Does a Professional Office Matter in a Post-Covid World?

Remember the days when a corner office suite with mahogany-clad walls and downtown views was the must-have item in business?

Fast-forward to 2022, and that luxury item doesn’t seem quite so important.

Click here, to visit Alliance Virtual Offices website.

Why not?

The pandemic triggered a seismic shift in how we work. Transitioning from an office-centric culture to more flexible ways of working gave business leaders an unexpected yet valuable opportunity to evaluate what really matters in their organizations. Even now, with the worst of the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, many companies are still in the experimental phase. It's a decision process that’s unique to every organization: continue working remotely? Back to the office full-time? Or adopt a hybrid approach? There is no single right or wrong answer. One thing that has changed is the perception of the office. Business leaders have been forced to scrutinize costs, commitments, and liabilities. A workplace lease, typically the second-largest cost behind the workforce, is now under the microscope. With uncertainty still lingering, the view from the corner office no longer matters. What matters now is cost efficiency, flexibility, and productivity. These are essential elements that drive real, sustainable growth. So, does a professional office matter in a post-Covid world? In terms of perception, it matters a lot less than it used to. After all, casual dress and blurry Zoom backgrounds have become our new normal, and many businesses are doing perfectly well (in some cases better) without their former office routines. Many workers are doing equally well without their daily commutes, too. However, even though a head office may not be required for day-to-day work, certain elements are still a necessity. For example:

• A business address: This is needed for official purposes such as company registration, tax records, and business licensing.
• A place to meet: It’s not practical (or professional) to invite clients for meetings at home.  And it’s not always appropriate or productive to host your meetings at a noisy local coffee. You still need a venue for business meetings that’s quiet, private, and designed for the job.
• A place to collaborate: Not every worker thrives in a remote environment. Sometimes it’s necessary to get together and work collaboratively in a business-focused environment.

Good news is, businesses don’t need a physical head office to fulfil these needs. One solution comes in the form of a virtual office, which combines all these must-haves with the added benefits of flexibility and cost efficiency. A virtual office is a combination of remote office services. It provides small businesses and entrepreneurs with a recognized business address, a place to receive mail, and access to meeting rooms, without paying for full-time office rental. It utilizes a physical location that serves as an official business address, and also provides onsite meeting rooms or workspace on an as-needed basis. But because you only pay for the address – not full-time physical office space – it's significantly more cost-effective. Companies that don’t need a full-time office but want to maintain the professionalism of a recognized address with on-demand workspace are switching to virtual offices, and this trend has increased noticeably since the onset of the pandemic. Here at Alliance Virtual Offices, we’ve always operated with a globally dispersed team. Remote work is part of our culture. Most of our team members work from wherever they feel most comfortable and productive, be it their home, a local coworking space, or simply wherever their laptop is. When we need to hold meetings in-person, we look for local meeting rooms that are convenient for all parties. There are thousands of meeting room locations all over the U.S., fully connected and kitted out and ready for the job. It’s not just about professionalism – it's about productivity. These spaces are set up in a way that make meetings more productive. Meeting rooms are quiet, private, the Wi-Fi is reliable, there are refreshments, and professional staff onsite to help make sure the projector is working and the whole event runs smoothly. As a flexible organization with a remote team, we’re one of a growing number of organizations that are choosing a more productive and cost-effective future. Professionalism still matters, but it’s no longer about the luxury corner office suite. To us, and thousands of companies like us, this way of working really is luxury.

Click here, to visit Alliance Virtual Offices website.