26 focus on southampton
Working practices less flexible in Southampton
Across the nation, a revolution in the workplace is well and truly underway with businesses deriving real commercial benefits from ’flexible working’ practices. But according to the latest research from Regus, the global workplace provider with a business centre on Southampton’s Solent Business Park, local firms are lagging behind the national trend and squandering an opportunity to boost productivity and revenues.
Only 65% of Southampton’s firms compared with 73% nationally report that they are working more flexibly than they used to. ’Flexible working’ is where employers give staff a degree of choice over where, when and how they work, and is generally recognised to create happier, healthier and more productive staff. The new research from Regus validates the connection between flexible working and tangible commercial rewards, namely improved productivity and revenue generation: 68% of companies in the UK report that their productivity has increased and 63% report higher revenues directly as a result of their flexible working practices. However, in Southampton less than half (48%) of firms have seen productivity improvements and only 35% attribute revenue rises to flexi-working.
These findings may reflect a commercial conservatism among the local business
community, where employers prefer staff to work regular hours in one fixed location. They could also point to various misconceptions about flexible working, for instance that it is solely the realm of large corporates and that it is synonymous with home-working. Finally, trust may be an obstacle: research conducted this time last year by Regus revealed that 46% of local employers only offered flexible working options to senior staff.
Raja Ali, CEO of Hampshire-based business and education consultancy The IBD Partnership, vouches for the benefits of flexible working, especially for a small business: “For me, flexible working equates to the ability to reduce overheads and fixed assets which are a millstone around the neck of the modern, agile and lean business. Working flexibly involves a rethink of how you approach workspace, because a conventional office often results in desks sitting empty now that mobile working is a reality. Many local firms evidently retain a very traditional approach to offices but there is no reason why the ’on demand’, pay-for-what-you-use model that is so prevalent these days can’t be applied to premises too.
“In my business, we no longer have a fixed desk for each member of staff, where they work all day every day. We work where, when and how
Engineering consultancy advises on design of new-build projects
Engineering consultancy Henderson Green has provided a mechanical and electrical advisory service for the design of new-build projects for Southampton Solent University and in Jersey.
The role as client adviser means it oversees engineering services designed by others to ensure they comply with the brief.
It also takes
responsibility and has accountability for checking the design in detail and can commission the building services once work has been completed.
CGI of the indoor pool at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel
The Southampton and Channel Islands-based consultancy was responsible for overseeing the design and build of the major new DW Health Club complex at St Brelade’s Bay in Jersey, an addition to the St Brelade’s
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Bay Hotel which features an indoor pool, 120-station gym and exercise class areas. Henderson Green acted on behalf of the client and alongside Jersey-based BDK Architects to provide a performance specification to ensure the facility is as energy efficient as possible when in operation.
it suits us to get the job done – whether that’s at home, in the office, in a local business centre or on the move. This makes us more productive and certainly has an impact on revenues – we are expanding in the economic downturn and our flexible workspace contributes to this.“
Steve Purdy, UK managing director at Regus, added: “Technological progress and increasing awareness of the need for a better work/ life balance have driven flexible working to become the norm rather than the exception. Our latest research confirms the business case for flexible working, revealing that the nation’s businesses see increased productivity and greater revenue generation as directly linked to flexible working practices. Around two-thirds of MPs believe that more needs to be done to help organisations implement flexible working to stimulate economic growth.
“In Southampton, firms are not maximising the benefits of flexible working as fully as they could be. Possibly they believe that flexi- working just means letting staff work from home, but our own research has shown that 90% of workers do not want to work from home nor is it always practical for them to do so. For many people, the best option is a local ’third place’ or co-working hub which allows them to avoid domestic distractions but – crucially – does not involve commuting. In addition to the financial benefits, local employers could also find that staff working flexibly would achieve a healthier lifestyle, be more energised and motivated which in turn means that staff are happier in their jobs, more loyal and less likely to leave“.
The consultancy’s specialist advisory role was also put into practice for Southampton Solent University when its expertise was enlisted in the development of the new multi-million- pound Test Park Pavilion. As client adviser, Henderson Green assisted the University by overseeing the mechanical and electrical designs undertaken by another consultancy to ensure the building met both sustainability requirements and the client’s needs.
The new Test Park sports facility features full- size multi-purpose all weather pitch, floodlit football stadium, two adult-size grass pitches, changing room pavilion with teaching space, meeting and function room hire and bar/ catering facilities.
Rob Pratt, chairman at Henderson Green, said: “Our client adviser role complements traditional design services. It has been great to work on two very different but similarly prestigious new build projects and both tapped into our wealth of mechanical and electrical design expertise.“
The practice works for a broad array of clients in the education, healthcare and commercial sectors, including the Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, Bournemouth and Southampton Solent universities.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JUNE 2012
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