At some point in our lives we’ve pictured our ultimate office - in fact, an image most likely just popped into your mind. Inspired by a movie, a blog post, a prophetic vision, this ideal work space might be all glass with an Eames lounge chair in the corner or an open industrial spot with one expansive reclaimed wood table with everyone working side by side. A good chef can cook anywhere, but in a well-stocked gourmet kitchen, a good chef can become great.
Home Office – Easy and difficult
Save money, save time on commute, be more available to family, amplify productivity in your favorite environment, work at your best time, work in your pajamas. Hiring employees who work from home allows companies to hire who they want no matter where they are and to hold on to key employees when other factors arise.
Although you may be saving money, working from home requires extreme discipline because of all the distractions that lurk in every corner. You need to compartmentalize home and work with the skill of a double agent: the laundry, the dishes, the TV – you have to block out what distracts your attention, including your nearest and dearest. Set boundaries and establish times for interacting with the kids or your better half and get a distinctive ring so you don’t accidentally answer that call from mom. It’s to have a separate room if at all possible.
The key to success for a company with employees who all telecommute is to set up operations specifically for a Distributed Team - this differs from a group of Remote Workers in that a Distributed Team operates on protocols that are designed when everyone is working in a different location. A remote work situation is a traditional office when one or a few workers are off-site. Working as a Distributed Team assures that everyone participates in everything – no one will miss out on the joke or the ability to contribute a winning idea! Read this article to learn the difference between a Distributed Team and a Remote Team.
Shared Offices and Work Spaces– Surrounding your business with more than just walls
Shared office spaces provide the flexibility of a major corporate space with the feel of a boutique office environment. Most shared work spaces, like Work Better, cater to a variety of industries, providing offices of various sizes and uses that allow a business to scale up or size down as their business evolves.
Someone else is responsible for the phones, internet, security, printers, premium coffee, and everything else that would normally be on your plate. Sharing space also creates the opportunity to mingle with other entrepreneurs on a daily basis. This can be conducive to creativity and innovation while also expand your network, which may be vital your business. Basically, in a shared office, most everything is taken care of so that you can focus on what you are there to do.
Lease Office Space - Taking a big step toward a long-term commitment
A place of your own. This may be your big dream and if you are ready for it, congratulations! Not only will you want the security of long term capital projections to fulfill at least a 2-5 year lease, you may want to hire an office and/or IT manager to oversee operations on a functional and technical level - you don’t want to find yourself running two businesses. Lease payments can be top-line tax deductions, which will offset some of the extra costs associated with leasing your own space. A long-term financial projection by a professional is highly recommended before making any decisions.
