Identify the need
Working from home has a lot to recommend it. You can work whenever you want. You don’t have to worry about your coworkers stealing your lunch from the fridge (unless you have kids). And you can stay in your pajamas.
But those benefits bring with them some real drawbacks when it comes to professional image. The first time a client asks to “meet at your office” and you look around at the dog toys and unfolded laundry, you’ll realize what I mean. Having a place to work outside the house can help clients see you as more professional and help you avoid holding whole conversations with your Labrador Retriever.
You think it might be time to move your small business off your dining room table and into a more professional workspace. But how do you decide between coworking space and a dedicated office?
Explore your options
We all know what a dedicated office is. It’s an office in professional building with a door you can close. You might be a little less familiar with coworking space. It’s the hot new way for small businesses and start-ups to get things done, but not everybody knows exactly what it means.
Generally a coworking space is a large space with several desks, high speed internet and a coffee pot. Business people can drop in and out at their leisure with their laptops and set up shop on an empty desk for the day. You might be working next to a pet photographer on Wednesday and a web designer on Thursday.
Assess your needs
Both working situations offer pros and cons. It’s up to you as a business owner to figure out which one fits your needs.
Coworking space offers you flexibility. You can pay for as few as two days per month. So if you really only need a dedicated workspace a couple of days a month, coworking might be right for you. It also exposes you to other people who are running businesses (remember the web designer and the pet photographer?) with whom you can network and share ideas.
The downsides of coworking is that even if you have a dedicated desk, you don’t have much privacy. You’re working in an open concept office with a bunch of other people. Also, it may not be cost effective if you plan to be there all day every day. The pay as you go model eventually becomes more expensive than just getting an office.
A dedicated office gives you privacy. You can shut the door and take a phone call uninterrupted. You also have more physical space to spread out your work and don’t have to worry as much about disturbing your neighbors since there are walls between you and them.
Whichever you choose, coworking space or dedicated office, College Park Executive Suites has the space you need to help your business thrive. Email today for details on the spaces we have available.
