Today, work is what you do, not a rigid position you go to anymore. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, work for a small business, or are concerned about big physical space expenditures, then there are many explanations for finding the best alternative to a virtual office.
Not only do virtual offices minimize the expenditure and overhead costs related to technology (by reducing the costs of your lease and construction expenses), it also makes the company more profitable as you provide an incentive for your remote employees to work from the places they feel most convenient.
Virtual offices are a relatively new idea in the business world, but chances are it could be a calling card to take your business to the next level. There are five explanations below to clarify why you should try your company's virtual office.
Your Team Is Distributed
Any team that doesn't work in the same room will benefit from getting an online office space. Also co-located teams can come under the umbrella of a "distributed team" – in fact, according to Professor Judith Olson, if you work with someone who is more than 100 meters away from you, you are theoretically a part of a distributed team.
Why is it a big deal if you're not in the same place as your colleagues? It turns out that even colleagues who are separated by a wall can interact and collaborate less as distance increases. Thomas J. Allen, a professor at MIT, said that "communication between people drops radically as soon as their distance from each other exceeds the length of a school bus." Coming to work in an online office will bridge these differences by allowing ad hoc communication and online presence.
Cost Effective
Yes, the virtual office requires some initial investment to set up. But it can be quickly restored by getting telecommunications workers out of their homes. A recent report from BusinessWeek noted that companies can save up to £8,000 for every employee who works remotely. This excludes money saved from making some kind of technological investment and from taking office buildings on a lease basis.
This means that virtual offices are no longer only for small businesses. Even if you run a larger company, you can use virtual offices to spread your divisions. There may be minor security problems when you work from a remote location, but this can be easily avoided by using a better encryption service for your data.
Your Office Culture Needs Improvement
It can seem insignificant, but the atmosphere of the workplace matters. Feelings of bond between your co-workers would allow your whole team to feel happy and valued at work. Social capital built on common interactions that are not directly linked to work is important for teamwork and employee engagement.
But when you work from so many different locations and time zones, it can be hard to develop a positive office culture. Spending five minutes a year to send a holiday email to your squad does nothing to encourage camaraderie. It's easy working in an online workplace. Designate a "water cooler" room where your teammates can come together to talk and develop relationships. Turn your video and audio on to chat like you're in the same place.
Increase in output
The Chicago-based marketing company has selected a virtual office to reduce its investment costs. What was to be a year-long experiment, the company turned into a permanent solution after the company's output improved significantly with a reduction in turnover time. In addition, the workers were much happier.
Most people are happier doing their work from their houses, avoiding some sort of drama that happens after being put up with people they don't like. This results in improved productivity and decreased turnover time.
Convenient Multitasking
The whole idea of getting a virtual office is to help your company accomplish multiple tasks at the same time. The majority of virtual office service providers offer services such as mail forwarding/receiving, meeting room, call answering, virtual reception and customer service, etc.
These programs are helping small businesses a lot. Relax and calmly make your future strategies as people handle all your professional endeavors.
Are You Ready to Find Your New Virtual Office?
We have just what you are looking for! Victory Workspace serves professionals in the Walnut Creek, California area. At Victory Workspace, we offer a variety of Virtual Office packages designed to give you all the benefits of a traditional office at a fraction of the cost. What does it mean to have a virtual office? What would it look like to have one? How would it change your business and your day-to-day work life? We are the leaders in virtual workspaces in Walnut Creek because we have an innovative and comprehensive approach to non-traditional workspaces. To learn more, set up your free tour or inquire about which one of services might be right for you, reach out to one of our amazing Community Guides at Victory Workspace for more information.
