Workplaces are changing and good leaders and managers are always looking for ways to be more innovative, productive, and foster an efficient workplace. For some businesses, this has taken the form of looking into co working spaces or virtual offices. Telecommuting has been gaining popularity and actually has been shown to have many advantages for both employees and employers. And with today’s technology, it’s easier and easier for employees to do so and for employers to still be able to monitor work. However, for those who still want (or need) an office space to work in, but don’t have all their employees working full time, it can sometimes be more financially sensible to look into a coop work space, rather than shelling out a ton of rent money for a space that isn’t used full time.
What are the Advantages of Telecommuting?
The top reason (for businesses) to consider letting employees work remotely is an actual uptick in productivity. According to two-third of managers who have employees working remotely, productivity is increased overall. ConnectSolutions put out a survey that showed 30% of teleworkers said that being able to do so let them do more in less time. And Sun Microsystems found that when employees worked from home, 60% of the time they would have spent commuting went into actually doing work. For some people, that could be as much as three to four gained hours a day.
Offering remote work options can also make you more competitive when it comes to recruiting talent, especially young talent. Almost 70% of millennials looking for jobs said that having this option would definitely boost their interest in certain employers.
And, over 80% of telecommuters said they had lower stress levels when they worked from home. This can lead to an overall happier workplace and better employee workplace satisfaction, which in turn, can lead to better retention rates and less job turnover.
How Do Co Working Spaces Operate?
Essentially, coworking spaces function as a shared workspace. One big office space is divvied up into office spaces for a variety of individuals or small businesses. It’s a nice alternative to working from home and at a much lower cost than a dedicated office space. They have all the amenities that a regular office might have (like private meeting rooms, kitchens, etc.,) and you’ll still be able to interact with other people. Businesses or individuals only rent what they need and different membership levels are available depending on what you’re looking for.
What are the Advantages of Using a Co Working Space?
You’ll likely save an immense amount of money using a co working space versus having a whole office space, especially if some of your team works remotely anyway. However, it’s a great way to still have a place to meet with vendors, clients, customers, and so on, or to pull the team together for a meeting when needed.
Some people also need a place to get up and go every day; working from home just isn’t productive for them. It’s a great way to give everyone on your team a way to thrive — for those who work best remotely, they can do so. For those who need an “office,” a co working space can provide that.
A co working space is also often a fully furnished office space, so you don’t have to worry about bringing furniture in. You’ll also have a dedicated address to have mail delivered to and access to technology like printers, scanners, fax machines. Plus, you’ll have office amenities like snacks, coffee, a refrigerator, microwave, and so forth.
You also never know what connections you might make in a shared working space! You’ll have much greater access to your neighbors than you might in a traditional office building, and you might find some great contacts that are beneficial to your business.
Don’t be afraid to test out something new if you’re thinking about ways to reduce cost and work more efficiently. Looking into co working spaces might be just the step you didn’t know you needed to take!
