Nowadays it’s possible to work from almost anywhere including in a home office. This has been a huge change in recent years, with many employees choosing to work at home. The trend is also driven by startups, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who may not want to put money into renting an office as their business grows.
Have you found yourself wondering if it’s time to consider another place for your company? Are you tired of working from home, with all its many distractions? Then you may want to consider switching your home office for a serviced office.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the differences between a serviced office and a home office, along with their pros and cons. We want to help you make the right decision for your company. Moving to an office isn’t easy; however, it may be something to consider.
Table of Contents
Home Office
Working from home comes with a mix of being more comfortable and distractions that can take away focus. Plus, maybe you’re ready to have a “real” office, which would lend more credibility to your business. Which is better for you – the home office or a serviced office?
Here are the pros and cons of working in a home office.
Pros
Flexibility
This is a huge plus of working from a home office. You can work whenever choose. If you’re more comfortable at the kitchen counter or in the living room, you have the option to work where you want. You can also create your own work schedule, which may be a better fit for the way you work.
Taking a break is also easier when you work from home. If you need a bit of energy, there’s always the option to take a walk in the late afternoon to rev your engine. Or if you have family responsibilities, it’s easier to fulfil these when working from home.
Another great pro of working from home is having a better work/life balance. You’ll be able to stay with your family, or even take those courses you’ve wanted to study!
Comfort
Working from home provides you with a comfortable environment where you’re free of office politics, drama, and more. You can even dress as you’d like. Want to work in your PJs? No one will be able to tell you no. And if you need to join a virtual meeting, just make sure you’re business-ready from the waist up. If you wear sweatpants, keep them out of sight.
Commuting Costs & Time
Commuting is both expensive and takes a huge chunk out of your day. Nothing is worse than being stuck on the train and it is stopped for some unforeseeable issue. Or what about spending hours in rush hour to and from work each day? That’s simply draining.
What’s more, commuting to work and back can be expensive. You can save money and avoid rush hour by working from home. It may give more time back into your day, as well as help you be fresh when it’s time to head to work in the living room.
Cons
Distractions
We mentioned that briefly earlier in the post. When working from a home office, there are many distractions you’ll need to deal with. It can include family members, pets, personal tasks, and more. Or maybe you’d like to stop and catch up with your favourite show on Netflix.
It’s too easy to become distracted in a home office unless you make boundaries for your family, pets (though that’s hard to enforce), as well as other tasks and watching TV.
Isolation
Working from a home office can make you feel isolated. There’s no one to talk with and no way to bounce ideas off one another.
Relationships in the office are important. Working from a home office means you won’t have the opportunity to make these essential connections.
For these reasons, working in a home office can be draining and depressing for some people. The introverts are great at working from home, while the social butterfly suffers from a lack of contact with others. This can lead not only to depression but also make it difficult to focus and stay productive.
Expenses
Working at home can involve some unknown costs such as insurance to run your company from home, as well as paying business rates on your home property.
And what about those times you’d like to have a meeting with a customer or client? Your home office may not be an impressive setting for this type of meeting.
Shutting Work Off
Working from a home office can make it challenging to shut down by a certain time each day. Because you’re running your business from home, there’s the possibility to stay connected with customers and partners, even in the late hours of the day.
Another problem is lack of sleep and relaxation. Without enough sleep and time to unwind, you’ll soon lose your edge. These issues can take away your focus and productivity, too.
Serviced Offices
Now, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of serviced offices. You may be pleasantly surprised by what they can offer you and your business.
Pros
Professional Work Environment
You won’t have to worry about not making a good impression when working from a serviced office. A serviced office provides a professional environment, where your company can gain credibility and make a good first impression. With a serviced office, you don’t have to worry about the cat taking over the screen during a virtual meeting.
Your clients and customers will have more trust in the company. It’s difficult for some people to consider that working from a home office is appropriate. Plus, it can make your company look like a fly-by-night organisation. A serviced office will save you from all these issues.
In addition, working in a professional environment may even make it easy for you to stay focused and up your productivity. This could mean you’ll bring in more clients and revenue.
Community
A serviced office also makes it easier to connect with others in the office community. You can work with other business owners and like-minded people. Networking and making those essential business connections are much easier in the service office.
Plus, the community can even be a great source of information when you come up against a business problem. There are people available to offer you advice and guidance, people who have more experience and want to share it with others. What a great benefit this would be in a serviced office.
Additional Services
Serviced offices usually include additional services you can utilise. These can include a professional welcome reception area, where clients are greeted warmly. And you’ll have access to the highest tech, secure, and compliant Internet connectivity, and more. May serviced offices also include cleaning services, free parking, access to on-site kitchens, and more.
They also offer flexible contracts, even on a rolling basis. This gives you the chance to pay for three months for the serviced office to see if it’s a good fit for you and your company. Serviced offices also make it easy to many company finances. You pay one monthly fee, which covers everything.
Cons
Cost
When it comes to a serviced office, it will cost you more than working from a home office. The price is determined by the facility’s location, the amount of space you need, and other factors.
In addition, you’ll be back to the commute again, with all the expense and wasted time.
Rates
Some serviced office facilities may include hidden costs in your bill. For instance, it may be necessary to pay for larger space than you need, which means more money down the drain. And rates can vary widely. This is due to different brands, working environments, and even a prestigious address. You can expect to pay more for that.
It’s a big decision moving from a home office to a serviced office. There are pros and cons on both sides. However, take your time. Don’t rush into anything. Consider how your business is doing now, and if moving to a serviced office could improve your company.
If your business is starting to grow and you need space for employees, the serviced office may be the best option.
So, be sure to walk through all the pros and cons before choosing a serviced office. We have to say, though, that a serviced office may provide many unseen benefits to working at home.
