1/30/2012

Virtual Office Spaces Vs. Coworking. You Decide.

Name: Davinci Virtual Office
Rating: 4.3

SAN FRANCISCO - Alternative workplace strategies are so en vogue, what with mobile workers a rising part of the distributed workforce. Virtual office space offers cost-effective answers. But coworking facilities are gaining momentum among some creative types. The six million-dollar question is—drum roll, please—would a virtual office or a coworking facility better serve your needs?

Although the coworking trend is making headlines in metros like New York and San Francisco, virtual office space is a time-tested alternative to traditional office space. Indeed, virtual offices space is a perfect fit for small business that doesn’t need access to a full-time office space and doesn’t like the idea of working side by side with potentially distracting strangers.

Coworking has its advantages, such as collaboration with other like-minded entrepreneurs. But virtual office space rises above both coworking and traditional offices by offering more privacy at a lower cost than either option. Virtual offices also give you access to virtual receptionists and virtual assistants—none of which share office space with you.

With virtual office space, you can essentially work from anywhere, including your home office, on the road, or in a meeting room associated with your virtual office provider. That means you get the best of all worlds: privacy when you need it and collaboration when you want it.

Sure, coworking is picking up steam for good reasons. It’s much less expensive than traditional office space and gives you a place to go when you need to break the haze of isolation. But virtual office space costs even less than a coworking facility and gives you the same opportunity to break the monotony of working from home by making available day offices and meeting rooms.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to office space. Some prefer the traditional office, despite its high costs and long leases. Others prefer coworking, despite the open environment and potential distractions. But virtual office space is often the alternative of choice for entrepreneurs who want the flexibility to work in solitude without breaking the start-up bank.