Virtual office. You’ve probably heard the phrase bandied around or seen it written down when you’ve been looking into setting up your business. So what is a virtual office?

Basically a virtual office falls under the flexible workspace umbrella. It is a way for a business to have a presence in an area where they don’t want or can’t be physically located. A virtual office plan, package or subscription gives businesses an address and sometimes a phone number and other benefits, usually at a  business centre, co-working space or shared office, without paying to actually use the physical space.

Virtual offices have been an option for businesses for many years now, so they aren’t a new phenomenon. Since the rise in flexible working they have become more and more popular. With video conferencing and a work-from-anywhere mindset, a virtual office fits in nicely to help establish your business without facing the massive (and often underestimated) overheads of renting physical office space.

Types of companies who typically use Virtual Offices

Start-ups

Start-ups use virtual offices as a way to be seen to be in a city centre or cluster related to their industry.

SMEs

Companies who don’t require a physical office space but don’t want to list a home address as their business address.

Flexible/Remote Companies

A Virtual Office gives you a single location to use as your base without needing to commit to being there.

Companies looking to setup a presence in a new city/area

Rather than setting up a physical office, a VO can help you find out if there is a demand in an area for your business or give you a presence in a city before you setup a physical office

Pros and cons of using a Virtual Office

As with everything, there are pros and cons of using a virtual office which may help you decide if this really is the right option for you.

• You’re starting up a business and you really need to prioritize what you spend your money on so a city centre office may not be on the cards. A virtual office helps you be seen to be in your desired area, creates the impression of professionalism and you become a part of a community, introducing you to new opportunities.
• Using your home address might sound simpler (and cheaper), but there are downsides and risks associated with this. A home address may make your business appear smaller or more junior than it is and can make you feel quite exposed when all your clients and suppliers know where you live. The virtual office can add a level of protection for your home life, helping you better manage your work-life balance.
• Most places which offer virtual office services also have onsite services which VO members can use, usually for an additional cost. These can include hot desks and Meeting Rooms which again can help support your business if you do need to host face-to-face meetings with clients or need to meet your team for a project kick-off. Some places will allow you to create a package that includes a number of meeting room or hot desking credits which often can work out cheaper overall.
• Virtual offices over traditional office space can also help with recruitment and really support the flexible work movement. By paying for a traditional office, you will want your moneys worth, which will include needing your team to use it. A virtual office gives you more freedom to hire talent no matter where they are based rather than being restricted by location.
• Rolling monthly memberships also allow you to amend your package at short notice. This saves on general business costs as you aren’t tied into long-term contracts, but the downside here is you don’t have a long-term guarantee. Make sure you stay in good communication with the company you take your membership out with so you don’t have any last minute surprises.
• Depending on the package, some places may offer a mail forwarding service. This sounds great as you don’t need to make a weekly trip to check your mailbox, but on the other hand, you’re relying on another manual process to actually get your post. If it is a time-sensitive letter, you are entirely relying on the postal service delivery times for it to reach you, or if it’s a personal letter, you may feel uncomfortable with someone opening and scanning it across to you.

So, do you need a virtual office? If you’re a start-up, a small business or need a presence in a certain city, a virtual office is probably the most affordable way to do so with very low risk. They are easy to setup, easy to manage, easy to grow from and easy to move on if/when you outgrow it.

Research the difference packages and plans in the city you need before you commit to ensure you can access all the elements that will help make your business thrive.

Guy Fawkes Night. Firework Night. Bonfire Night. Whatever you call it, it’s here.

On 5th November each year, we gather at various firework displays on the anniversary of the infamous Gunpower Plot (1605). After the failed attempt on the King and Parliament, people up and down London began lighting bonfires in celebration. And thus, Bonfire Night was born.

Nowadays, celebrations often include elaborate firework displays, laser displays, even drone displays, alongside fairground rides, food stalls, flashy toys and that all important community spirit.

Here are some of the local firework displays happening in Newcastle and the surrounding areas this year.

• Newcastle Race Course – On 4th November from 1pm and fireworks at 7.30pm.This year they are putting on a firework & funfair race night which includes face painting, fairground rides and games, live music, DJs, firebreathers and more! They are also offering free parking and kids go free.
• Blue Flames Annual Fireworks Display 2022 – On 5th November from 4:30pm and fireworks at 7pm. This year they have a number of bars open alongside fairground rides and food stalls. Tickets must be bought in advance so no tickets on the doors.

• Blydon RFC Bonfire & Firework Extravaganza – On 5th November from 5pm and fireworks from 7.15pm. Hosting their 16th annual bonfire and firework night, Blaydon have music, bars open, bonfire, fairground rides plus catering vans all to showcase their choreographed firework display set to music.

• Fireworks Evening @ Ocean Beach Pleasure Park – On 6th November from 6.30pm and is free to attend!
• Saltwell Park Fireworks – On 5th November from 5pm. This year they have a 30 minute firework display, laser shows, fire eating, live DJ music from Metro Radio, fairground rides and street entertainers to name a few!
• Firework Display at Morpeth RFC – On 6th November from 5pm. Refreshments and food to purchase from the clubhouse. No pre-booking required, just pay on the day!

Let us know which bonfire night events you enjoy so we can add them onto our list for next year!

National Stress Awareness Day 2022 – 2nd November

Stress. It affects us so much more than we realise. From our personal relationships to our jobs, our bodies and our minds. In this blog, we are going to look at work-based stress, how to identify it, how to voice it and some resources to help manage it.

Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. While it can help us stay focused and achieve things at work and in our personal lives, too much stress can have very negative side-effects and lead to burnouts and longer-term mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Statistics

Stress statistics from Champion Health:

• The most common cause of stress is work-related stress with 79% saying they frequently felt it (Statistica)
• One in 14 UK adults feel stressed every single day (CIPHR)
• 74% of people feel so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• Inpatient hospital admissions caused by stress-related illnesses in the UK cost around £8.13bn (Statistica)
• 46% say that they eat too much or too unhealthily due to stress (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• 29% say that due to stress they started drinking or increased their drinking (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• 16% say that they started smoking or increased their smoking due to stress (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• 51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed and 61% reported feeling anxious (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• 37% of adults who reported feeling stressed also felt lonely as a result (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• 7 million working days are lost each year in the UK because of work-related stress, anxiety and depression, costing £28.3 billion yearly (NICE)
• 33% of employees report moderate-to-high or high levels of stress
• 28% report that high levels of stress impact productivity
• The top cause of work-related stress is workload (78%)
• 56% agree that the perfect amount of stress enables them to thrive

A common piece of advice when stressed in to plan ahead, but often the things that lead to stress are the things we have little or no control over. From being pulled in too many directions at work to uncertainties around rising costs both at work and at home to trying to juggle work and family life, there are just so many factors that it feels impossible to be able to plan enough because there is always something else waiting around the corner.

How to identify stress

Stress can present differently in different people so it’s difficult to say for certain how it will present, but we do know about some common warning signs that the stress is becoming too much.

Socially withdrawn

People tend to withdraw to protect themselves from other pressures or situations which could lead to extra pressure. Taking time for yourself is very important to helping battle the signs of stress, but you need to strike the right balance to avoid growing feelings of isolation and anxiety.

Sleeping and feeling tired

Because stress activated your fight or flight response, you body may struggle to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone). It also becomes a vicious cycle because when you can’t sleep you begin to worry about not sleeping which increases stress.

Excessive or increased use of personal vices

In times of stress we often turn to things that help us relax such as alcohol. While some have suggested that alcohol can hide some of the symptoms of stress (i.e., feeling more relaxed, boosting your mood, and providing a distraction) over time we can become intolerant to the ‘de-stressing effects’.

Loss of interest and excitement

Losing interest in things that once brought you joy can be a sign of stress as well as a sign of other conditions. Often this is a result of lack of sleep and a general feeling of being overwhelmed.

Anxiety or depression

Stress is often caused by short-term issues or pressures, but excessive stress can lead to longer term issues such as anxiety or depression.

Irritability

Trouble managing your emotions or becoming overwhelmed often are a sign of stress.

Physical symptoms

These can include panic attacks, muscle aches, headaches, stomach/digestive problems to name a few. Often the more stress you are feeling the worse the physical symptoms appear.

How to deal with stress

From the NHS website, its recommended that you:

• Talk to your friends and family or even a health professional (Samaritans, call: 116 123or email: [email protected]).
• Follow the NHS Stress Busters
• Use calming breathing exercises
• Plan for the things you can such as preparing for long journeys
• Listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides
• Look into talking therapies

In the workplace, it’s important to try and understand what is causing you stress specifically, is it a work-based stress or an external factor? What control do you have over this?

Speak to your line manager or mental health first aider if you have one. Work with them to devise a plan to help you cope with your stress and regular check-ins. If you don’t feel this is possible, turn to a co-worker or close friend who you feel comfortable speaking with.

Being a city centre co-working space has many benefits, but near the top of that list is the fantastic range of eateries right on our door step. Here is a list of some of our members favourite food spots in no particular order:

SnackWallah

Located in the Grainger Market, SnackWallah serves authentic vegan Indian street food and proudly state that “All our food is vegan, healthy and delicious”. Their menu includes items such as: Bhaji Wrap, Curry of the Day (with daal, rice and naan) and Mumbai Sandwich.

Their opening hours are:

Monday-Friday 11am-4pm

Saturday 11am-5pm

COOP Chicken House

Based on Collingwood Street, this chicken joint serves chicken (surprise surprise!) cooked rotisserie style over open fire-pits. Takeaway and eat in options available, the menu includes: Dirty Box (Takeaway only), Whole Chicken with 3 sides and their famous COOP wings.

Their opening hours are:

Monday, Friday & Saturday 12pm-10pm

Tuesday-Thursday 12pm-9.30pm

Sunday 12pm-8pm.

Kato

A proper hidden gem and less than a minutes’ walk from our own front door is Kato Pan Asian Cuisine. With dine in and takeaway options available it has branches on Saville Row in Newcastle city centre and Sunniside in Gateshead. Their menu includes items such as: Breaded Prawn Katsu Curry, Grilled Spicy Eel and Chicken Dumplings.

Their opening hours are:

Monday-Friday 11am – 7pm

Saturday  11am – 6pm

Pop Up Wok

Bringing “authentic Hong Kong street food to the toon!” Pop Up Wok is another Saville Row eatery that serves “small portions of hot food, which full you up just enough”. Menu includes items such as: Pan fried crispy chicken dumplings, salt and pepper tofu and curry fish balls.

Their opening hours are:

Monday & Thursday Closed

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 12pm – 6.30pm

Saturday 12pm – 4pm

Meat Stack

If you’re looking for delicious real American cheeseburgers in the toon then look no further. Meat Stack has been bringing amazing burgers to Newcastle since 2016. Now in the Groat Market, their menu includes items such as: West Coast Classic, New Mexico and Yellowstone burgers along with a range of sides to go with.

Their opening hours are:

Sunday – Thursday 9am-9pm

Friday & Saturday 9am-10pm

Naked Deli

A bit further afield, but you can order online and via Deliveroo. They create clean, healthy, nutritious and delicious food and drinks. They have sites in Gosforth, Chilli Road, Grey Street and York. Their menu includes items such as: Harissa & Chickpea VEGAN ‘meat’balls, Gochujang Tempeh Wraps and Protein Pancake Stack.

Opening hours vary from site to site.

Café 21

Located inside Newcastle’s icon Fenwick store is Café 21. Described as effortlessly stylish and all day menu full of “fresh, light and flavoursome” dishes including a range of hot sandwiches, salads and Cacklebean Barn Egg dishes.

Their opening hours are:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 11.45am-6pm

Thursday 11.45am-7pm

Sunday 11.45am-5pm

Twenty Twenty

Just up the road from MeatStack is Twenty Twenty, a relatively new venue specialising in twenty inch pizza and twenty cocktails on the menu. This place is ideal for fun team lunches or you can even grab a single slice of their Neapolitan pizza. The lunch time meal deal includes: Giant pizza slice, butter salted or chocolate topped popcorn and a selected soft drink or any hot drink.

Their opening hours are:

Sunday, Wednesday & Thursday noon-1am

Friday & Saturday noon-2am

RedHeads Mac N Cheese

Newcastle’s first dedicated Mac ‘N’ Cheese dedicated restaurant is based in the Grainger Market and appears at Newcastle’s famous Quayside Market every Sunday. Their menu includes items such as: Chorizo Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Mac Burger and Sticky Rib Mac ‘N’ Cheese.

Their opening hours are:

Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm

Fenwick FoodHall

Described as a food-lover’s heaven and located (as the name suggests) inside Fenwick on Northumberland street. With a Delicatessen Counter, fish and meat counters, Artisan Bakery, groceries and chocolate and confectionery departments, you can stock up on goodies to bring back to our fully equipped kitchen.

Their opening hours are:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9am-7pm

Thursday 9am-8pm

Sunday 11am-5pm

Frankie and Tonys Sandwich Bar

Ridley Places’ famous Frankie and Tonys Sandwich Bar is a great spot to visit if you want a really good sandwich. With everything from classic sandwiches, to salad boxes, to jacket potatoes, this place offers quality food to go.

Greggs

‘Nuff said. We’re based in Newcastle city centre so we are surrounded by Greggs and we love it.

Flexibility is the key

Since March 2020 many employees were forced to work from home and discovered the simple joys in being there more. Time with the pets, time with the kids, less time and money spent on commuting, a few more hours of precious, precious sleep each week. Bliss. But we knew it couldn’t continue indefinitely. Not all home offices are alike. I heard rumours of people having to use ironing boards as desks, whereas other people had dedicated studies.

As time has gone on, fewer and fewer people have expressed a desire to go back to the ‘old normal’ which is putting pressure on businesses to think outside the box in order to retain talent and build their workforces.

Here, we will discuss a few ways in which companies can move away from the traditional way of thinking and create a more people-focussed workplace.

Talk to your team

It sounds so simple! Some people thrive in the office environment, away from the domestic distractions. Some people suffer from lengthy, complicated commutes, leaving them tired and irritated before the first meeting has even begun. Perhaps some of your team are worried about dealing with the additional bills from having people in the house all the time, or perhaps some of your team are worried about passing viruses to vulnerable relative. Whatever their reasons, you need to understand where they are coming from. Find out what matters most to them and if/how you can facilitate this.

This is showing your team that they matter as an individuals. While you may not be able to completely deliver what each individual person wants, the fact that you’ve taken the time to speak with them and understand them will show that they are valuable and appreciated.

Look at how you use your office

So if you’re moving towards a hybrid way of working with either some of the team working remotely or working remotely on set days, do you really need all that office space?

In the past, you would typically ensure you had space for at least the number of people you currently employed. But do you really need all that space? Some of the new ideas organisations are coming from include:

• Desk sharing with another company
• Using co-working spaces on set days per week
• Renting out their unused office space
• Implementing a hot desking or desk hoteling system

One of the other considerations is how your office actually works for your team. At home, they may have the choice to walk away from their desk and unwind on their lunch break, so making sure they have adequate break out spaces in the office is so important.

Making Working Remotely Viable

It’s all well and good telling your team that they can work remotely, but what if they don’t have the tools?

Communication software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Skype for Business are vital to ensuring your team and a clear communication channel to their co-workers and leaders. If they have questions or need to virtually attend a meeting while working remotely, ensure they are familiar with how to do this. Set a protocol for how meetings should take place and how questions are raised.

And as a manger, are you able to review or assist when required? How are you sharing files and documents when not in the same office?

Other than software, you also need to consider the kit your team has. Are the laptops suitable to be taking in and out of the office every day? Are they powerful enough? Can the team answer calls from customers without giving out their personal mobile numbers?

Health and Wellbeing

Understanding who your team are will help you create a more people-focussed workspace. Even when working apart, regular check ins with individuals and ensuring there is an open communication channel will help your team feel connected. It also helps if they know that, even if they have decided to work from home, they can change their mind and you will try to help accommodate that, whether it is reviewing the office usage again or looking at external co-working spaces as a temporary solution.

Organised fun isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but even trying to arrange some team games online or the odd quiz can help prevent isolation between remote team members. And of course, arrange some face-to-face socialising for those who feel up to it.

By now most of us are familiar with hot desking, but what about desk hoteling?

Hot desking simply heading into the office (or co-working space, shared workspace facility etc) and using an available desk. While it does have many benefits, it also received its fair share of criticism.

Why don’t people like the idea of hot desking?

Hot desking can be uncertain. You don’t know where you’ll be sat or who you’ll be sat next to. What if the office is full? This can be especially frustrating if you’re heading in 5 days a week as you have to take all your stuff in with you every day and always changing desks. Many offices use hot desking to maximise space efficiency and encourage team members to interact with different people.

Hot desking is suited towards people who use shared office facilities a few days per week/month. For example, if your team only need to use a couple of desks twice a week, a co-working space can offer you this without making you pay for the days that you don’t use. This is much better value than hiring a whole office suite that is rarely at 100% capacity.

But there is still an uncertainty about where you will be sitting, and will you be sat with your team?

This brings us to Desk Hoteling

Desk Hoteling is very similar to hot desking, but rather than it being first-come-first-serve, you can pre-book your desks to ensure you are sat where you need to be sat.

Often using an app or booking system, you can reserve specific desks when you need them with confidence.

This method of office management is wonderfully geared towards co-working spaces as it means you know the desk will be sanitised and prepared ready for your arrival, you won’t be wasting time trying to find desks near your colleagues, and you still only paying for the space you use.

How to book a desk at The Racquets Court

As part of our research into making The Racquets Court as safe as possible during these unusual times,  we are excited to announce that we are launching a new desk hoteling model which will enable companies and individuals to specifically reserve desks as and when they need them.

Simple head over to our booking page, sign up and select your desks and take it from there or get in touch with a member of our team

Working from home has made many of us re-evaluate our office essentials.
At first I thought all I needed was a table, a chair and a spot to call my own, but it turns out I was wrong. There is much more to an office than the basic furniture, so I’ve made a list of my 10 top office essentials.

1. Headphones

I cannot stress this enough – headphones are VITAL.
Sitting in the office with several people shouting at their screens is one of the most annoying things about the modern office. Even at home we’re often battling with general household noise and distractions. Investing in a good pair of headphones helps you moderate your volume, keep your conversations more private PLUS you get to listen to the music you like!

2. A Good Office Chair

If working from home over the last few months has taught me anything, it is that my old kitchen stools are no match for a decent office chair.
Being able to adjust the height, the back and overall position of your chair can help improve your productivity. Have a look at ergonomic chairs, and general office furniture. It is more important than many of us realise.

3. Ergonomic Keyboard

According to Windows Central “Ergonomic keyboards focus on natural hand and wrist position for long typing sessions”.
I find my ergonomic keyboard helps me type faster and more accurately, and is just generally more comfortable!

4. Footrest

Again, this is related to posture. If you’re short (like me) you find that your feet never do quite reach the floor properly. A little footrest is ideal for helping you maintain a good posture. But you don’t have to be short to benefit from a footrest. They are great for encouraging active sitting and reducing pressure on your legs.

5. Phone Charger

If you have a work phone and a personal phone, invest in some back up phone chargers. There is nothing worse than digging around in your bag when your phone is on 5% and you’ve got important calls to make.

6. Water Bottle

It is so important to keep yourself hydrated and having a nice water bottle on your desk is a great reminder to drink water!
Drinking water is also great for reducing stress, stopping headaches and improving general health which definitely makes it an office essential.

7. Hand Sanitiser

Now more than ever, it is important to take care of ourselves. While washing your hands is still the best method for keeping them clean, hand sanitiser is great for when you’re on the go, but also very handy for using on surfaces (desks, keyboards, phones etc)

8. Plants

It’s no lie that we LOVE office plants at The Racquets Court. They are amazing thing for many reasons.
Not only do they improve air quality, but they also improve attention span, lower stress, increase productivity and they look great!

9. Laptop Stand/Adjustable Monitor

I’ve mentioned this a few times, but posture is so important.
Being able to adjust your screen to the right height (top of the screen roughly at eye level) is essential to keeping your posture right and making your work-life easier.

10. Desk Tidy

Desk tidies come in all shapes, sizes and designs, but the main thing they all have in common is how useful they are for helping you stay organised. They often have small compartments for your notebook, pens, paperclips etc. Keeping a tidy desk makes it easier to keep things clean and stop you losing those important documents.

Think I’ve missed some office essentials out? Let me know in the comments below

Well, what a year!

It turns out that 2020 hasn’t quite gone as planned for most of us, but now we need to focus on how to adapt in this new world.

When we built The Racquets Court, the idea was to create a close-knit community. A place to build strong relationships, new collaborations and explore new and exciting projects. At the beginning of 2020, our memberships was growing steadily, enquiries were increasing and we were having new conversations with different organisations nearly every day. Lockdown meant we had to press pause on many things and think of ways we could continue to function as a workspace, but, a workspace where people feel safe and comfortable to work from.

What We’ve Done to Make Our Workspace Safe

We attended several (virtual) seminars about getting back to the office, making the office safer and co-working communities in general, all of which gave us some good ideas to explore for The Racquets Court. We took time to conduct research into our ideas and sought feedback from members, visitors and followers and finally arrived at ideas to improve the safety within our space and promote good health.

Air Circulation

Fortunately, The Racquets Court has a sophisticated air circulation system rather than air conditioning. Why is that important? The system continuously draws fresh, filtered air into the building and pushes out the air from inside. Therefore, you can feel confident that the air you breathe is as fresh as possible and filtered.

Our system is also more environmentally friendly than air conditioning, helping to protect our planet as well as our people.

And, on top of this, The Racquets Court has a self-opening glass roof for maximum fresh air. The clever thing is, it has rain sensors so it closes automatically when the weather turns.

Connectivity

We mention this regularly because it really is important – and getting more so with every day that passes. The Racquets Court is one of the few buildings in the North East connected to the Stellium Network. Our standard network speed is 200MB (up and down) via a gigabit carrier. This means your video conference calls and online collaboration platforms will perform better, enabling you to work for efficiently.

Temperature Scanner

Our research indicated that the majority of respondents felt safer with a temperature scanner at the entrance to their workplace. Although body temperature is not a substitute for COVID-19 testing, it does indicate whether someone should be entering The Racquets Court and our scanner gives an audible response and is capable of facial recognition. This therefore helps us to protect our members.

Social Distancing

We fully promote social distancing with The Racquets Court. The desks are spaced out throughout the building and we have reduced capacity in the smaller spaces such as meeting rooms and the main kitchen.

Hand Sanitising & Hand Washing

We have installed a hand sanitisation station at the entrance to the building and have ensured all sinks are stocked with Arran Aromatics luxury hand wash and hand cream. Regular handwashing and sanitising is drying out our hands (a small price to pay to prevent the spread of COVID-19), however as the colder months come, it is very important to look after hands – and moisturising will do that.

I’ve Got Bills, I’ve Got To Pay…

While many people have been enjoying working from home over the summer, as winter comes, the heating comes on and the bills go up. Our packages include utilities so your team can relax a bit when it comes to heating and electricity bills at home.

Bike Storage & Showers

Avoiding public transport can be a pain, but something many of us are doing. We have secure bike storage along with showers (Arran Aromatics toiletries provided) to help you get into work safely.

You can read more in our Safe Working Guide.

If you would like to explore workplace options at The Racquets Court, get in touch with a member of our team today.

You may have noticed that in 2020, nothing is quite how it was and that includes office space. With more people than ever working from home, most businesses have been forced to change the way they work – including us!

The rule book for office space has well and truly been thrown out the window and many of us are starting to look at new and better ways to use office spaces.

Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces are far from new, but they are on the rise. According to this piece of research by Hubble HQ, 43% of those who took part would like to work in a co-working space when not in their main office.
Many organisations are embracing the world of full or part time remote working, which is great…if you have somewhere else to work from. A co-working space allows you all the comforts of a traditional office with much less of the commitment.

Have a team who need to work together in a specific location? Co-working space.

Have a team member moving to a different city and don’t want to lose them? Co-working space.

Looking to get a smaller office but still have a place your team can assemble or work together when required? Co-working space.

Co-working spaces mean you can have 4 dedicated desks and 8 passes for your team to share. This allows your team to work in the office when they need to but have the flexibility to work from home or elsewhere when required.

Office ‘Timeshares’

The word ‘timeshare’ is enough to make many of us shudder. But, did you know that you can have a timeshare office?
What this means is, you and another organisation would sign up together and split the use of the office or desks however you like. If your business would only realistically need desks 2 days a week, but you want to guarantee their availability, you can pair up with another company who could use the space on the other three days and share the costs.
This is different from typical co-working because you wouldn’t inhabit the space at the same time as your timesharing friends, but rather use the space on alternate days. The benefits of an office timeshare are:

• Get the office you want at a more affordable price
• Offer flexible working without your office sitting empty half of the time
• Work your schedule around what works best for you both
• Create a great, local contact who can become an advocate for your business.

Rent A Desk (Hot Desking)

Rent a desk as and when you need one! Such a simple concept.
Hot desking, in this respect, is buying a ‘pass’ for a hot desking facility where you will have all the comforts of a traditional office. If you’re the type who often occupies space in a coffee shop, you’ll know what a pain it can be. Having to keep buy hot bevs so you don’t get asked to leave, the all too tempting cakes and pastries by the tills, the lunch time rush, sketchy WiFi…not to mention, what do you do with all your stuff when you need to nip to the loo? Well, all of this can be avoided by booking a hot desk. With your pass you typically get:

• Full day access
• Proper workstations with desks, office chairs and power supply
• Fast and stable internet connection
• Use of the facilities
• Security
• Beverages included

Virtual Offices

If you’re thinking “well, hang on, I don’t think I need a physical office at all!”, then you could consider a virtual office. This is ideal for remote teams who need a physical address for post and for their online profile. Often with these, you also get a phone number and basic reception duties such as taking messages and dealing with your incoming mail. It’s a great way to shake off the traditional office set up all together and let your team be 100% remote.

If you’re reviewing your office requirements, why not get in touch with our team to find out more about the facilities we offer?