The number one aim of an office building is to provide a comfortable and productive work space for one or many businesses. The building can house from one to many companies, depending on the size of the company in relation to the size of the building. With that in mind, it is important for the leader of the company to decide which office space best fits his or her company’s needs. There are several common types of office spaces to choose from, such as executive suites, serviced office space, virtual offices and traditional office space.
Executive Suites
The executive suite is normally one of a group of single offices usually used by fledgling businesses or companies that do not require a large space. Some common ways you might see these offices referenced are executive office, serviced office, managed office and furnished office. Some executive suites include services such as a common receptionist, office furniture and equipment, janitorial service, etc. As a business owner, you will need to find out if these additional services are included, and how much that might add to the rent. For businesses that need these types of services, this is an affordable option. The downside is that you have to share the services with neighboring offices and frustrations can arise from sharing common amenities.
Serviced Offices
Serviced offices are executive suites that provide the aforementioned services and are primarily used by new or developing businesses. Shared office space, another term for serviced office space, is fully furnished space shared by other companies. These spaces keep cost down and provide businesses an engaging atmosphere to work as an alternative to working from home. A serviced office is often a business entity itself, owned and managed by a separate company than the building management. This company will provide the space, furnishing, equipment, and sometimes shared personnel that will help the new company or individual keep the startup cost minimal. The problem with serviced offices is that they tend to cost more than alternatives, such as furnished executive suites and virtual offices.
Virtual Offices
One of the newest office space plans is the virtual office, which utilizes the latest technology and communication devices to make working from home or anywhere else easy. The idea of the virtual office grew out of the executive suite and the need of some professionals to work from home. The virtual office takes advantage of advanced mobile technology to combine home and work in order to utilize the advantages of the two. There are many advantages of a virtual office, such as low or no commute time, no long term lease commitment and low overhead costs. While it may seem flexible and fitting to an agile professional, it could fall short in portraying a heightened level of professionalism to your clients.
Traditional Office Space
While the above alternatives to traditional office space may seem attractive to a small business, traditional office space offers the same functionality, a better image for your business and can be cost-effective, if you find a good deal. As technology continues to evolve, costly components of traditional office space are replaced with cheaper and more effective resources, so traditional office space is flexible in the sense that you can apply the same benefits that you find in executive suites and virtual offices.
In conclusion, you can see there are many types of office space out there, from traditional to virtual. It is important to know which one or combination of the types mentioned above will work best for your particular company.