There are so many considerations to take into account when thinking about setting up a virtual office. First of all, a common concern that people have is that they will feel isolated outside of a team environment, particularly if they are used to speaking to people all day. One way of making sure that this doesn’t happen is to keep having regular communications on the telephone and even video conferencing with colleagues or clients.
Having the relevant software or apps to send quick messages to people will also help to keep you connected with others. Taking a break at the local coffee shop from time to time or going out for lunch can also be a good idea when you are not too busy.
Commuting
Maybe you are currently looking at a change of career and are considering freelance jobs. In this case, you will no doubt be keen to understand the benefits of virtual offices. The beauty of freelance work is that you can usually work from anywhere you choose. So whether that is a home office or a workshop to rent London, whichever solution suits your circumstances and budget.
So one of the biggest benefits is that you can reduce commute time, so if you are working from home or somewhere a short distance from your home you could be saving a lot of commute time and costs.
IT Costs
You also have the option to choose your preferred technology, with access to Google Drive, Trello and other great collaborative online tools that are free to use. IT costs for large businesses can spiral out of control with network set up, security and maintenance costs etc. but working from a virtual office you can avoid a lot of those costs.
Recruitment Costs/Salaries and Benefits
If you own a business that is growing then you will also have access to talent from across the world, rather than just the local market. There are many companies out there that take advantage of lower salaries paid in countries like the Philippines for different roles including a virtual assistant to help with general tasks. So businesses can save a great deal of money by operating from a virtual team format, perhaps calling on the services of freelancers that do a few hours work per week for them.
As well as being able to employ workers at lower salary rates, there are also the savings that can be made through not being responsible for holiday pay, pensions etc. and the office running costs.
Employee Engagement
People working from virtual offices enjoy the flexibility that it provides. Rather than taking a day of their holiday entitlement to have furniture delivered, for example, as working from home allows them to schedule their work around it. Childcare is another area that can be made much easier by having a virtual office, as it takes less time to get to the school/nursery.
Fewer Distractions = More Productivity
If you are somebody that easily gets distracted or even frustrated by other people in the office being noisy or other annoying behaviours then a virtual office will feel like your haven of productivity. No waiting for the printer, long walks to the toilet, overcrowded lifts or any of those other problems that eat into your time when working in large offices.
One thing that you should consider is how much less walking you might do if you are not commuting, as you might be surprised at how sedentary your days can become. So if you do not exercise regularly then try and go for a walk during your break/lunch to keep moving and prevent the problems associated with sedentary lifestyles.