When you start the journey of choosing a new office space, you will be bombarded with all sorts of decisions. These can range from price to location and even whether the office is dog-friendly!
One of the most important things to consider is the type of office you’ll be moving to and how that will work for you. Coworking spaces like WeWork are becoming super popular, as we mentioned in a previous blog, and they’re shaking up the commercial real estate market. But are they the right choice for everyone?
Coworking spaces vs traditional offices – an overview
A coworking space is shared with a number of other companies while a traditional office tends to be your own private space. It’s generally thought that coworking spaces are better suited to freelancers and small startups whereas traditional offices are better suited to more established companies who want their own office space.
Having said that, they can be a great option for any number of companies and situations because of the flexibility they provide! Whether it’s to give your employees an alternative working option or to use as overflow space, coworking is a great, non-committal office choice.
The benefits of coworking spaces
Work with like-minded entrepreneurs
One of the key benefits of coworking is the social aspect. As well as being with your colleagues, you are also situated near people from other companies who are working in all types of sectors.
This provides a lot of opportunities for networking and partnerships, as you have direct access to other startups and entrepreneurs who are looking to grow and take on new challenges.
It also means you have a support network outside of work, which can be useful if you need an outside perspective on something.
Provides flexibility
Many serviced offices will offer flexible or rolling contracts, which means you don’t have to sign up to a long period of time in one workplace. This allows you to make decisions without having to lock down your future-term plans.
Coworking spaces such as WeWork and The Office Group also tend to be ‘chains’ in the sense that they have buildings in more than one location. This offers you and your employees multiple options for working if they have meetings with clients or need to be closer to home.
Ideal for expansion
All startups need room to grow and a traditional office may not necessarily provide the flexibility to accommodate new employees on short notice. On the other hand, it is easy to register a new employee in a coworking space and there won’t be too much organising or admin involved!
Typically serviced or managed
The majority of coworking spaces will be part of a larger serviced office, which means that a lot of the extras are included for you. Whether that’s tea and coffee, cleaning or access to meeting rooms, the building managers can help you with the day-to-day running of the office.
The benefits of a private office
A private office also has a number of benefits and might be something you want to consider if you’ve grown considerably or are more established as a company.
Personalise your space
Although coworking spaces can be more social, they also provide fewer opportunities for you to make the office your own and develop your brand identity. As you are sharing the office with other people, you can’t really make major decisions about the look and feel of the space. On the other hand, a private office means you can infuse the space with personality by adding bespoke furniture or rearranging the layout!
Fewer distractions
The social and buzzing aspect might not suit everyone, especially those who need the option of a quieter space to focus. In a private office, you can more readily find your focus as you are only hearing the goings-on of your own colleagues!
Lower long-term costs
Coworking spaces are incredibly convenient but they can work out as expensive if you start employing more people because you pay per head. Once you start to grow, a private office could actually work out cheaper as you pay for the size of the space rather than the number of people.
More control over your own space
In a coworking office, you might find yourself competing for shared amenities such as phone booths, meeting rooms or breakout spaces. With a private office, the space only belongs to you and you have more control over what is happening in your office and when.
We hope this guide to coworking vs private offices has given you some inspiration for the type of office you want to go for. If you’re currently looking, why not make a start on your office search?
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