A simple guide to making the most of a virtual office
These days, the use of online-based digital tools is deeply entrenched in many of our working practices – and we might soon come to rely on those tools even more than ever. As the coronavirus has continued to spread, tech enables us to largely continue with our daily routines, Fox News notes.
Then there’s the case of the “virtual office”, a set of remotely-managed services provided with the option of booking a day office or meeting room as required. With a virtual office, you should…
Choose an especially comfortable work environment
As Startups.co.uk explains, renting a virtual office will give you a “proper” business address to replace your home address on your firm’s documents, paperwork and advertising. However, mail sent to that address can still be redirected to your home address.
You don’t just have to work from home, though. You could also consider working in a library, cafe or, indeed, any other local venue from which you can easily travel back home to pick up the post.
Allow your staff to work flexibly
You aren’t necessarily the only person in the business who has free rein over where they work. In the age of the coronavirus, even established businesses could see sense in renting virtual offices while asking their staff to work from home – or, indeed, wherever they want.
This would be no small boon for your employees if, say, they have to juggle their work responsibilities with the school run or fancy the occasional workout during the usual work hours.
Recruit from across the country, not just locally
Virtual offices can be especially appealing to entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses currently lacking the financial resources to invest in a fully-fledged physical space. However, choosing a virtual office doesn’t strictly mean “settling”, as it would give you flexibility concerning where you recruit.
Therefore, if you need particular talent that tends to be hard to come by in your local area, you can now recruit those workers more easily, without requiring them to uproot and relocate.
Set and communicate the “ground rules” for your employees
Of course, one risk when running a remote office is that your staff could too easily lose sight of exactly what they are supposed to do and when. Therefore, you should be careful to communicate with them about the resources they ought to use daily, as Business Woman Media explains.
These resources can include communications software, voicemail tool and cloud services – and, remember, your staff must be trained in how to use those tools assigned to them.
Consider renting in a big city for the networking opportunities
There are various places where you can rent a virtual office and enjoy the prestige of a local business address. However, you could be particularly drawn to renting in a major city such as New York or Los Angeles, as networking events are often held in these places to foster corporate connections. It’s possible to rent a virtual office in London areas including Threadneedle Street and Hatton Garden.
