Workplace Trends to Watch
The past several months have been a rollercoaster for new and scaling businesses not only here in the St. Louis area but across the country. While the future business landscape may be hard to navigate, there are some universal workplace trends to watch and advice to keep in mind as you start or scale your local St. Louis business.
New Businesses, Everywhere
This past year showed a record number of applications for small businesses in 2021, and that growth looks like it will continue into 2022. In the current climate, tech and geospatial products are essential as much of the world becomes more dependent on their remote workforce. Pay close attention to the businesses that haven’t yet pivoted in these areas to adjust their strategy, and use that information to create something new. New businesses may be known for having small budgets and equally small overhead, but that could be an advantage for you in the current economy. It can help you reduce your cost of goods or services, helping customers looking to cut costs to choose your inexpensive option over some of the competitors that may exist already in the market.
Focus On Amenities
The return to the workplace is inevitable, even if it’s slow-moving for now. Eventually, your employees will return to the office, and convenience and well-being should be emphasized when they do. There are a few essential amenities that any commercial space will need; some of the most important include flexible space, high-speed internet connectivity, and convenient and ample parking for employees. While some office buildings ask businesses to fit into the existing space, some office space will be considerably more versatile. This allows you to enjoy the luxury of total flexibility, which means you can build the floor plan that works best for your style of operation rather than adhering to a space that’s already set up.
Go for Gigabit
Businesses deal with tremendous amounts of data, and more and more often, the storage option of choice for that data exists in the cloud rather than on tangible, local servers. Of course, anybody that has ever backed up their personal files on traditional internet at home knows how long that can take, but with gigabit internet in a commercial office space, backing up data happens in a flash. Another of the most important benefits of gigabit internet is its ability to accommodate many devices. With many traditional home networks, having four or five people using WiFi is enough to slow down speeds considerably. However, gigabit internet makes it possible for many people to use the network without any noticeable change in download or upload speeds.
Focus On Leadership
The pandemic also taught us a thing or two about bootstrapping and getting creative with limited resources when necessary. As a leader, keep that innovation going even when you don’t have to scramble to pivot. Find an office space with the design and aesthetic to inspire, the IT infrastructure to support new tech tools, and a central location in a community that thrives on innovation. Encourage everyone to share their ideas, regardless of how off-the-wall they may seem.
Looking for a change of scenery as you return to managing and leading a team in a post-covid workplace? Consider leasing office space in The Globe Building — we have custom space, low-cost gigabit internet, and secure parking — right in the heart of the downtown St. Louis Innovation District. We are one block from Washington Avenue shopping, restaurants, and residential lofts and less than a mile from the new $1.7 Billion NGA West site. Contact us today to get started!
