The movement of Jasper and Victor
Hubbz Offices has a clear goal in mind: to make an ergonomic workplace available to everyone within fifteen minutes cycling distance, for a fixed amount per month. With branches in Amsterdam, Leiden and Arnhem, Hubbz Offices is aiming for 100 branches in the Netherlands within five years. That results in a personal partnership with a lot of ambition.
"We are going to have ergonomic flexi-working everywhere in the Netherlands without financial surprises."
Work on location for a fixed monthly fee
Because going to the same office every day is no longer necessary, Hubbz offers flexible on-site work environments that contribute to an optimal work-life balance. You work together with colleagues and other people from within or outside the region. The locations are deliberately located in the middle of the city. This creates central meeting places that help reduce commuting. Hubbz creates a flexible solution for working on location, starting at 89.95 per month. Ideal for ZZP'ers, small businesses without an office or in need of a flexible shell and large companies with staff who want to work around the corner in addition to at home and in the office.
Entrepreneurs Jasper and Victor have known each other for about 15 years. Started as teammates in Heren 8 of field hockey club Amsterdam, after which each went his own way. There was always the desire to start something together. It happened just before the pandemic. Working from home was already on the rise and suddenly gained momentum. "But there's no such thing as a home office!" said Victor. "Fine to make meters 'undisturbed' for a while, but you don't receive colleagues at home. Not behind a screen either.
During the first phase of the pandemic, people had no choice, but we found out en masse that it was not ideal." Jasper adds: "So we picked up on our idea of having an ergonomic workplace available to everyone within 15 minutes. A place where it's easy to get in and out, plug in like that and, what's more, not tied to anything. A hub like Schiphol Airport, only without security and long queues." With that, the name was born.
All facilities at hand
Homeworkers are entitled to a good and safe workplace. The employer considers what furniture, accessories, technical systems and tasks are needed for each employee. For Hubbz, the challenge is to have all necessities within reach and
to create the perfect environment for your workday. A 15-minute bike ride from home, so even chores at home can be done in between. Hubbz offers a quiet environment where you work at a fully equipped and ergonomic desk setup with an extra monitor in addition to your own laptop.
There are also glass collaboration spaces, call boxes and soundproof meeting boxes available. All items supplied by Alvero. Employees must not lack anything during the workday, which is why coffee, tea, water and soft drinks are sufficiently available, as are snacks. A special app allows you to reserve your spot in five steps.
Products deployed at Hubbz
"Finally a company that thinks and moves with us"
Growing with a start-up
Flexibility was Jasper and Victor's starting point, so they quickly settled on using furniture instead of owning it. This allows them to move quickly with a changing demand or need. The Amsterdam branch will expand to Leiden and Arnhem in just under five months. Victor: "How do you tackle that? What do we need now and what will it be like a year from now? We were looking for a company that is willing and able to grow with a start-up. Moreover, we are a relatively new concept in the market, with no experience with what furniture fits best." "You don't really start to learn and experience what works and what doesn't or doesn't work as well until a few months after opening," Jasper adds. Jasper and Victor approached a number of parties, but no match emerged there with the plans and ambition they have.
The click with Alvero
"Then we came into contact with Huub Verheijen of Alvero and there was an immediate click. A thinking and accommodating company that immediately understood what it was all about," Jasper said. "With ideas and solutions, which were not only put on paper and drawn out, but also came to life in Alvero's warehouse in Oosterhout." "There we were pleasantly surprised by the different arrangements, types of furniture and colors that could be matched to the spaces we needed to furnish." "Our choice of furniture that met ergonomic standards turned out to be (almost) a precondition at Alvero. And all of that fit into our final cost of subscription. Victor: "Our preference, though, was to use as much used, circular furniture as possible."
Getting bigger and staying flexible
We can add something to people's work week. In addition, build a community of like-minded people together, by organizing something fun or educational once or twice a month. This can also be done just outside the office, like in Arnhem, where our location is literally in the middle of the city.
As mentioned, we want to get to 100 branches spread throughout the country. Also ideal for companies with multiple branches that don't want to keep large offices open.
We are not only looking at large cities, but also at somewhat smaller municipalities such as Hendrik Ido Ambacht. Here there is a growing need for hybrid workplaces, with a high degree of flexibility, without financial surprises. Hubbz is the ideal concept for this.
Continue to test and develop
Jasper concludes, "Where will we be in five years? We are working hard on our mission to provide the perfect workplace for everyone within 15 minutes. So in five years we should have national coverage. We are also open to new, additional ideas. Also in terms of design and function of the workplace. Alvero is happy to think along and also sees Hubbz as a test environment. A win-win situation that offers many possibilities for the future, and fits perfectly with our ambitions."
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