India is a growing business hub for many organisations as well as start-ups. At the initial stage, start-ups are bound to be low on funds. One cannot afford an office space. Amit Ramani, CEO, Awfis Space Solutions, rightly said, “At present, real estate is a drag on organisational focus and reduces productivity by restricting success of the business model. While ready to move spaces might be offered, grey day locations are affordable only by large corporate, SMEs, freelancers and start–ups have to settle for cheaper, sub-standard infrastructure owing to requirements of long leases and astronomical deposit amounts. This is where collaborative workspaces step in owing to their superiority in terms of cost competence, hassle-free experiences and flexibility of availability– daily, monthly or yearly basis.”
To overcome all these problems, the concept of collaborative spaces has come into the picture. Their aim is to free start-ups, SMEs and corporate from the burden of acquiring office space and providing essential services to ensure a smooth experience for employees. The real estate market does not provide ready-to-occupy offices. Setting up one’s own office space is a long and arduous process involving paperwork, long waits for permissions followed by time and effort spent in planning and setting up the required infrastructure.
Thus, the demand for such spaces is on the rise. They give capex-free solutions to all these organisations and start-ups. Working from a co-working space has huge financial benefits. The burden of rent, amenities such as wifi etc., is shared among many people making it much more cost effective for a solo worker. Apart from this, these spaces provide a common networking platform.
UNIQUE FEATURES
Awfis has a fully-enabled technology platform for making just-in-time reservations at any minute. Awfis locations can be booked directly from the website or through their freely available mobile application available across all platforms.
They have a well-established network of 25-30 partnerships and associations with various industries– technology, insurance, food, entertainment, etc. providing benefits to Awfis as well as their community members. They are committed to putting together a healthy mix of fun events and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Design
When creating a space, amenities are not the only things that need to be considered. A space must be welcoming, comfortable and lively. It is the duty of the designers to create a space that will not only enhance the productivity of individuals but also provide them with a comfortable and fun work environment.
Not every office space is the same, but it is unique in its own way. They all offer different features and diverse ambiences depending on their theme.
Similarly, “Nelson, a sister company of Awfis, is our design partner. Their designs include open cabins, conference rooms, cafes, rock pods, meeting pods, lounges, etc. The settings are unique with provisions for diversified work environments. Their philosophy is to design spaces according to the needs of the end user with a thrust on increasing productivity”, said Ramani.
CONCLUSION
Collaborative workspaces offer a productive oasis from being around individuals or groups who have different expertise in varied fields. It means that an individual has the advantages of being with a group of people from diverse backgrounds, who can come together without all the bureaucracy, clutter and alienation that many people may face at their traditional organisations. Increasingly, people are realising that it’s not where one works or what one works on, but who one works with that matters most. For that reason, creating a surrounding that allows employees to connect with more of the people that they work with strengthens culture, boosts morale and increases creativity.
“When unburdened with the responsibility of managing office space and infrastructure, firms are free to focus on their core competencies. The informal and vibrant set up at Awfis centres keeps employee motivation high and at the same time promotes, active collaborations. This accelerates the rate at which knowledge is diffused within the community and leads to cross – pollination of ideas. The upshot is a marked improvement in the productivity of individuals leading to an overall increase in the collective productivity of the firms.” Amit Ramani, CEO, Awfis Space Solutions
