According to the 2018 Global Coworking Survey, 1.7 million people will be using coworking office space by the end of 2018. In the past decade, these shared spaces have exploded in popularity as Millennials have come into the workforce.
But it’s not just Millennials who are driving this rise in popularity. Coworking spaces are becoming common-sense tools for developing businesses that are looking for efficiency over tradition. Let’s take at a few of the ways that coworking spaces are reshaping the office experience and presenting new opportunities for business owners.
Collaboration and Networking
Coworking advocates point to the open and productive atmosphere that these spaces create as a defining feature. Businesses and professionals of all types are often represented in coworking spaces. This cross-pollination of ideas and personality types is a social perk, but it also can enhance creativity and lead to innovation.
The social aspect of a coworking space and virtual offices is often overlooked. While formal business collaboration is an important piece of the puzzle, the informal interactions of a coworking space contribute to a sense of community that traditional offices often lack. The result is a connected office environment that builds meaningful relationships in and out of the office. These relationships can be professionally valuable as well, especially when facilitated by the virtual office itself (through events like “Lunch & Learns”), as people present educational information about their industry, give referrals, and build professional networks.
Cost Savings
While proponents of coworking spaces and on-demand offices usually focus on their intangible benefits, let’s not forget about the almighty dollar. Developing businesses are always looking for the most efficient solutions, so it should come as no surprise that the most cost-effective office model has burst to the forefront of the business scene.
For many businesses, there’s no getting around the long-term commitment and expensive leasing rates of commercial real estate. Coworking spaces have bridged the gap for these businesses – providing a professional setting at an affordable rate in a desirable location.
From a financial standpoint, coworking spaces and virtual offices are simply less risky and more efficient than their traditional counterparts.
Support
Many people assume that coworking spaces are just that – spaces. But high-end virtual office providers offer more professional options than the flannel-clad coworking stereotype. Companies like Intelligent Office are more dynamic, offering support and services for members of their network. This is part of a general business trend of on-demand services, where consumers pick, choose, and pay for only the services they need.
At Intelligent Office, business owners can choose from a variety of office space and business service options. In addition to coworking opportunities, Intelligent Office members can take advantage of phone answering services, virtual assistants, reserved meeting rooms, a virtual business address, and more.
It’s important to remember these are a la carte solutions, so if a business owner is only looking for coworking space, that is what they pay for. If a business owner wants more assistance, those services also are available.
If you’re looking to join the coworking boom, get a quote from Intelligent Office today!
