A unique office solution that’s seen increased growth since its inception in 1994, is the virtual office. With the technology available today, more and more businesses are allowing employees the flexibility to work remotely. The result is a workforce which is more productive and happier, and a company whose profit margin just jumped by cutting the significant overhead costs that come with maintaining a physical office.

What exactly is a virtual office?

Ever heard the saying, “Home is where your heart is”? Well, a virtual office is sort of like the office version of that saying. In other words, virtual offices take the office wherever you are. With a virtual office, you can work from anywhere you have access to a computer or other office technology. That’s the beauty of this type of unique office solution: your work becomes as mobile as you are.

What industries can use a virtual office?

The short answer: just about all of them. According to a recent study, the 10 industries using virtual offices the most are: technology, marketing and advertising, entertainment, financial, legal, consulting, retail, real estate, and construction. That’s not to say other industries can’t benefit as well. For instance, virtual offices are great for start ups trying to test the waters without sinking beneath the high overhead costs of renting office space. If you’re worried about losing the team-building and communication benefits of weekly meetings, don’t be: Virtual offices come with on-demand conference rooms and offices for meetings that can be rented hourly, daily, or weekly. Plainly put, virtual offices are a great unique office solution for any business interested in cutting costs and commute time, and increasing its staff’s productivity.

What are the benefits of a virtual office?

To better understand how and if a virtual office is right for your business and your team, we’ll enumerate the three biggest benefits of this unique office solution.

1. No more commute time
   
   Have we said enough to sway you? When you can work from anywhere, there’s no need to slog through the commute cattle drive for hours upon hours every week. Doing away with commuting is one of the main benefits of a virtual office. What’s more: when you offer employees the option of working remotely, you’ll be able to attract and retain a wider range of talent. With the population density of many major cities across the U.S., commute time has become a major factor in deciding what job to take. In fact, 80% of the workforce will tell you just having the option to telecommute is a job perk. As many as 14% of Americans have gone so far as to change jobs solely because they wanted a shorter commute. Rather than risking losing your staff to torturous commutes, why not look into a virtual office setup?
2. Save money on rent, overhead, and technology
   
   Say goodbye to the cost of office leases, utilities, desks and chairs, etc. When you run a virtual company, there’s no need to waste valuable resources on these standard office expenses. The same goes for technology: with a unique virtual office, it’s no longer your responsibility to supply the technology and employees can have the flexibility to use whatever technology they prefer. If Sam wants a Mac but Sue only knows how to use Windows, each can be accommodated. Keep in mind by not using company technology, you do open yourself up to cyber risks; particularly since it’s at your employees discretion when you update spyware and whether or not a connection is secure.
   
   With a virtual office, you’ll see immediate savings which you can pass along to your clients or your stellar staff who are now producing at a far greater rate, as you’ll see below.
3. Higher productivity
   
   Over two-thirds of professionals agree that employees working remotely is productive. With a unique office solution that allows employees to telecommute, you can shift your focus from managing the hours spent behind desks to setting goals. When your employees recognize they’re now measured on completion of these goals as opposed to who can get in on time, you’ll see their productivity rise.

Is a virtual office right for you?

Now that you have the facts, the decision is yours.

canada goose damen canada goose damen canada goose damen