Virtual offices
June 6, 2008
After my colleague’s recent article about hot desking, I’ve been thinking about the concept of the virtual office. This is an initiative that was born in the 90’s with the arrival of the digital age and the technology that allows people more flexibility in where and how they want to work. The virtual office describes the ability to work in a business environment without having to physically be in the office. The concept can work for most employees with the right technology, but is particularly useful for staff who are out on the road a lot such as consultants, account managers or business development employees. It is now possible for staff to access exactly the same network and communication systems from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection, through a virtual private network (VPN) connection.
So why do many companies such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM use virtual offices ? Well of course, there’s the cost cutting element; with office space becoming more expensive and the mounting energy costs that are all over the news. Also, the savings in time and money spent on petrol from not having to commute to the office can be beneficial for both employees and companies. Certainly the opportunity to work partially or fully at home or locations that are nearer to customers appeals to many job seekers when looking for new employment. The ability for employees who travel extensively or have a wide spread customer base to work virtually anywhere and operate as if they were in the office has benefits in time and cost saving, and means that all customers receive the same level of service, no matter where they are based.
For companies that have customers in a wide geographical area, and perhaps employees who need to have the flexibility to work in various locations, there are specialist providers of virtual office and hot desking facilities all over the country. These providers offer a number of different services that can vary to meet the needs of the individual or organisation, from making a desk and internet connection available for those on-the-road employees who need to catch up on paperwork, to a personal assistant and postal service, where calls are screened, messages are taken and a business address in an attractive location is provided. (The latter, more specialist services are normally more suited to sole traders or self employed consultants who work from home but wish to portray a certain image).
The virtual office can be an excellent arrangement for both employees and the organisation, providing savings, flexibility and better customer service. Ensuring the process is managed effectively is extremely important however, as managers need to be able to manage and support their employees who they may not see from one week to the next if one or both are based predominantly in a virtual office. This is where HR needs to provide advice and support, as well as clear policies on how the arrangement should work.
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Just like a Virtual Office, Virtual Assistants are becoming increasingly popular and in high demand.
It is definitely a strategic alternative to downsizing and I think more SME’s could benefit from the use of them.
From my own personal experience, working from home using a virtual office is less stressful, more convenient and is so affordable! I spend more time with my family than I ever have before and I also get to pick up my children from school! Something I wouldn’t be able to do if I was working in an office 9-5.