Back in the day, “the office” was pretty much the same thing no matter where you worked: drab walls, unflattering lights, bad coffee, and room temperature water coolers. Nowadays workspace can mean something wildly different, depending on what type of solution you’ve chosen. With modern workspaces spanning “virtual” offices to hard-to-get rented floor space and everything in between, it can be hard to know what form of workspace to get for your business.
If you’re a bit spoiled for choice, this list of the most popular types of workspace will help you narrow down your options.
Leased Office Space
Once your business is fully established, you may have specific needs that go above and beyond what a coworking space or even serviced office can offer. Leased workspace may be an option for you if your future projections for your company point to at least several years of prosperity in the pipeline. Renting your own workspace may not be the most cost-effective option if you can’t afford to sign a long lease, so it’s important to wait until your business is ready for the commitment before pursuing this option. If the idea of creating your ideal office from scratch appeals to you, you might enjoy the ‘blank-canvas’ type potential that a long-term leased office space could offer. Aside from the freedom to display your company’s branding, you’ll also be able to relax about data security, as long as you control who comes in and out with secure access fobs.
One thing to bear in mind when it comes to creating your own workspace from scratch is that things you may have taken for granted before in serviced workspaces will fall to you to provide. Everything from Sound Masking to IT infrastructure and workspace maintenance will need to be thought of, so you’ll need to plan ahead and get organized to have the office of your dreams.
Coworking
Flexible work hours are just one reason that startups and freelancers alike are drawn to coworking spaces. These trendy, super stylish serviced office spaces usually boast 24/7 opening hours, allowing their members to come and go as they please, depending on the demands of their individual schedules. Flexible leases mean you don’t have to sign up for an expensive commitment, but you get the benefits of a fully-functional office, like IT infrastructure and wifi. The coworking crowd tends to be young and driven, so you get a highly productive and competitive atmosphere that fosters collaboration and innovation.
Virtual Office
Having a virtual office basically means that you work from home (or an out-of-the-way location) but seem to have an office in the heart of the central business district. This is a useful option for emerging companies who struggle to get their businesses off the ground without the credibility that a sought-after, prestigious work address affords. As well as a business address, you get mail-handling and call-answering that keeps up the fiction until you’re ready to move into your own “real” office one day.
Whether you’re a single-person startup or a large company, finding the ideal workspace for your business is not with so many solutions out there to choose from. This summary of popular workspace types will help you make your choice.
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