimize organizational knowledge flows. Managers will need to consider larger business goals when deciding how to use workplace collaboration tools to manage performance.

Future of work: Vision

In a new world order, the future of work will be defined by decentralized working spaces with optimally sized teams and inbuilt flexibility of space and time. Workforce density is likely to be both distributed and flattened. Many employees who have had to adapt to working from home will now be at ease with its inherent advantages. At the same time, well-planned physical working spaces will come to be synonymous with ideas, culture, connectedness, and agility. These workspaces will serve as hubs for mentoring, co-creation, and productivity.

Final word

India is one of the fastest-growing economies globally and is an attractive investment destination driven by economic reforms and a large consumption base. Against this backdrop, India’s Commercial Real Estate (CRE) ecosystem is fast evolving from being just providers of space to emerging holistic solutions providers.  CRE leader Awfis has worked with 1500+ companies and 28,000+ professionals, ranging from India’s coolest start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, to develop customized workspace transition strategies and redefine how work gets done in the current business environment. Awfis provides fully integrated products for kinds of requirements, including Enterprise Workspace Solutions, Flex Workspaces, Design & Build Solutions (‘Awfis Transform’), Integrated Facility Management (‘Awfis Care’), Remote Working Solutions and Work From Home Solutions (‘Awfis@Home’).

The pandemic has led to paradigm shifts in both shared workspaces and work of the future. With its community-first approach, Awfis is establishing new benchmarks in India’s CRE industry every day. You can learn more about Awfis Enterprise Solutions here, or send in your queries at info@https://www.awfis.com/inspiration/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/shutterstock_3835072871.jpg.com.

Artificial Intelligence

Is Your Company AI Ready?

Business How To’s, ,

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to transform businesses across industries by streamlining operations and increasing efficiency. While large corporations have already jumped on to the AI bandwagon, only 8% of startups and small businesses have adopted AI into their processes. This percentage would be even less if we look at India-based startups alone. This is largely due to the common perception that AI comes with a huge appetite for costs and resources.

However, this isn’t entirely true. Inexpensive AI applications have a lot to offer in terms of creating value for small businesses as well – from highly effective customer service to smart marketing solutions. Moreover, a responsive AI solution can extract crucial market insights that can help you stay ahead of competition.

Read on to find out 4 ways your startup or business can leverage AI to its full potential.

  1. Start small

Rushing into AI enablement without considering the business-specific areas of application serves no purpose. It’s better to start slow and small, especially for SMEs. Begin by defining clear expectations as to what you’d want AI to do for your business. You need to figure out a specific business need (for example, sentiment analysis) where AI can come in handy. Then, integrate multiple AI apps to aid this requirement and augment your team’s productivity. You can then gradually move on to adopting open source AI platforms, cloud systems, and scalable AI frameworks, based on your business requirements.

  1. Leverage AI-powered tools

Developing an AI solution from scratch is, of course, complex and resource-intensive. Thankfully, there are several AI-powered tools available in the market that can give you the AI advantage with minimal human interference. Tools like X.ai, Import.io, and Uberflip are some examples of scheduling and marketing tools that can be leveraged across domains, including retail, finance, sales, and strategy.

These tools are easy-to-use, requiring minimal AI expertise at your end, and are also dead cheap with the subscription for X.ai starting at just Rs. 600 per month.

  1. Implement AI for analysis

If you’re looking for safe ways to implement AI in your business, leveraging it for analytics and recruitment would be the best way to go. Analytics is something that most startups find difficult to do because of lack of resources. Recruitment is another dire challenge, with 74% startups finding it difficult to hire good talent.

Hootsuite Insights and Sendible are some effective AI tools that you can leverage for market and sentiment analytics, while CVViZ and Arya are AI-powered recruitment tools that make candidate screening a breeze. The tools are easy to use and require no AI expertise at your end, and you can avail them for as low as Rs. 750 per month.

  1. Deploy chatbots

If you’re skeptical about implementing AI in your backend operations, one of the best ways to achieve measurable results from AI would be to implement it with frontend processes like customer service. Chatbots are an affordable means of providing a great customer experience, while also helping generate leads and converting customers.

Developing chatbots is easy and surprisingly cheap. In fact, you can opt for readymade chatbots at a minimal price. All you have to do is visit chatbot marketplaces like Botlist and choose a chatbot closest to your business needs. You barely need a couple of hours to get a readymade chatbot up and running.

Conclusion

AI’s applications in businesses, small or large, cannot be undermined, given the immense benefits it offers in terms of optimizing operations and improving ROIs. It is especially an efficient technology to  keep abreast of the ever-evolving market conditions and to stay ahead of competition.