What Is A Virtual Office? And Why You Need One

Overhead expenses are bleeding thousands of businesses like yours dry.

For example, in San Francisco, the startup capital of the U.S., office rent prices have hit $81.25 per square foot. That’s higher than during the peak of the dot-com bubble.

However, due to the growing development and accessibility of technology, the modern workplace is evolving. Costly brick-and-mortar offices are dying off, and virtual offices are taking their place.

In fact, some experts estimate that up to half of the entire American workforce will become virtual workers by 2020.

So what is a virtual office? How does a virtual office work? What are some virtual office benefits?

Read on to learn everything you need to know about one of the biggest business trends to watch for in 2019 and beyond!

What Is a Virtual Office?

Since the early 1700s, office workers have found themselves tethered to immobile workspaces.

However, a virtual office is a solution that allows you to manage a team of workers from anywhere in the world via the Internet. It eliminates the need to rent rooms for your business.

Virtual office service providers give you the option to buy a registered business address. They also have packages that include everything from mail forwarding to live receptionists.

What Are the Benefits of a Virtual Office?

Due to a lack of face-to-face interaction, some people may find it challenging to lead a remote team. That said, a virtual workplace offers plenty of advantages to business owners.

Let’s take a quick look at a few reasons why more and more business owners are opting for virtual offices.

Increased Productivity

Happy workers are as much as 20 percent more productive than unhappy workers.

There’s nothing smile-inducing about driving half an hour to work and then spending another 8 hours cooped up in a bland, soulless room. The traditional nine-to-five office job encourages people to despise work.

By working from home, workers can skip the commute and customize their work environment. As a result, you end up with happier, more efficient employees.

Less Overhead

Instead of wasting thousands of dollars each month on rent and associated costs, you pay at most a few hundred for a virtual office package. Not to mention, your employees can buy and upgrade their own devices, so you save money on hardware costs as well.

Professional Business Image

You don’t need a traditional office to enjoy the perks of having a reputable business address. Hoxton Mix, for example, offers virtual office plans that allow you to use their address for your business and keep your home address private.

When you go with a virtual office, customers will have more confidence in your company, and you won’t have to worry about long-term rent agreements.

Stronger Talent Pool

Limiting yourself to candidates that live near your brick-and-mortar office causes you to miss out on a lot of talent. Virtual offices, on the other hand, enable you to hire the right workers regardless of where they live.

Going Virtual with Your Business

If you’re looking to get the most out of your virtual office, you need to invest in cloud storage services and collaboration tools. Doing so enables your team to have 24/7 access to important documents and stay connected with each other.

Now that you know the answer to the question “What is a virtual office?”, want to ensure your virtual workers stay productive? If so, check out our list of the best workplace productivity apps!