As the world of work evolves, businesses have a greater number of office space options to consider; and they can even opt for a strategic mix to suit their needs. Here’s an in-depth look at managed offices, and whether they’re right for you and your teams.
If you want a private dedicated office space, you have three options: serviced offices, traditional offices and managed offices. All are great in their own right and are able to provide the perfect solution to different businesses.
The newest of the three is managed office space, which replicates the hassle-free ease of serviced office space, but with your ‘own front door’. It gives you the ability to create your own space, and promote your own brand and corporate identity in what very much feels like your office, as opposed to a space in someone else’s.
Managed office providers will work with you to create a workspace designed around your needs, and then they’ll deliver it for you. Think on brand company colours and tailored furniture layouts – complemented with your own amenities that your teams won’t have to share with other businesses.
The key difference is that managed offices give businesses their own space. They provide an opportunity for companies to brand it and make it their own in terms of the space plan, aesthetics, technology and services provided.
A serviced office, on the other hand, gives you a private office space and shared amenities within a larger space, which is operated and branded by the serviced office provider. Serviced offices are attractive to small businesses because they offer a simple, flexible and convenient office solution, with great customer service and access to amenities on demand – ready to go. However, you buy into the office experience that the provider defines and delivers.
In contrast, once you walk through the front door of a managed office space, you’re in your office – you see your brand’s name over the reception desk and you create your own look, feel and company identity. You control the experience. It really helps build a company culture amongst your employees and complements the corporate image you are promoting to your visiting clients. Managed offices also offer more privacy and security than serviced offices, as you don’t have to share your spaces or amenities with other businesses.
Like a serviced office, managed spaces are delivered for you, as a service – your rent is all-inclusive, paid monthly, and there are no upfront costs. You can also call on someone at any time to provide anything you need, or to address any issues.
Managed offices appeal to two key target markets. Firstly, businesses that are outgrowing coworking or serviced offices – who still want the flexibility and convenience, but now want a space of their own.
Secondly, more established businesses that may have previously taken conventionally leased spaces, but now see the value of a more flexible solution that removes the burden of fitting out and managing their offices themselves.
Managed office spaces typically vary in size from 2,000 sq ft up to 15,000 sq ft, which is quite a range, so it’s suitable for scale-up companies, SMEs, corporate project teams, or even as an HQ.
Design-wise, most operators are moving with the times and offering a more agile space plan to suit modern working styles. Agile spaces take into account flexible working practices and provide only a proportion of desks for team members. For example, a team of 150 people might take a space with 60-70 desks, then rotate their team under the premise that not everyone will be in the office on the same day, and not everyone will require a set desk.
As the world evolves, let us evolve with you. Contact us today to find out how we can best assist you.