How to best use flex space for business success

Top considerations for employers and property managers

May 31, 2023
The Square - Texas Tower
Caption The Square - Texas Tower

What’s the Point?

Flex space success goes beyond amenities, emphasizing the creation of a customizable environment that supports business needs and work-life balance.

Succeeding with flex space is about more than winning the office amenities arms race

The transition to flex should be done proactively with an eye toward the future, not reactively. With regard to both personnel and other physical resources, there is clearly a divergence between what companies need right now and what they’ll need in several years.

That’s the great thing about flex space: it flexes with you, providing much-needed capacity to make adjustments as circumstances change. Succeeding with flex space is about creating a customizable environment that responds to business needs and helps employees maintain harmony between work, life, and everything else.

Here are some considerations that will help you maximize flex space’s many benefits.

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Employers:

  • Establish flex space standards and eligibility criteria
  • Take a fresh look at which employees can succeed with a hybrid work schedule and how many will require access to flex space
  • Reassess real estate footprint with utilization and employee preferences in mind
  • Consider how much space is ultimately required to support this workforce, where this space can be located or relocated, and how it fosters desired outcomes for collaboration, productivity, and culture

Property Managers:

  • Help businesses implement hybrid work leasing strategies
  • Access to flex office space can be offered in addition to long-term leases
  • Identify the best office amenities critical to full flex space support
  • Access to on-site facilities (like gyms and wellness facilities) and the best office amenities for some teams will be critical, but others may be more focused on technology and transportation concerns

Match the objective of each team with the type of flex spaces that support their workstyles:

Team objective

Flex support
Group work
  • Open areas for small teams and coworking
  • Dedicated event spaces for larger groups
  • Outdoor workspaces
Private sessions
  • Meeting rooms for small gatherings and huddles
  • Phone booths for video calls
  • Quiet rooms
Customizable design
  • Company branding that mimics HQ
  • Space design that aligns with other offices
Tech support
  • Fast internet and secure Wi-Fi
  • Unlimited printing
Health & Wellness
  • Wellness rooms
  • Fitness centers
  • Mother's room
Food & beverage
  • Daily breakfast, snacks, and local coffee
  • On-site restaurant
Logistical support
  • Mail and package services
  • On-site support team
  • Furniture
  • Enhanced cleaning services
  • Enhanced HVAC standards
Transportation
  • Bike storage
  • Parking

Hines offers flex space at The Square, our collection of curated spaces and services, available by the seat or the suite.