How MSMEs, startups can replicate physical workspaces to save time, money? The answer lies beyond WFH

Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: In the pre-COVID phase, very few companies entertained flexible work from anywhere culture, and only a few employees had access to flexible workplaces. But, in the year that has gone by, the work-from-anywhere concept has emerged strongly, and everyone has adjusted to it. As a result, the future of work has evolved significantly. The companies have observed that work-from-anywhere results in more productivity with seamless connectivity and innovations at work. Working together when working from home is key to foster wellbeing and mental health. Replicating the physical office space virtually is helping businesses worldwide, save time and money. So, here’s why start-ups and SMBs should explore work-from-anywhere technologies.

Economical

We have come to learn that huge physical office space is redundant in the new normal and work can be performed remotely. According to a survey by Global Workplace Analytics, almost 6 out of 10 employers considered this to be the biggest advantage of work from anywhere. Work from anywhere platforms present startups with a huge opportunity to reduce their real estate expenses which are one of the top 3 expenses a business has. Startups can save expenses in terms of rent, utilities, cleaning services, even catering and food by transitioning to virtual workplaces. Investments in software that help manage work, improve productivity, and eliminate duplication bring further value addition to employee wellbeing as well.

Best talent pool available

With physical office space becoming redundant, SMBs and startups can now hire the best of talent worldwide. By shrinking the geographical boundaries, work from anywhere platforms ensures that talent is an important aspect of hiring. They also allow flexibility and freedom to employees which is a huge differentiator to startups as an employer. This comes at a time, when GenZ has already shown a preference for a more flexible work-life, with enough time to travel and “have fun”.

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Green footprint

Employees are increasingly searching for permanent work-from-home jobs as they save time and effort. By reducing work commutes, work-from-anywhere platforms help start-ups contribute to this reduced carbon footprint. Global Workforce Analytics has estimated that if work commutes are restricted to just half a week, then we can reduce emissions by up to 54 million tonnes in a year! In addition, we save fossil fuels and enjoy better air quality. I feel that we also tend to use more paper (for printing), plastic, and other such materials in the office. Consumption of these also reduces significantly when we are not working from an office.

Employees and brands are also becoming increasingly conscious of their green footprint as well, which has certainly triggered the demand for sustainable solutions, be it products, services, or experiences. The Work from Anywhere approach helps in reducing environmental degradation, troubleshooting the ecological impact while managing physical office space.

Improved work-life balance

Flexible work timings and independence in locations help in an improved work-life balance that an individual otherwise has not been able to achieve for a long time. Work from anywhere gives an individual the freedom to manage their work schedules while also reducing stress, providing more time for hobbies and interests, and improved personal relationships, among other things.

To conclude, work-from-anywhere platforms are a game-changer for SMBs and startups. They have demonstrated enhanced business productivity and profitability. When deployed with care, they also affect employee wellbeing. Hence, startups have an opportune time today to maximise their growth journey by adopting scalable and easy to deploy work from anywhere platforms.

Annil Chandel is CEO of Wurkr. Views expressed are the author’s own.