What is flex office? Definition, operation and best practices
The Flex Office overturns the traditional codes of the assigned office. Driven by the rise of teleworking, the rise of collaborative tools and the need to rationalize spaces, this mode of organization is attracting a growing number of companies. The principle? No longer assign a fixed office, but offer employees a daily choice of workspace, according to their needs.
But in concrete terms, What is flex office ? How does it work on a daily basis? What are the advantages... and the limits? This guide helps you better understand this model, by also integrating the flex office solutions And the tools essential to manage it effectively.
Definition of flex office
Where does this concept come from?
The term Flex Office originated in the 1990s, when major consulting firms, whose teams were often on the go, sought to optimize office occupancy. The idea is simple: rather than assigning a fixed position to each employee, offices are shared freely according to availability and needs. This practice then spread, especially with the widespread use of hybrid work and concerns about the quality of life at work.
What is the difference with desk sharing or coworking?
It should not be confused Flex Office and Desk sharing. Desk sharing is limited to the non-allocation of workstations, without necessarily rethinking the global environment. Flex office, on the other hand, involves a complete reorganization of spaces, designed to promote concentration, collaboration or well-being. As for the coworking, it refers to workplaces shared between different companies or freelancers, often external to the organization. The Flex Office is therefore an internal approach, specific to the company's HR and managerial strategy.
How does flex office work on a daily basis?
A more agile spatial organization
In concrete terms, in a flex office company, employees no longer have a personal office. Instead, they access different types of spaces according to their current needs: open spaces, concentration bubbles, connected meeting rooms, relaxation areas or even informal corners. This diversity allows everyone to modulate their working day and to alternate environments according to the tasks to be performed.
<h3>An operation often associated with teleworking</h3>
Flex office is very often part of a logic of hybrid work. The presence on site becomes variable according to the teams and the days, which is why it is necessary to know who is coming when, where to set up, or even how to book a room. That's where the flex office tools : reservation applications, digital signage screens, connected lockers... These devices guarantee a fluid and coordinated use of spaces.
<h3>How do you measure a flex office rate?</h3>
Setting up a flex office also requires a good calibration. We often talk about flex rate, which corresponds to the ratio between the number of available positions and the number of employees. For example, a rate of 0.7 means that for every 100 employees, 70 offices are offered. This rate varies according to the professions and the habits of presence on site, and can be adjusted over time using a flex office software equipped with reporting features.
Why adopt flex office?
Reduction in real estate costs
The Flex Office allows companies to rethink the surface area really needed for their activities. By eliminating dedicated offices and adapting the number of workstations to the average attendance rate, it becomes possible to reduce unused m². This makes it possible to make substantial savings on rents, charges and maintenance costs. This represents a particularly interesting strategic lever in urban areas with high real estate tension.
But beyond the financial aspect alone, this rationalization is also an opportunity to modernize spaces: transform an old underused space into a creativity room or relaxation area, for example. A good way to intelligently reinvest space while controlling costs.
Flexibility, autonomy and better productivity
With the flex office, each employee becomes an actor in his work environment. He chooses his space according to his energy level, the type of task to be done, or the need for interaction. This way of working promotes autonomy and empowers employees, while better adapting to individual rhythms.
The result: fewer unnecessary interruptions, more concentration for complex missions, and easier collaboration in shared areas. This freedom of movement, combined with adapted tools (reservation, signage, dynamic signage), contributes to creating a work environment that promotes concentration and useful exchanges.
Improving the employee experience
The flex office breaks the monotony of the fixed workstation. It makes it possible to diversify interactions, to meet new people, to disconnect from time to time to better refocus later. This dynamic promotes conviviality and openness between teams.
Many companies have understood this: by integrating relaxation areas, quiet areas or isolation bubbles, they meet the multiple needs of employees. This feeling of freedom in choosing one's working environment contributes directly to well-being at work, to the commitment and retention of talent.
A positive environmental impact
Fewer stations installed means less furniture, less useless equipment, fewer surfaces to heat or light. The Flex Office therefore makes it possible to reduce the carbon footprint associated with business real estate. It also promotes more sustainable practices: sharing resources, reducing impressions, optimizing home-to-work trips via teleworking.
In a context where CSR is taking an increasing place in corporate strategies, this model is part of a more sober approach that is aligned with CSR commitments, while remaining compatible with collective performance.
The limits of flex office to be anticipated
A risk of losing bearings and anchoring
No longer having a dedicated office can disrupt some profiles. The absence of personal space, where to post a photo or put your things, can give the feeling of being “passing through” within your company. This lack of reference points can ultimately damage emotional anchoring and attachment to the collective.
To avoid this pitfall, some businesses invest in individual lockers, team rituals, or identifiable friendly areas. The trick is to recreate forms of appropriation, even without a fixed position.
A team bond to be actively cultivated
The Flex Office can dilute the informal interactions that occur naturally in a sedentary team. No longer sitting next to the same colleagues every day changes group dynamics, sometimes to the detriment of cohesion.
This is why it is crucial to regularly organize team time: weekly meetings, lunches, informal moments of sharing... And to promote spontaneous exchange spaces in the layout: shared kitchen, lounge areas, etc. Management has a key role in maintaining the link despite mobility.
More demanding logistics management
Who settles where, at what time? Without dedicated tools, managing flexible workstations can quickly turn into a headache. Conflicts of use, loss of time or saturated areas can emerge if the organization is not structured.
To avoid this, most businesses adopt a flex office software Or a booking app, allowing you to view availability in real time, reserve a place or organize rotations. The digital tool then becomes the guarantor of the proper functioning of this agile organization.
Management to be adapted
Moving from management based on physical presence to an objective-based approach requires a real evolution of practices. It is no longer a question of “seeing” your teams, but of monitoring their results, listening to their needs and maintaining a collective dynamic, even at a distance.
Flex office thus involves training managers in collaborative tools, asynchronous communication and the management of dispersed teams. The manager's role is becoming less that of a supervisor, and more that of a facilitator.
How to successfully set up a flex office?
Involve employees from the start
The transition to Flex Office cannot be done by simple top-down decision. For this new organization to work, it must be accepted, understood, and adopted by teams. This involves a phase of listening and sharing.
Internal surveys, co-construction workshops, and pilots on certain teams make it possible to identify the obstacles, specific needs, but also the levers of adherence. Involving employees from the design phase means laying the foundations for a more serene and sustainable transition.
Create varied and comfortable spaces
The success of flex office is largely based on the quality of the environments offered. To compensate for the absence of a fixed office, the company must offer a variety of spaces adapted to different working postures: concentration, meeting, confidential call, break, co-creation, etc.
Ergonomic furniture, careful acoustics, differentiated and well-identified areas... The objective is for everyone to be able to find, at any time, a space corresponding to their needs. It is also a way to invite movement while offering comfort.
Establish clear operating rules
While flex office is based on freedom, freedom cannot exist without a framework. It is essential to collectively establish simple but precise rules to guarantee good use of spaces: cleaning the office after use, maximum reservation period, respect for quiet areas, management of lockers, etc.
These rules must be accessible, reminded regularly and integrated into the corporate culture. They are an essential foundation for fluidity and respect in a shared environment.
<h3Supporting change over time
Adopting flex office is not ticking a box. It is initiating a transformation that takes place over time. Training managers, conducting regular reviews, adjusting spaces according to feedback, communicating on successes and areas for improvement are all necessary for the sustainability of the model.
A company that succeeds in its transition to flex office is a company that considers this evolution as a living, adaptable process, and not as a fixed project.
What tools facilitate the implementation of flex office?
Software solutions to manage spaces
The Flex Office implies a more fluid but also more complex organization. To avoid conflicts of use or loss of time, the company must rely on adapted tools. That's where the come in flex office solutions and space management applications : they make it possible to reserve a station, a meeting room or a locker, to visualize the occupancy in real time, or even to plan days of presence in the office.
These flex office software often offer dashboards to adjust available resources, according to observed occupancy rates. They become indispensable from a certain volume of staff or sites.
Digital signage for continuous communication
Another key factor in the success of flex office is communication. In a changing environment, everyone needs to be able to easily access useful information. The digital signage for flex office plays a strategic role here: it makes room occupancy visible, relays internal messages, recalls instructions and animates spaces in an engaging way.
With a Solution like Cenareo, it is possible to manage screens remotely, to segment content according to areas or teams, and to ensure the continuity of information for those working from home. This makes it possible to maintain a high level of commitment while strengthening the autonomy of employees.
Connected equipment for more fluidity
The success of flex office also depends on the infrastructure. Of smart lockers, of connected access badges, or even presence sensors can complement the digital ecosystem and enhance the user experience. These devices allow for fine management of flows, better traceability and simplification of the daily life of employees.
In summary, the more fluid the user experience is, the more flex office will be perceived as a lever for comfort and efficiency, and not as a logistical constraint.
The Cenareo flex office solution
In a flexible work environment, smooth internal communication is essential. To meet these new challenges, Cenareo Propose a digital signage solution designed for businesses in Flex Office. It allows key information to be broadcast in real time on connected screens: meeting schedule, space occupancy rate, temporary instructions or HR messages. Thanks to a simple and remotely controllable interface, this solution reinforces coordination between hybrid teams, improves the employee experience and supports new uses of the workspace.
Examples of businesses that have switched to flex office
- AXA : shared workstations, light signage, fixed teleworking days.
- Danone : free choice of workplace, efficient collaboration tools.
- Adidas : spaces designed for well-being and flexibility, hybrid work.
FAQ: Flex Office
Is flex office suitable for all businesses?
No Some functions require a fixed desk. Real uses must be studied.
What is the difference between flex office and coworking?
Coworking is external, multi-company. The flex office is internal to the organization.
What is a flex office application?
It is a mobile tool for reserving space, monitoring availability or receiving internal notifications.
What tools or software should you use for an effective flex office?
Booking software, Flex Office app, digital signage, collaborative messaging, digital lockers.
What are the benefits of an all-in-one flex office solution?
It centralizes communication, optimizes occupancy and improves the employee experience.
All the news about digital signage and video
