Proof in Results
Ceros enjoyed several benefits from leveraging Upflex for their workplace transformation, including:
Seamless transformation
“COVID was the catalyst that drove our company into a remote-first workplace for all employees,” Ceros CFO Rob Bender told Upflex. “In 2020, we proved that Ceros could not only survive while employees worked remotely, but we could thrive in that environment [as well].”
Cost savings
According to the CEO, in the two and a half years since shifting to remote work, the company’s leadership came to understand that impactful, focused, collaborative work didn’t need to cost the company “well over $1 million per year” in rent. According to Bender, “It became apparent, quite quickly, that we no longer needed the N.Y.C. office.”
Bender said, “Now, nearly every Ceros employee has reasonable access to an Upflex location, and we’ve reduced our office expenses by an order of magnitude.”
“Now, nearly every Ceros employee
has reasonable access to an Upflex
location, and we’ve reduced our
office expenses by an order of magnitude.”
-Ceros CFO Rob Bender
Easy access
As of the start of 2023, the Ceros team has booked at nearly 200 different workspace locations in more than 65 cities. Favorite spaces include high-design, boutique coworking spaces that aren’t so different from the company’s former NYC-based headquarters.
Actionable data
Ceros also gained access to actionable utilization data via Upflex’s management dashboard. Equipped with this data, they were able, for the first time, to gain line of sight into which teams and individuals are using what kind of space, where and when. “We looked for concentrations of employees in cities and states, usage patterns, and whether employees were looking to work alone or collaborate with colleagues,” Bender added. This empowered leadership to proactively plan and budget while meeting workspace needs.
Employee experience
Entering the third year of their “remote first” model with Upflex, the response from Ceros’ workforce has been overwhelmingly positive.
Leadership notes that Ceros employees love being able to book a conference room to meet and collaborate face-to-face with colleagues when and where they need it. And, after several years of working from home, Ceros employees are happy to now have a comfortable, connected place to work independently outside the house as and when needed.
“These last few years have been trying for all,” Ceros CFO Bender said, “and sometimes a change of venue for the day can make all the difference.”
Attracting and retaining top talent
According to Ceros’s CEO, the company’s commitment to a remote-first work environment has been instrumental in retaining and attracting the best employees, and is featured prominently at the very top of their list of company benefits.
Collaboration and team-building
Ceros is seeing employees utilizing Upflex bookings for in-person collaboration. “Quite frankly, there are certain processes that don’t translate well to video conferencing,” Bender said of remote work. “Brainstorming, group problem- solving and creative idea generation are far better in-person. We are excited to see our employees utilizing Upflex bookings for those activities.”