Why flex office spaces are perfect for hybrid work

Flexible work schedules, which allow employees some degree of freedom, are gaining popularity.

As much as this might sound like a generic article intro, in fact, it is a concept first proposed in the late 1960s by the German management consultant Christel Kammerer as a way to allow more housewives and mothers to enter the workforce and address labor shortage.

Then, in 1973, in “The Telecommunications-Transportation Tradeoff” book, former NASA engineer Jack Nilles proposed the idea of satellite offices, allowing employees to work in small physical offices closer to their homes to reduce traffic congestion and energy consumption.

The Telecommunications-Transportation Tradeoff: Options for Tomorrow, Published by Wiley

In the late 80s, the publishing industry in New York introduced the idea of “Summer Fridays,” allowing editors to either have Fridays off or work from home one day during the week.

But it wasn’t until the 90s when an unprecedented decision in the AT&T boardroom to allow 100,000 employees to work in an “alternative workplace” started the hybrid working model’s rise to the mainstream.

Then the COVID pandemic dusted the concept of hybrid working off and surfaced its benefits, essentially cementing it into corporate policies. Naturally, coworking and flex office spaces emerged as the most convenient choice for hybrid work.

4 reasons why flex office spaces are the perfect choice for hybrid work

Put down the Pizza Fridays, free coffee, and flashy perks - the essence of hybrid work is to give your team what they really want: time and the freedom to choose, ultimately leading to a better work-life balance. Statistics back this, with over half of employees citing not having the flexibility they want or being forced to be in the office full-time among the main reasons they feel stressed.

The hybrid working model has proven to be the perfect remedy. As the Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom puts it, “hybrid work is a win-win-win for employee productivity, performance, and retention.”

However, hybrid working models can vary across organizations, with some companies adopting a remote-first approach, where the office is secondary. Others may prefer an office-first model but allow employees flexibility on in-office days. Then, there's also the mixed model, where employees have fixed office days but also work remotely.

Regardless of the hybrid work model, flex office spaces are the perfect choice since they are designed specifically for adaptability. When hybrid working and flex office spaces go hand-in-hand, organizations can transition from a bygone era of dominant in-office work schedules to one where they can simultaneously build bridges with others, keep their teams happy, and cut costs.

Flexibility and Scalability

Since a company might need 50 desks on Monday, 30 on Tuesday, and 100 on Thursday, corporate leadership is often faced with the riddle of accurately predicting workspace needs. And honestly, traditional offices don’t ease their task as they don’t accommodate personnel fluctuations efficiently.

Enter flex spaces—flexible, cost-effective, and designed for unpredictability, giving you options. Lots of options:

●      Hot desks: Shared workstations for on-the-go professionals.

●      Dedicated desks: Reserved spots for regular visitors.

●      Private offices: Enclosed areas for teams needing their own unique space.

●      Meeting rooms, phone booths & event spaces: Bookable on demand.

●      Welcoming common areas: To collaborate and build bridges.

Scalability is another advantage. With flex office options, companies can scale their workspace up or down based on their corporate dynamics and evolving needs without committing to an office space years in advance. Besides, unlike traditional office leases, they don’t require long-term commitments.

Flex office spaces allow companies also to explore models like “Core Plus Flex,” where they scale down their leased office spaces and compensate with flex desks. That way, organizations can lease long-term space only for the headcount that is certain and utilize flexible offices to accommodate everyone else. Aside from easing the planning process, ensuring more flexible operations, and providing employees with a consistent experience and company culture, the model can reportedly generate up to 15% savings.

Cost-optimization

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, says that, for every 100 employees, only 60 seats are needed, significantly reducing the need for “costly real estate.”

According to McKinsey, the average office attendance today is around 3.5 days, while other studies argue that employees spend just 2-3 days weekly in the office on average.

As a result of these shifts, over a third of office desks globally nowadays sit empty all week long.

Still, despite the low utilization rates, the rent, utilities, and maintenance costs remain constant. The bottom line - companies are paying for leased but unused office spaces. And they are paying dearly.

According to reports, a typical office space in Sofia is around 10 sq. m. per employee. Considering that the average cost of an office in a good location is around €12 per sq. m. (as of March 2025 as per data by Imot.bg), a company with a team of 10 people would have to pay an office rent of at least €1,200 per month. Considering the statistics for office space underutilization listed above, the sunk cost fallacy (costs that can’t be recovered) associated with leased offices can reach 30% to 50% of the monthly rent price, without taking utility bills and other expenses into account.

Combining hybrid work models and flex offices can turn sunk costs into prospective costs - business expenses that may be avoided if action is taken today.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, companies can save up to $11,000 for every employee who starts working remotely two to three days per week due to factors like reduced rent, increased productivity, and lower employee turnover.

A detailed survey by OfficeRnD, one of our members, concludes that 60% of respondents save over $100 per employee per month thanks to the hybrid work model, while 17% save more than $500, mainly due to reduced workspace costs.

For example, a flex desk at Campus X starts from just €35 per month (+€11 for every day the desk is used), giving freelancers, digital nomads, solo entrepreneurs, and small startup teams a cost-effective opportunity to take advantage of all-inclusive office amenities and a productive work environment. As a result, you can pay for what you need and not what you have to.

Employee satisfaction

The importance of keeping employees satisfied, especially in a talent-scarce market and an environment of ever-increasing hiring costs, can’t be overstated enough.

OfficeRnD’s 2024 Hybrid Work Trends Report reveals that 28.2% of full-time employees today work a hybrid model. However, according to Gallup, way more want to, with six in 10 employees with remote-capable jobs preferring a hybrid work arrangement.

Importantly, remote-capable, on-site employees have experienced the largest drop in engagement since 2020, while on-site employees have the lowest engagement overall. In contrast, employees working three times weekly at the office report the highest engagement rate, proving the critical role of hybrid working.

After conducting the most extensive study of work-from-home professionals to date, Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom concluded that hybrid work dramatically boosted retention rates, including up to 33% for workers who shifted from full-time office work to a hybrid schedule. Furthermore, according to the State of Hybrid Work 2024 report, 40% of employees are likely to look for a new job if it offers more flexibility.

Reports identify too long commutes or too high gas prices as leading factors that might ruin employees' satisfaction. In fact, Owl Labs reports that US hybrid workers spend an average of $42 more per day when they work from the office versus remotely. When we add the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Nordic countries to the mix, the estimations reveal that full-time office workers spend $1,020 per month on average, compared to $408 for hybrid workers who go to the office for 8 days per month.

To be lured back to the office, most employees expect some financial compensation - whether subsidized commutes, daycare or eldercare subsidies, or a pay increase.

A flex office gives you the cost-effective option to give your team what they need whenever they need it.

More importantly, it can help increase productivity by catering to the specific requirements and diverse work styles of the individuals in your team. For example, a content writer might need a quiet booth on Monday but prefer a collaborative lounge on Friday, while a salesperson might thrive in a bustling environment. A one-size-fits-all office can’t give you that, and data proves it, with 46% of professionals who have joined a coworking space reporting a boost in productivity.

Collaboration opportunities

Tim Cook said that hybrid work will allow us to achieve the best of both worlds - the focus and collaboration of the office and the flexibility and autonomy of remote work.

According to McKinsey, hybrid work’s growing popularity will reduce demand for traditional offices by up to 38% by 2030, accelerating a shift to “the offices of the future” - spaces focusing on sustainability, purpose, and connectivity. In fact, research finds that this year, we will see a flip from 70% individual workstations and 30% collaborative space on average to 30% individual workstations and 70% collaborative space in global office space.

Flex spaces offering dynamic collaboration areas and community events, help effectively address reduced team cohesion, one of the major concerns with hybrid work.

With areas specifically designed for gathering, sharing knowledge, and welcoming stakeholders, flex offices and coworking spaces prioritize inclusivity, proving a perfect choice to broaden your network of contacts and build bridges with prospective investors, partners, or customers. Throughout the years, Campus X’s event-packed program, including various networking events, workshops, and social gatherings, has proven a natural way to foster organic connections.

Ready to find a new flex office for your hybrid working team?

CEOs want growth and productive employees. CFOs want to cut costs. CMOs want to strengthen employer branding. And everybody wants happy and satisfied teams. Hybrid work is crucial for achieving it, and flex offices are the best option for hybrid work.

In cases where employees hesitate to get back to the office, you need solutions that will motivate them and won’t cost you a fortune. Flex offices are just that - by being move-in ready and an environment of creativity and inspiration, they can be that slight nudge to help find the perfect spot you and your team want to be.

Find out for yourself by booking a flex or a dedicated desk at Campus X here.

Hybrid work and flex offices FAQs

What is a flex office?

A flex office is a hot desk workspace without strictly assigned workstations that perfectly accommodates the needs of hybrid working teams. In combination with hybrid work policies, a flex office can give employees the freedom to choose the workplace that best suits their current tasks and mood and easily switch back and forth between a shared office environment and a home office.

What is hybrid work?

Why are flex offices perfect for hybrid work?

How to choose a flex office for hybrid work?

How much does a flex office in Sofia cost?