Flexible office design prepares for the next staff generation - Gen Z is a major global trend. This article is based on the IWG Global Workspace report to analyze trends as well as the positive effects of flexible working and office design applications that are suitable for these trends for businesses.

62% of global businesses are applying the flexible working models to their operation and human resource management activities. Also according to the survey of IWG Global Workspace, the flexible working factor brings back many benefits such as:
 

• 85% of businesses admited that flexible working increases productivity.
• 77% of businesses reported that flexible working helps them attract and retain talents.

A flexible job is expressed through three aspects: workplace, time and workload. Choosing the right workplace like the city, office or other places outside the office accompanies with more active working time. Flexible working, which is different from the traditional working style according to a fixed time frame from 9 to 17 o'clock, is shown in the fact that staffs are proactive in working time at the office. Flexible working allows staffs to control and manage their workload independently.

Nestle offices are designed in a flexible office model - Empress Tower Building

Having flexible work and working in a flexible office design play a key role in keeping work-life balance. On the one hand, workers don't have to compromise their job choices for workplace and home factors. 75% of businesses share a flexible working policy to save time and reduce stress during the time relocation from home to work. On the other hand, the flexible office design can also help staffs to feel comfortable in the workplace. Meanwhile, ⅘ businesses' feedback shared that work flexibility increases employee diversity. This is explained by its flexibility, employees actively balance work and family, especially for newly married employees or women with young children. Part-time or retired workers can still participate in high productivity through flexible work.

The corner of co-working space at Nestle office - Empress Tower

Flexible working space in Nestle office - Empress Tower Building

In order to bring flexible work to employees, in addition to time and work management policies, flexible office design is one of the key factors.

Office interior design is required to be flexible according to the characteristics of each department. Accordingly, 65% of enterprises pointed out that office design is flexible and suitable to the characteristics of each department, which will increase working productivity. For example, the Marketing department will need a large meeting room with plenty of light for discussion, the project management department or the sales department needs a partition between the working area to create a semi-secluded desk. reduce the volume to make important calls. This is demonstrated in the report when 50% of respondents said that Marketing department is more efficient in open space, while 46% of respondents said that the Sales department has designed to create a separate space to match more the item target job.