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An Open Letter to a Young Freelancer

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An Open Letter to a Young Freelancer

Dear Young Freelancer,

Don’t go to coffee shops. Just don’t.

And though I can bet you’re probably reading this inside one, do yourself a favor and don’t do it again.

I know what you’re thinking; this place is so much better than staying at the comfort of your home where the temptations of procrastinating, sleeping in and binge watching your favorite series can pull you in. And if you’re like me, who most likely just graduated from college, you’d say that you owe them one – if it weren’t for nearby coffee shops, you probably flunked that Thesis class.

But here me out.

I mean sure, the ambiance of coffee shops gives you a change of scenery – inspires you better than those four boring walls of your garage ever did – and the sight of other young professionals engrossed in their work motivates you to start grinding, underneath all that lies downsides we’ve chosen to ignore.

Sure, it helps you focus on the tasks at hand because there’s no TV to distract you or comfy bed to seduce you into sleeping in but have you considered the noise? The people coming in and going out? The endless chatter? Not to mention the anxiety you get once you’ve finished that coffee and whatever pastry you ordered it with, thinking that the barista – or that guy who just came in – is judging you for overstaying.

Though it’s important to note that productivity and focus is subjective and tends to be different with one another, we all have to admit that every once in a while, our thoughts go astray when we find something a little more interesting than the matter at hand.

Don’t even get me started on the coffee. It’s a little bit overpriced.

I understand. Truly, I get it. Being a caffeine lover myself, I don’t really mind splurging over a cup of coffee every now and then – paired with a slice of cake or pastry you’ve been craving to have for days – it’s quite an experience. It’s a nice treat after weeks of saving up, honestly. And coffee wakes up your sleeping soul and helps your brain function better, it does the same thing to me.

But after a week spent in your ‘coffice’; chances are, you’ll be regretting it – thinking at the back of your head that you could’ve made that cup of caffeine in your very own kitchen and saved that money.

Oh, and the internet connection? Inconsistent. Even if you’re paying for the WIFI connection via a slice of New York Cheesecake and a medium sized Americano, you can’t guarantee that your connection won’t be spotty or slow.

And lastly, the one factor that made me realize that maybe coffee shops sometimes aren’t the best places to work at – space and time. In order to get a good space and secure a socket for your laptop charger, you have to be there as early as you can and you can’t stay there for long hours – you either feel guilty for ordering so little and staying for so long or the coffee shop itself kicks you out for loitering – either way, your work momentum gets destroyed and it could take you a while to get that back.

‘Where to now?’ you’d ask.

You don’t like working at home because of the tendencies of procrastination and distraction. Not to mention, you need caffeine to function properly as a human being

Where do we go now?

Unless you’ve been cooped up inside your favorite coffee shop for a long time now, you’ve probably hear of Coworking Spaces.

Now, Coworking Spaces is this wonderful thing that combined your two favorite things in one – the comfort of your home and ambiance of your favorite coffee shop. They are workplaces that are membership based with an open space set up that allows you to choose the environment you need to get a little more creative and to be more productive. No need to haggle for your own space plus you get to work whatever time you want.

In need of some alone time? You can pick a desk and do your own thing. Or are you in the mood to get inspired and maybe even collaborate? Why don’t you go join the community at the lounging area to get some fresh ideas! And did I mention that there’s free coffee?

Thing is this, the way people of this generation work are changing and unlike before when us, freelancers, had very little choices of workplace, we now have the ability to choose the perfect setup.

So why don’t you go and be the brave young person you are and try the new trend of co-working spaces? I’ll be more than willing to introduce you to one.

Yours truly,

Former Coffee Shop Loiterer

A Great Timing for Seat Leasing

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A Great Timing for Seat Leasing

“Timing is everything”  Shakespeare once said.

More likely than not, you’ve heard people talk about the so-called “perfect timing” in terms of numerous aspects in our life. And believe it or not, timing is everything, even in business. Overseeing the current market, local economy and current competition is important. Before making any decision, you have to ask yourself first – is this the right time?

Just in Time

The ‘JIT’ or ‘Just-In-Time’ method is an inventory strategy where raw materials are only bought and received as they are needed. Its goal is to lessen the cost on inventory expenses as well as decrease waste of goods.

Instead of getting large amounts of materials should the demand for the product soar, only the amount of supplies needed are ordered and delivered at the exact time thy are needed.  Not only will the manufacturers save money from materials, they also save warehouse storage.

The said approach changed the game for the manufacturing industry. Years later, the same approach is now being applied in terms of office space.

Timing: The Right Place at the Right Time

The ‘just-in-time’ approach is slowly changing the commercial real estate. What with the rise of remote working – creating a new kind of demand from today’s labor force as well as financial pressures of the current economy, workspace providers are facing a new challenge.

Soon enough, workspace providers took this challenge as an opportunity to improve their marketing strategy by offering their clients more flexible options that would fit their needs at the time that they need it.

This change paved way for a new kind of workspace; Seat Leasing.

Seat Leasing is the kind of flexible workspace that provides companies with fully furnished offices and high-end technology needed for business operations to run smoothly. It gives its clients the freedom to lease the amount seats they need only until when they need it.

With affordable prices inclusive of equipment, facilities, maintenance and even outsourcing services, seat leasing saves companies a ton of money and also precious time that they can allot for improvement of operations. Moreover, it makes bootstrapping your very first office – or brand new site – a lot easier.

Since arriving in the Philippines, the seat leasing industry have proven itself to be a big necessity. Not only did it help startups open their first office and large scale businesses to have offshore sites, but it opened numerous job opportunities for the Filipino workforce. And now, Philippines have become the one of the BPO countries in the world.

Other than saving time and money, it gives you the opportunity to be much more accessible to your clients and employees. Recent studies have reported that long commutes drain most employees and its negative impact play a significant factor in their productivity. Several business outsourcing providers can now be found along the prime cities of the country and with sites opening near residential areas, making office spaces are now easily accessible to employees.

Of course, timing is only one of the many factors any entrepreneur should consider in finding the right balance between understanding your needs as a company and knowing the needs of those who work for you. Make sure that you are ready to make the move.

If you think right now’s the perfect time, maybe it’s about time we meet.

The Advent of Coworking Spaces: A Brand New Strategy

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The Advent of Coworking Spaces: A Brand New Strategy

Over the last three years, the world witnessed the ever-present growth of co-working spaces. Around the globe, over 7,000 players are now in the said market. According to the Global Coworking Survey, by the end of 2017, nearly 1.2 million people worldwide will have worked in this type of workspace. Moreover, co-working spaces are planning more expansions.

There’s no denying that things are strongly looking up for co-working spaces, but what inspired this sudden boom of demand for this new kind of flexible workspace.

The Start of a Revolution

The first official coworking space opened in San Francisco only six years ago yet contrary to popular belief, it was first conceptualized long before. The idea first came to life during the year 1995 in Berlin when an association of engineers widely known as C-Base, created what they called a ‘hackerspace’ – a place wherein hackers can meet and work with one another. Four years later, it reached the shores of New York City.

Bernard De Koven coined the word "co-working"

 

In the same year, American game designer Bernard De Koven coined the term ‘co-working’ to explain the phenomenon of professionals working together as equals. De Koven was astonished to realize by how revolutionary the idea had become. This is due to the fact that most people don’t work together, specifically those coming from the business industry.

 

A Brand New Strategy

‘What makes coworking so special? What made experts say that it’s the key to success for startups?’

There’s no definite reason for the success coworking brings to startups. Instead, a mixture of different factors that contribute to its benefits. There’s meaning, control and community to name a few.

Numerous members of co-working members have said that they find more ‘meaning’ to their work in this kind of setting. Coming from different companies, projects and backgrounds, competition is kept at a minimum. Moreover, to some people, helping others equates ‘meaning’. The set of community and variety of skill sets help in creating a working environment where collaboration is preferred rather than competition.

Another factor is control, it allows employees to gain greater flexibility in their work hours. They have more freedom on whether they’ll be putting on a long day or take a break in the middle of the day to spend some ‘me’ time.

The Numbers

According to the final results of the 2017 Global Coworking Survey entitled The Profitability of Coworking Spaces, 40% of all coworking spaces are profitable. In the past four years, the percentage has risen from the figure of 32% since the year 2013. On the other hand, the number of co-working spaces that lost money dropped from 36% to 26%. Moreover, the final results discussed that age, membership figures and location of the infrastructure affects the profit they make.

And with Millennials starting to dominate the current workforce – the tech-savy and independent generation – the demand continues to grow. An estimated 48% of the Asian workforce is being dominated by them – from ages 15 to 34. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that by the end of 2030, the said demographic will make up 75% of the workforce.

Future predictions show great developments for the market of “Coworking Spaces” and as more and more enterprises turn away from the traditional workplaces, are you ready to make the switch? We’ll be more than willing to talk more about the success of coworking spaces.

The Underrated Star of Films

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The Underrated Star of Films

More often than not, audience think that the storytelling potential of a certain movie or TV show heavily relies on its screenplay and its actors. Though there is no denying that the two play major roles on the narrative of a film, there is an underrated star from the cast of most films and TV shows.

“The Location”

A setting or location is where the narrative of a film or series takes place and can be anywhere. Contrary to popular belief, it indicates something deeper than just what time a scene happens or where it occurs. Just like a character, a location can effectively influence the mood, style or themes of a movie.

A scene from the 2012 movie " Life of Pi" adapted from a novel written by Yann Martel.

A scene from the 2012 movie “Life of Pi” adapted from the 2001 best-selling novel written by Yann Martel.

The audience gets the chance to learn more about the character from where they live, go to work and spend their free time. Moreover, the setting can also showcase the growth of a character.

The way a set is lighted can also represent an idea or really anything. In the movie “The Life of Pi“, the spiritual journey of its protagonist Pi, across the ocean represents his spiritual journey. In this film example, the setting of an island can also represent the obstacles a person goes through in their life.

In addition, settings can also heavily influence the plot just like its characters. It can kill the characters or even force two of them together. It is impossible for a character to leave a setting and it is always integral in moving the plot forward.

Though not every location can represent something, it can easily set the mood of a certain scene with shadows, lighting and contrast. If the lighting is set on high, it means power. If the character is in a low contrast setting, it shows lack of power.

A film still for the 2016 movie <a href="http://www.starwars.com/rogue-one">"Rogue One: A Starwars Movie"</a>produced by <a href="http://www.starwars.com/rogue-one">Lucasfilm Ltd.</a> and distributed by<a href="http://www.waltdisneystudios.com/">Walt Disney Studios</a>.

A film still from the 2016 movie “Rogue One: A Starwars Movie” produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Walt Disney Studios.

The contribution a location makes in a film isn’t enough to showcase how important it actually is. Its power can also be applied in business.

It is detrimental that a business has a location that is easily accessible to both their targeted clients and its own employees or manpower. It is also important to note the kind of infrastructure that you need to acquire, as well as the facilities that it has to offer, which will support your daily operation needs. Luckily, seat leasing providers and even the new trend coworking spaces can now be found in the prime cities of the Philippines like Makati, Mandaluyong, Ortigas and even Quezon City. In addition to this, with the growing trends in transport technology, the commute will be a bit easier.

Interested in seeing the countless possibilities a prime location can offer? Contact us now.

Less is More, Quality over Quantity

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Less is more, quality over quantity

Quality over quantity – it’s a concept that already existed for years and have been ignored relentlessly. Yet in our defense, it is easier said than done.

In the corporate world, enterprises are expected to make money as fast as possible and as many as one can imagine.  And crafting every single product can be time consuming, not to mention expensive. Products like these have the tendency to end up with higher pricing that look less attractive to consumers – all the while producing numerous low quality products can be far more profitable.But here’s the catch: mass producing products made of low quality materials can result to a number of unhappy customers.

And with the internet sitting right in a consumer’s palm, word travels faster than ever. This generation‘s consumers have made it a habit to check opinions online before buying anything and if a product becomes known for its poor quality, it would immediately reflect on their sales. It counts to recognize that quality isn’t generated by the quantity you produce during your work hours but rather the quality you produce during those hours.

The same can be said when it comes to picking a brand new office space – less is more.

Outright owning an entire commercial office space clearly has its perks, not to mention that for decades, large-scale offices have been a marker for a successful enterprise. Though corporations would often emphasize how the acquisition of a new office isn’t easy, it’s usually ignored. What startups don’t realize is that it comes with a cost, in the form of huge budget cuts and time consuming completion of legal requirements – to name a few.

The necessities a brand new commercial space entails can risk the quality of your business operations. It makes you think do we really need a large quantity of space or is it alright to start small and maintain high quality services? Which of the two should you prioritize?

So instead of acquiring a dedicated office space, consider leasing seats.

Seat Leasing is a versatile business solution that offers you the essentials needed in starting up a business or a brand new site from seats, workstations, high end PCs, conference rooms, internet connection and even IT support and maintenance. Not only will you be saving by acquiring the exact number of seats that you need, it will also save you from the headache causing legal papers. Moreover, with the funding that you have saved, you can focus on other costs needed for efficient business operations.

Quality over quantity – though choosing the latter can be tempting, the former bears more significance in the steady success of a business. You may have few resources, yet this allows you to utilize your passion and drive to become the greatest weapon in your arsenal – putting no limit to what you can do when you immerse yourself to a vision that inspires you to move.

Let us overcome these limitations and let your enterprise be known for choosing quality over quantity.

The Benefits of Coworking Spaces

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The Benefits of Coworking Spaces

Over the recent years, coworking spaces gained the momentum needed to be one of the latest trends in the business industry. With the increasing demand for a cost-efficient and convenient workplace, several communal areas are now available in the Philippines.

Coworking spaces are workplaces that offer a comfortable area for freelancers and entrepreneurs of this generation. It provides a flexible membership-based commitment that guarantees smooth sailing operations at a very affordable rate.

Besides this, what other benefits can coworking spaces present? Why consider it as a business strategy and what makes it so effective compared to traditional offices?

The Benefits:

Meaningful Work

According to surveys, freelancers who worked in coworking spaces find more meaning in their work because of the fact that their whole selves can be present during the process. Unlike traditional offices, coworking spaces has members who work for different companies, industries and projects – eliminating the direct competition or internal politics that causes employees to put on a work persona to fit in. Moreover, studies have shown that working among people from different types of projects and campaigns can also strengthen one’s own work identity.

Diverse Community and Creativity Flow

Communal spaces provide like-minded professionals from different industries and different backgrounds, an avenue to collaborate and learn from one another. This gives individuals the chance to create connections and new networks that could be useful to them or the business in the future, whatever industry and organization they may be in. The connections a team can develop within the diverse community might pave way for new opportunities.

A community of equally driven individuals will help its members stay motivated. In addition, social interactions with others throughout the day can result to a healthier mind and body.

Flexible Office Space

With the concept of a hybrid between a big coffee shop and shared office space, individuals can choose the work environment they think would be best for them. They have more freedom to work in a quiet space to focus or in a shared space to allow collaboration and interaction.

Thriving Employees

Coworking spaces allow avenues for two important components of thriving; vitality and learning. First, Vitality or the sense of being passionate, excited, and alive. Employees experience a spark of vitality when they are surrounded by equally passionate individuals and when they get the sense that what they are doing on a daily basis is making a difference.

Second is learning or the result of gaining new knowledge and skills. Other else than the technical advantage and status as an expert that an individual can gain, it can also set a cycle in motion: that people who continuously develop their abilities are likely to be more confident in their potential for further growth.

Despite originating from freelancers and entrepreneurs, it remains to be relevant to the broad range of organizations and traditional companies. It suggests that the combination of a healthy work environment and a great work experience can become part of a company’s strategy in creating a healthier and happier work environment that will help your employees and your business thrive. Talk to us today and let’s discuss how coworking can improve your enterprise.

The Space Between Isolation and Loneliness

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The Space Between: Isolation and Loneliness

“There is something that feels so good about sharing your life with somebody”

In the 2013 movie Her, a lonely writer named Theodore falls in love with an intelligent operating system named Samantha. And unlike other sci-fi movies, Her hits close to home. What with the uncanny similarities of today’s technology – smartphone devices and wireless earbud – it makes you wonder how long till Siri gains consciousness.

At first sight, you’d marvel at the strange romantic relationship between the two characters have and how dreamy the experience must’ve been to have such a special connection with anyone, or anything for that matter, but underneath all the poetic dialogue, lies a premise that’s too strong to ignore.

No, it’s not the feeling of fear that the time Theodore is in probably isn’t that far from happening. And no, it’s not the creepy premise of a man falling in love with an operating system – though that sounds atrocious itself.

It’s this: the isolation and loneliness we all share and our vain attempts of fulfilling that craving with technology.

A derivative scene from the 2013 movie Her, distributed by Warner Bros. Written, directed and produced by Spike Jonze.

Samantha was customized to fit the needs of Theo , almost as if her algorithm was made for lonely men.  She can sense his sadness and acts to mends it. Yet in the end, it still doesn’t work out. Because Theo’s feelings, even if it looks like an arithmetic problem to Samantha, can never be solved by ones and zeroes.

With the emergence of technology sitting right in our pockets, we turn to them for the instant feedback they give and soak up the momentary, fleeting moment of satisfaction that we get. A smartphone might create an output that can easily fit our needs with the data we give to them but it’s still no match to the depth of human interaction.

Emotions are emotions. They are subjective and intangible. You can’t use algorithms, codes and math equations to solve isolation and most specially loneliness.

The Reality

What makes Her even more relatable other than the technology present, is the isolation Theo and almost everyone in the movie, goes through.

In a recent presentation at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, research have shown that loneliness could pose an even greater threat to public health than obesity. Other studies have also said that the risks it possess even rivals those of smoking.

Experts believe that loneliness alone can lead to a dozen of issues like sleep deprivation, increased levels of stress hormones and can aggravate the immune systems. Any of the aforementioned harmful effects can put people at a much greater risk.

Loneliness is more fatal than obesity & smoking.

To make things a little scarier, they don’t think it’s going away soon. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Brigham Young University’s professor of psychology says that 42.6 million adults ages 45 and above suffer from chronic loneliness and that this number is expected to rise in the coming decades. The General Social Survey of 2016 have also said that more and more people are feeling tired and lonely at work, saying that burnout at work isn’t just about exhaustion, but loneliness as well.

Downsizing

Though it is important to note that strategies for curing or reducing loneliness can vary among one another, social interaction is one of the best ways to downsize its negative impacts.

According to Holt-Lunstad, a person can reduce loneliness by taking a more proactive approach to socializing by putting down smartphones and planning get-togethers instead of lazily scrolling through your Facebook news feed. An increase in daily face-to-face interaction has been seen to reduce loneliness in most cases.

More and more freelancers and young professionals are turning towards a new kind of office space – one that fosters a healthy dose of isolation and social interaction.

Coworking: Reduce Loneliness, Start Socializing

Behind Coworking Spaces’ success is the increased social interaction it offers to its members. Made for workforces from different industries, coworking spaces gives its members the freedom to interact and collaborate, socializing isn’t forced and members can choose when and how they communicate with others. It creates a place wherein an individual joins as a ‘me’ and becomes part of a greater ‘we’.

In the end of the movie, Samantha leaves Theo, along with the other OS’s in the hopes of becoming more than what they are made for. While Theo goes to his close friend Amy, whose own OS left as well, for comfort.

Though a pyrrhic victory – learning a lesson by having his heart broken – Theo’s connection with Samantha was necessary for him to re-evaluate his view of where to find love and to learn the importance of social interaction.

Moral lesson? Don’t wait until an operating system breaks your heart to force you to socialize. Join our community now!

The Perfect Office Space: Seat Leasing and Coworking Spaces

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The Perfect Office Space: Seat Leasing and Coworking Spaces

Now that you’ve materialized your idea and have covered the paperwork as well as the finances, it’s now time for you to face the headache-causing process of finding the perfect office space for your business.

For years, architects have recognized the effect of your surroundings to how you work. Your workspace heavily influences your overall satisfaction and productivity. More tasks can be accomplished quickly and efficiently when you are able to focus. Moreover, the space containing your business can develop your company culture – something that is very hard to define and even harder to shape.

The right office space can also help people communicate better. And with the surge of tools like Skype or Hangouts, the chances of “lost in translation” happening is very high. Though there is no denying that the technology nowadays have helped us communicate with one another regardless of our location, nothing beats face-to-face interaction.

In addition to this, research have said that out of the 3 elements that contribute to communication – word choice, tone of voice and body language – 55% of it comes from body language. Finding a space that helps your team communicate better can convey vast amounts of information that may not be seen through “non-personal” communication.

Types of Office Spaces

There are different kinds and type of office spaces that can fit the need of your company but among them, two types have become increasingly popular over the years.

Seat Leasing

Seat leasing deals provide organizations the essentials in starting up a business or a new site from seats, workstations, computers, conference rooms, internet connection and IT support. Some may even offer Human Resource Services, Recruitment, and Payroll. The list of beneficial factors that seat leasing offers doesn’t only end there.

For one, it could save you a lot of money. Instead of investing in your own office, you can lease the exact number of seats that you need. Other else than that, it saves you the time of going through tons of paperwork and buying the needed furniture. Secondly, seat providers give you modern facilities like high end PCs and fast internet without the need of maintenance – they are the ones who’ll be dealing with all the technical support.

Lastly, seat leasing companies can be found in the major cities of the Philippines, making it more accessible to your client and employees.

Coworking Spaces

Originating from offices in New York City, coworking spaces are membership-based workplaces that offer a more comfortable work area for the freelancers and entrepreneurs of this generation. Not only will they be providing an affordable workplace with a guaranteed smooth sailing business operation, it will also give you a change of scenery.

With an open space set-up, they usually include a reception area and shared conference rooms. It offers flexible lease terms from a day up to 1 year and has an open/collaborative look and feel to it. Recent studies have shown that a large number of employees strive from office environments like these where they have the ability to spend some time alone to refresh themselves.

With the availability of the different kinds of office spaces nowadays, finding the perfect location is now easier. It won’t be that hard to find the perfect office that would cater to your needs, help you operate easily and maintain a healthy office environment for the benefit of your growing business. Want to know more about seat leasing and coworking spaces? Interested in finding what suits your business better? Talk to us now.

Introversion, Collaboration and Coworking

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Introversion, Collaboration and Coworking

In a common workplace setting, there is a prevalent mixture of personality types among its members. Some employees are Introverts, some are Extroverts – and somewhere in the middle, exists Ambiverts. Distinct differences have been set among the mentioned personality types – Introverts love spending their time by themselves, Extroverts thrive in meeting new people and Ambiverts prefer to have a separate time for social interaction and “Me” time.  And over time, negative stereotypes started to create a gap between the two main personalities, growing bigger and bigger over the years. This huge existing gap between Introverts and Extroverts have led people to believe that working together or collaboration will not be easy. But is it really that hard?

Recent studies have said that for collaboration – the kind that gives birth to fresh creative ideas – to spring, there is a need for a balanced group and individual work. That despite of random introversion and the tendency of conflicts to arise, embracing how opposite they are from one another is a healthy way for them to collaborate brilliantly.

Another helping tool for introverts and extroverts to work well together is an private office space, the kind that allows room not only for group work but the kind that can give its members alone time to refresh themselves. And with the increasing demand of having an innovative workplace in the Philippines, “Coworking Spaces” became the latest trend in the business industry.

Coworking spaces are the newest kind of workplaces that allow freelancers and young professionals from different industries to work on their individual projects alongside one another. Moreover, individuals can choose the work environment they think would be best for them. They have more freedom to work in a quiet space to focus or in a shared space to allow collaboration and interaction.

Both personality types – despite of how diverse they are from each other – remain to be valuable to a team. Introversion and extroversion can definitely coexist and further develop a symbiotic relationship. And with the right coworking spaces, creativity will flow. Contact us today and allow brilliant collaborations to be created.

Coworking: The Most Prominent Type of Flexible Workspaces

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Coworking: The most prominent type of Flexible Workspaces

The recent rise of the trend remote working or flexible working, doors have opened for a brand new kind of workspace – the one tailored to meet the specific needs of the current labor force.

Flexible Workspaces

Flexible Workspace is the kind of office space, either private, shared or a combination of both, that offers short-term leases with a minimum size of fully furnished and ready-to-use seats. These offices may include other services like telephone lines, fast internet, meeting rooms and a reception are among others.

Where It All Started

The strong shift towards flexible workspace was first observed in the UK market during the year 2015 to 2016. As of writing, its rise continued to spread in many of the world’s top markets.

In the US and UK market, a double-digit growth for the usual size requirements was seen – highlighting the increasing take up of flexible space by corporates. Lead cities in Asia also reported similar results while Australia seemed to have had a particularly strong year as well.

The current global flexible office market totals around $21 billion – showcasing compound growth of around 21% over the past years. UK and the United States are still the largest markets but Asia-Pacific show strong signs of growth despite contributing a small part of the total.

Different Flavors

In most markets globally, there are only two major classifications of flexible workspaces – serviced offices and coworking spaces but in the current Philippine market there are 3 types: service offices, hosted service firms and coworking spaces.

Serviced Offices

Providing the most fundamental services, they are the pioneers of flexible workspace. Major players have multiple sites in cities and even countries, being the first one to enter the market. In addition, they are most likely to be located in prime locations within the central business districts. Serviced offices for business travelers, expatriates and multinational companies entering the market for the first time.

Hosted Services Firms

Despite of being similar to serviced offices, hosted services was considered as a sub-group in the Philippine market due to the former’s relevance to the strong presence of BPOs in the country.

Hosted Services entered the market next, differentiating itself by featuring back office, non-core services like information technology (IT) services, human resource staffing and even accounting. The aforementioned services help clients focus on their core businesses. Perfect for small business process outsourcers (BPO) and other traditional companies for these firms are relatively agnostic towards prime locations and would rather focus on quality infrastructures at a reasonable price.

Coworking Spaces

Aside from being the newest type of flexible workspace, coworking spaces also happen to be the fastest growing trend among the 3 with an average of 61%.

With a contemporary design made to integrate the comfort of a home, the ambiance of your favorite café and the functionality of your office, Coworking Spaces differentiates itself with the community it creates. Perfect for start-ups and freelancers, the operators encourage their tenants with similar interests to collaborate in a shared working environment. In addition to this, the members of the community can have access to contact details of other members in the community to foster cooperation. Learning sessions are also held, where seasoned industry experts share what they know to equip the members with the skills and tools that might help their respective businesses.

According to reports the forecasts are straight forward, the growth of flexible workspaces will continue to flourish. An estimated 1.2 million people worldwide will have worked in one of the 3 kinds of flexible space by the end of year. With this trend dominating the market, have you considered shifting? Or is it still debatable? Either way, we’d love to hear what you think about this strange yet innovative change in the labor force.