Flexible Workspaces Are in Vogue in South Florida. Here's What You Need to Know

As employees begin to return to the office, flexible workspaces have become an increasingly popular option in South Florida, something its proponents say offers a work-from-home feeling with additional amenities, such as receptionist services, high-speed internet, technology and conference rooms.

What’s more, a recent COVID and flexible space report from global commercial real estate services company JLL found 30% of all office space will be consumed flexibly by 2030, as a result of flexible lease terms and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

Philippe Houdard, co-founder of Pipeline Workspaces, a Miami-based shared workspace concept, said he’s noticed a big drive to reengage with society.

“People just started to become much more comfortable,” Houdard said. “I think it was a combination of people getting the vaccine early and there were a number of people who may have already had COVID, but it was also the fact that a lot of people’s businesses continue to grow until they feel the need to be back in the mix. There’s an immense pent-up desire to be out.”

Flexible workspaces offer membership options such as private office suites, dedicated desks, flex space options and virtual office services for entrepreneurs, startups, independent professionals and small business teams.

Houdard said other amenities, such as private phone booths, mailboxes, 24/7 access, full kitchens and complimentary gourmet coffee and tea are also a draw for people during the pandemic who missed going to the office.

“What we see a lot of is people alternating days,” Houdard said. “People come in several days a week and then work from home the other days, or they work part of the day at the office and come back and work from home. It integrates life with all of its complexities in ways that people can be working, and they can handle other things that are going on in their personal lives.”

Pipeline Workspaces has reached between 85-95% occupancy rate at its six locations throughout the state. But during the peak of the pandemic, the workspace fell below 70% occupancy.

As the COVID-19 vaccine is more readily available and high-profile companies are migrating to South Florida, Houdard said he’s seeing a big influx in shared workspace rentals. A few companies that have taken residence at Pipeline have included Uber, Google and Postmates.

“Now the demand is very, very strong. We’ve had growth from our existing members, old members that have come back to the space, but a lot of it is members who’ve stuck with us who continue to stay with Pipeline throughout,“ Houdard said. “They themselves are growing in numbers of people and the space that they have combined with a lot of new signups. It’s three or four times greater than it was six months ago.”

Houdard said the key to retaining their membership was fostering a deep engagement and investment in their tenants, having a member-oriented business model and offering personalized flexibility for each member.

“Our belief and philosophy from the onset was that it’s infinitely better to have our existing members to survive and be in the space even if we’re giving them substantial discounts so that after the pandemic we can all grow together, and that’s actually what happened,” Houdard said. 

Pipeline has locations in multiple areas, including Miami’s Brickell Financial District, Coral Gables, Doral, Orlando, Tampa and Philadelphia, and Houdard said he’s reconsidering growth plans after putting them on hold amid the pandemic.