A few months ago we wrote about the coronavirus creating new and interesting commercial real estate trends. In that, we said that commercial office spaces were starting to fade out, and the number of businesses that were occupying co-working spaces was on the rise.
We also added that it would probably not be until November that we got a clearer picture of what this trend would truly look like, and now we can see it all coming together.
As the coronavirus continues to impact how we work, more and more companies are expanding their remote work policies, and traditional office spaces may become a thing of the past.
Chris Ronzio, the founder and CEO of Trainual certainly thinks so. He recently wrote an article talking about his company’s switch from a traditional headquarters to a new Company Hub. He describes a “Company Hub” as the following:
“A Company Hub is a distributed company’s physical home — one where employees and customers can visit freely, connect, and collaborate.
Similar to a headquarters, it’s a private space. Access is limited to those directly related to the company. But like co-working, there are no assigned desks or fixed schedules. Meaning, a Company Hub is used according to the company’s unique needs.”
The Benefits of a Company Hub
Ronzio explains that there are many benefits to having a Company Hub, including:
- It provides a home for the company and a place for team members to connect.
- It offers private and group work environments, any time of the day.
- It promotes flexibility to balance the demands of life, outside the 9-to-5 window.
- It bridges a remote workforce with not-so-remote resources, such as space and support.
- It reduces infrastructure costs as the company grows.
- It is a safe and secure resource for the company and their immediate community.
- It promotes the brand and company culture to stakeholders.
Setting Up Your Own Company Hub
Chris Ronzio explains that there is no playbook for creating a Company Hub. However, there are five steps that can help companies make the transition:
- Trust that a fully remote company can do the job as well, if not better than your old model.
- Make the announcement — you’re now 100 percent remote!
- Create a safe, physical space that meets your remote team’s needs.
- Use technology to keep your team aligned and accountable.
- Know that no two Company Hubs are the same, so involve your team to make yours your own.
The future of work is remote. So, it’s good to question: What will your office space look like going forward?