Remote working and coop work spaces are becoming more popular as companies reap the benefits of increased productivity. Over 65% of working professionals in one study said that having the option to work remotely increases productivity for the company. In fact, Sun Microsystems found that when they allowed employees to telecommute, workers spent 60% of the time they would have been commuting actually working instead. The growth of remote workers has created the demand for more working spaces called virtual offices, coop spaces, or coworking spaces.
The remote working option is growing. In a study including 1,000 professionals, 65% said that they give their employees the option to work from home or telecommute. There’s no doubt that it provides a cost savings to companies and their bottom lines.
In addition to those who work remotely, there are many people taking advantage of what’s referred to as the “gig economy.” Sometimes attributed to millennials and their adaptation to the poor economy they grew into, the gig economy allows people to offer their particular services from any location. For example, you can be a writer, graphic designer, software coder, marketing specialist, social media manager.
Not everyone who wants to work remotely wants to work at home alone in their pajamas, though not having to commute is cited as a huge benefit. It is still important to network, have meetings, be social while working, and interact to get new ideas. Coworking spaces provide the best of all of this with dedicated furnished offices, meeting rooms, virtual assistants, and collaborative workspace.
Virtual spaces and coworking offices also help those who are living what’s known as the “digital nomad” lifestyle. These workers are not only not confined to a job or a cubicle, they work anywhere they want in the world. If they are traveling in Thailand, Rome, Delaware, or Los Angeles, they can find virtual office space for rent to meet their needs on a temporary basis.
The communities that grow from coop offices can be amazing networks in their own right. Imagine a space where the person you need to help you run a Facebook advertising campaign could be the lady sitting next to you. Or perhaps you need someone to help you build that website you have been meaning finish. Beyond just services and opportunities for networking, there are real options for growing your business with the fellow office space users. Some spaces even do volunteer projects together and hold open house events to bring in community members who might need their services.
Some of the ways coworking spaces can be used are to hold meetings with potential customers, rent a virtual suite for a team building meeting, rent space for a workshop, get a dedicated office for making phone calls and following up with emails, use the copiers to create flyers and mailers, hold calls with vendors, and have video conferences with a white board and conference calling system. The options for your office and workspace are virtually unlimited.
The remote working and coworking space phenomenon is exciting to watch. It will be interesting to see how the field develops over time and what other interesting features are added to office space solutions.