One of the trends in today’s business world is an increased focus on employee satisfaction and productivity. That focus combined with rising leasing rates are causing even the most established employers to rethink the concept of the corporate office.
A new school of thought is steadily emerging among businesses of all sizes, and it’s based on functional and financial efficiency. These trailblazers are leading their employees into the modern virtual office experience, where employers and employees all stand to benefit.
What does the future of the office look like? Here are a few comparisons of the traditional office and the modern virtual office.
Comparison 1: Work Schedule
Traditional Office: All employees are expected to arrive at 9 a.m. and leave at 5 p.m. with designated breaks in the morning, at lunch, and in the afternoon.
Virtual Office: Employees are granted 24-hour access to their office space. They are free to arrive and leave at any time. Breaks are decided at the discretion of the employee.
Advantage: Virtual Office. The virtual office offers a productivity-boosting freedom that allows employees to take advantage of their natural rhythms. It also provides for greater flexibility for employees with outside responsibilities or clients in different time zones. The traditional office can be restricting and limit creativity and production.
Comparison 2: Workspace
Traditional Office: Employees are assigned to a designated workspace where they are expected to remain throughout the day. These workspaces are often blocked off from coworkers with walls or cubicles.
Virtual Office: On-demand meeting rooms and coworking spaces are open to professionals from a variety of businesses. Employees are free to move around the office to work and interact with their coworking community.
Advantage: Virtual Office. The modern office is no longer a centralized hub at corporate headquarters. It’s a shared space for a variety of professionals, where employees can network and work in an innovative environment. Coworking spaces encourage interaction and cooperation.
Comparison 3: Overhead Costs
Traditional Office: In order to secure a prominent business location, the business owner signs a five-year commercial lease at a premium price. Office furniture and equipment are then purchased to project a professional image and ensure all employees are capable of completing their work.
Virtual Office: In order to secure a prominent business location, the business owner acquires a virtual address. The owner also rents on-demand office space, where a professional staff is able to greet clients, and employees have all of the modern tools to operate.
Advantage: Virtual Office. The virtual office offers on-demand services that don’t require long-term lease commitments, which can limit the growth of your business. With a highly trained professional staff, luxurious office furniture, and professional office equipment, a virtual office offers all of the mainstays of a traditional office at a much lower cost.
Comparison 4: Staff Benefits
Traditional Office: A full-time administrative asssistant is paid an annual salary along with medical insurance, eight days of paid sick leave, and ten days of paid vacation.
Virtual Office: Highly trained assistants are available to perform all of the required administrative tasks of a full-time administrative assistant. Virtual office assistants are always available and are paid for on an on-demand basis.
Advantage: Virtual Office. The virtual office offers a team of local professionals who are trained specifically for your business. A virtual assistant is an on-demand service, which means business owners can save the time and money usually allotted for hiring and paying a full-time employee.
The virtual office is the office of the future, but you don’t have to wait. Intelligent Office offers all of these benefits and more. Get a quote on the services you need now.
