Introducing Smart Business Continuity Options for Global Corporations.

Synergy Solutions, a New Product Suite from Synergy Global Housing, Offers Global Corporations Smart, Secure, and Strategic Options for Essential Staff.

  • COVID-19 cases are spiking again throughout the U.S.
  • Corporations are considering alternative workplace solutions
  • Long-term, flexible solutions that strike a balance between productivity and healthy, stable work/life environments are in need
  • Serviced accommodations offer a safe, secure, and controlled environment for executive and key project teams
  • Productivity isn’t only at stake—workforce talent is on the line
  • Decentralized strategically located office setups are an answer to workforce productivity issues

Coming off the Fourth of July holiday weekend, positive daily coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the U.S. spiked to an all-time high as California, Texas, Florida and Arizona reported new cases. In Florida, as of Tuesday, July 7, 2020, the “…positive test rate [reached] 20.8% statewide, the highest yet for a single day.”

If U.S. schools are any indication of what’s to come—the nation’s second-largest school system recently canceled plans for a partial physical return to the classroom—multi-national corporations must plan for a prolonged period of disruption to their workforce.

Needless to say, the spread of the virus isn’t slowing. While strict enforcement of face coverings should curtail the spread of the virus (hopefully), it’s safe to assume many parts of the world will have to deal with COVID-19 in some way or another for the remainder of the year—possibly into the first and second quarter of 2021.

With economic uncertainty on the horizon, and many corporations considering a return to the workplace, serviced accommodations offer the perfect respite to mitigate the likelihood of a positive test or worse, a large outbreak amongst staff. The need for smart, secure, and strategic alternative workplace and housing solutions that keep staff safe, comfortable, and productive is upon us.

“We’ve noticed a trend emerging from our large clients—reserving large blocks of apartments in their key markets to help ease the tension a positive test might have on the workforce,” said EVP of Sales and Marketing, Craig Partin. “If we’ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s we can’t afford to wait and see. Corporations need to be prepared for all likely scenarios.”

Whether it’s warehouse employees, vital IT project leaders, or key executives, businesses can’t afford to lose the productivity of their essential staff. The need to incorporate decentralized, mobile workplace alternatives into business continuity plans has never been more necessary than in today’s business climate. Legacy business models, especially those reliant on practices currently restricted by the government’s lockdown orders, are especially prone to disruption and can’t afford to lose measures of productivity nor the trust and dedication of its talented staff.

“Corporations can only pause major deals and projects for so long before a back-up begins to take a toll on not only productivity but market position,” said co-founder, Jack Jensky. “Alternative innovative solutions are needed not just to keep staff safe, but to ensure staff remain comfortable and capable of producing results. Corporations who overlook this vital element may run the risk of not only falling behind but losing talent.”

Serviced accommodations are an immediate turn-key solution that combines all the common amenities of home life (i.e., high-speed internet, ample square footage, separate bedroom and workspace with desk, full kitchens with full-sized refrigerators, in-unit laundry, and pet-friendly), with the high-touch service and hospitality of a hotel or resort. 

“A lot of major corporations are reaching out to secure five to twenty blocks of apartments,” said Partin. “…which makes sense, right? Considering the challenging economic landscape ahead, each hour of productivity is vital to the overall survival of the corporation. Given how highly contagious this virus is, it is essential these corporations have the ability to get their vital employees into safe productive environments.”

Given the trend of “Zoom fatigue,” the taxing need of homeschooling young children, and what experts are calling “crisis fatigue,” corporations are facing a crossroads.

“With the new spike of cases, some corporations have noted they don’t expect to return to normal business until early to the middle of the second quarter,” said Jensky. “This is no longer a scenario where corporations are trying their best to weather the storm. There is a need for longer-term, flexible solutions that not only foster productivity but solutions that strike a balance between that productivity—and in the case of young working parents—healthy, stable work/life environments.”

How do you safely and adequately adapt and pivot your workforce environment to be successful in a virtual, busy, socially distant world? And at the same time, do it in a way that fosters employee mental health and loyalty?

Jensky added, “Corporations should begin to consider how they can supplement their work-from-home policies as a differentiator in the talent war. Workplace add-ons that once attracted talent, like executive chefs and the 2 P.M. mobile barista cart, don’t travel or scale easily with the work-from-home trend. We think the answer is unique, controlled, private live/work spaces, teams, and executives can book, much like a conference room, to meet-up, connect, and deliver results.”

To answer this need, Synergy developed SynergyWork, a reimagined apartment concept designed to be an extension of your business continuity plans as well as an alternative work environment for a decentralized workforce. The concept is designed for either an executive or small team in need of a safe, secure, and controlled office environment on a project deadline —away from the main office and personal living situation. The goal of the product is to answer the need of corporations seeking alternative solutions for maintaining quarterly projections and productivity as COVID-19 continues to spread.

Photo of SynergySolutions, an alternative serviced accommodations product suite.
SynergySolutions, an alternative serviced accommodations product suite.

SynergySolutions is a suite of services designed to help answer the unique needs of corporations, relocating travelers, and those transitioning out of corporate housing who want safe, quality temporary housing.

The suite offers three-branded products:

SynergyHome, a flexible turnkey, furnished housing product, offers individuals, like graduating interns, a bridge housing option to ease the transition from their corporate-sponsored accommodations to long-term permanent housing. Rather than leaving their corporate-sponsored unit, interns or recently relocated professionals can stay in the unit agreeing to flexible month-to-month (or longer) terms with no deposits. Thus, allowing them the opportunity to figure out their next steps without the pressure of signing a mortgage or a year-long lease.

SynergyWork, as noted above, offers alternative workspaces for individuals, or small “tiger” teams, looking to remain safe and productive. The product converts furnished apartments to rotational work office spaces. These highly adaptive spaces come with functional custom setups based on client requirements and offer a single point of contact for all services.

SynergyStay is a highly tailored quality shelter-in-place option for employees needing to safely distance or self-isolate from family or the workplace. The units are designed to offer the working professional everything they will need to safely, productively, and sanely ride out a self-isolation or travel mandated quarantine period.  

Each product offers corporations the mainstays of the award-winning Synergy guest experience (i.e., class-A product and turn-key white-glove guest services) with a slightly tailored product offering and service to answer COVID-19 related client needs.

For more information on SynergySolutions, or to gain counsel on how to properly add serviced accommodations to your business continuity programs, please email info@synergyhousing.com.