The demand for flexible corporate working opportunities is at an all-time high, driven by the need for an environment that balances social interaction with private space. Gone are the days of traditional offices and strict leases. As people have started to care more about flexibility and convenience, serviced offices have become the preferred choice.
What is a serviced office?
A serviced office is a working space that comes fully furnished and equipped with all the facilities and management support employees need to get started right away. No more months of searching for office space, buying furniture, or setting up new tech — it’s all waiting for you when you move in.
With reception managers there to greet members, take packages, and deal with day-to-day admin, many mundane tasks are taken care of. This allows businesses and employees to get off the ground running with high-speed Wi-Fi and soundproof spaces to hold important meetings. If you need assistance in these working spaces, you won’t be alone, with the help of onsite staff members for technical support and guidance always available.
Where can you find a serviced office?
Most serviced offices are located in unbranded workspaces, allowing you to personalise the environment to suit your business. They’re often housed in modern buildings to help improve your brand’s reputation and create a professional impression for your clients. With tidy communal areas, these offices also provide opportunities to mingle and network with other businesses.
How does serviced office space compare to co-working space? While similar concepts, there are some key differences. Co-working spaces typically feature more communal work areas alongside dedicated desks or hot desks, while serviced offices focus on providing private, ready-to-use office environments. However, you can find both in the same space, like here at Haven.
How long can you rent a serviced office?
Serviced office spaces are available for short-term rental on a rolling renewal basis, offering flexible and hassle-free lease agreements compared to traditional office spaces. Need to change rooms, adjust desk numbers, or make other modifications? You can quickly adapt your lease as your business evolves. Whether you’re a team of 2 or 100+, serviced spaces cater to businesses of all sizes.
What is included in a serviced office?
As a business owner, you will pay for an all-inclusive package. It will cover the hire of your furnished office space as well as the following:
- Desks and tech equipment for employees
- Multiple meeting rooms and break-out spaces
- A dedicated on-site team of receptionists, maintenance, and security
- Utilities such as heating, air conditioning, and water
- IT support and high-speed Wi-Fi
It’s essential to check the membership details to confirm the exact services included in the workspace you sign up with so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Conventional office vs serviced office vs managed office
Now, various office options are available, and it’s up to you to choose which suits your business needs depending on commitment, time, and work preference.
Conventional offices
A conventional office is an internal space that’s yours to manage once directly hired by a landlord of a building. It tends to have a more complex agreement process and leases for around 5 years. There’s no external customer support, reception management, or technical support with a conventional office unless you hire it. Furniture and technology are not included, so everything in the office will need to be purchased by you.
However, with very little done for you, you instead get the freedom to pick the office’s style and who you want to run the building. It’s your spot for a long time, and you won’t have to worry about moving around.
Serviced offices
A serviced office, by contrast, is fully fitted out by the building provider, so it won’t be curated to your style, but it does offer the convenience of everything already being there. They can typically be hired for shorter periods because they are usually billed per desk and come with all amenities included in the total price. Your choices on design and space are more restricted, but you have the benefits of office maintenance and admin being managed on your behalf.
Managed offices
Now, understanding those two, a managed office is somewhere in between. It is an empty workspace rented out to businesses, who can customise the space and alter the floorplan. However, it is still within an office building managed by an external party, offering some amenities and furniture. This is a good step up from serviced offices for growing businesses that want more privacy but may need more time to be ready for their own building.
Picking the right office depends entirely on your personal preference and what makes the most sense for your business.
Who uses serviced offices?
Since serviced office rental is flexible and offers accessible expansion opportunities, startups, small to medium-sized businesses, and project-based workers tend to be the most popular clients. The temporary options and shorter leases offer convenience for these groups. Since the cost of serviced office space depends on how many employees you have and how many desks you require, it’s very cost-effective for smaller groups.
If you’re a large business owner with many remote workers, renting a fully serviced office can be a great solution. These workspaces are perfect for employees who prefer to work in an office environment and for businesses that need satellite offices outside of their primary headquarters for remote workers.
The monthly rental fee includes most of the essential services. However, additional fees apply for ad-hoc requests. For example, meeting room usage is often charged hourly, and printing costs are paid with pre-purchased credits.
Benefits of fully serviced office space
Customers can choose to rent a single serviced office or an entire floor. Either way, they have access to a private space that comes fully furnished and ready for them to move in, with all of the necessary amenities provided.
Ready right away
Serviced offices come fully furnished and ready to use. This eliminates the usual delays from relocation and makes expanding by opening new offices easier without worrying about furniture or amenities.
Centrally located in prime locations
These offices allow business owners to be based in some of the largest cities for a reasonable price. You don’t need to be tied down to a long-term, expensive lease to maintain brand recognition and connect with clients in a convenient location. It’s also easier to hire more employees and experience business growth if you’re centrally located.
Helpful customer service
Serviced offices have dedicated staff on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly. If there’s an issue with the printer, they’ll handle it. Need assistance with your desk? They’re there to help. You won’t be alone in figuring things out.
Minimal overheads
As mentioned earlier, all prices are in one. There’s no need to worry about buying your own furniture, paying for utilities, or buying office snacks—the serviced office space will provide all of these. This makes budgeting and planning easy.
Extra facilities
Serviced offices offer a range of facilities, including modern break-out spaces, soundproof work areas, meeting rooms, Wi-Fi, tea and coffee, showers, parking, bike storage, reception, technical support, security, and more. With a serviced office, all of this is included, giving you access to top facilities without the upfront costs.
Flexible for growth
Starting a business in a serviced office requires fewer upfront commitments than a traditional office. With shorter contracts and no need to set up the office, it’s easier to enter new markets locally and internationally. If things don’t work out, you can leave without being locked into a long-term lease.
Enjoy one of the best serviced offices in Canberra
We offer the best of both worlds at Haven Workspaces: a vibrant community in our shared workspaces and a quiet environment to focus on in our serviced offices. Contact us to find out exactly what’s included in our monthly fees and office prices.
