Serviced Office vs Home Office

If you’re considering taking the plunge and moving away from working from home, hopefully this blog will help with your decision.  By setting out some of the advantages and disadvantages presented by both solutions you can assess whether this is the next step for you.

Productivity

Serviced Office	Working from Home
Advantages	Advantages
Own office space, in a professional environment Separates work from home On hand administration support as and when needed High speed dedicated business lease line Fully manned reception able to take receipt of business related mail between 9-5:30pm	No concerns about traffic issues Always on time to start the working day
Disadvantages	Disadvantages
Inability to continue working in the event of unexpected home duties i.e. poorly children.	Distractions at home – Children, pets, TV phone calls not about work Temptation to procrastinate and allow work to encroach on evenings and ‘family time’

Cost

Serviced Office	Working from Home
Advantages	Advantages
No costly initial outlay for office furniture One bill covers all – all utility bills included Receptionist to meet and greet included within the cost of the office Discounted postal charges	No outlay on travel expenses, lunch or new work clothes No cost for accommodation of business
Disadvantages	Disadvantages
Rental cost of the office	Increased energy bills Additional cost of Meetings rooms Hospitality costs in Cafes/Hotels

Flexibility

Serviced Office	Working from Home
Advantages	Advantages
Size of office can fluctuate up or down depending on business needs Normally minimum 3 month licence 24 hours access, 7 days a week Office layout to suit individual requirements Access to meeting rooms and alternative/complimentary office equipment – (more robust, heavy duty printers, stationery, franking machines etc)	Choose your own working hours
Disadvantages	Disadvantages
2 month’s notice	Restricted to the size of your study or spare room

Location

Serviced Office	Working from Home
Advantages	Advantages
Creates a more professional image Provides a light airy working environment cleaned regularly Opportunities to network with other tenants Receptionist to meet and greet your visitors	Own home environment – everything is yours and you know where you keep it
Disadvantages	Disadvantages
Commuting to work	Working from home can become very lonely Miss out on networking opportunities Potential security concerns – customers know your home address

 

Conclusion

Clearly there are advantages and disadvantages to both options. However, our experience tells us that productivity and job satisfaction increase when you redefine the barriers and have a designated working day – work wins and home wins.

If cost is stopping you from taking that jump from your cosy spare room, to a professional work office space then why not try having a virtual office first. All the advantages of an office – call handling service, use of business address on stationery etc.  access to meeting rooms with meet and greet service for less than the price of a coffee a day.

There are so many different options available with a Serviced Office solution – call handling, business address, day office, hot desking, fully serviced offices you name it.