If you’re starting a business and need room to work outside the home without the permanence (and expense) of leasing office space, there are more and more flexible options open to you – from hiring meeting rooms, to ‘hotdesking’.
Unless you’ve got a certain business success on your hands, or need to employ staff right away, you are unlikely to want to outlay funds (and commitment) on permanent office space.
You may have a family at home, and need to use some outside office space for part of the week – to provide a more peaceful working environment, or simply as a place to arrange meetings.
Not all businesses can operate in this manner, but for many ‘knowledge-based’ small companies in the service sector (freelancers included), securing flexible office space can provide a good balance between working from home and more traditional business working.
Rent a desk from another business
Many offices may have surplus space for their requirements, or may rent out parts of their office to provide extra income – especially in the current economic climate. You will typically pay a monthly fee, with a short term break clause. The fee should include all services except for telephony fees (although you may be able to use the office broadband network).
Good places to find office space to rent include the wide array of business bulletin boards – including gumtree and ukbusinessforums.
Hotdesking
Most of the UK’s major business centres offer some type of ‘hotdesking’. Using space which is not rented out permanently to business centre clients, you can call the centre in advance and book a desk or small office for short periods of time, and at short notice.
Regus have been fast of the mark in recognising the demand for more flexible working arrangements – they recently launched ‘Businessworld’. Depending on the type of card you purchase, you will have access to the company’s worldwide meeting areas, and even access to private office space for a number of days each month.
A small selection of other hotdesking providers include MWBex, The Hot Office, eoffice, and Hubworking Centre.
Other ideas
If you’re looking for meeting space, you can typically reserve rooms at some of the companies already mentioned in this piece, or you might consider joining a business organisation, or club. If you’re a limited company director, the IoD in London provides an excellent place to meet once you get past the initial joining fee.
There are a number of smaller associations and clubs across the country you can consider, with widely varying membership and usage fees.
If you decide that you don’t need to hire office space at all, but still want access to business services (such as mail forwarding and telephone answering services), then you should look at the wide range of virtual offices services. Read our article on how a virtual office may support your business for more.
More help on offices
For more on offices and business premises, try some of our other guides;
Offices
- Pitfalls you need to avoid when getting new business premises
- How to create an inspiring and productive office space
- How to find the perfect business premises
- How to find a serviced office to suit your business
- Renting business premises – commercial leases pitfalls to watch out for
Working from Home
- Present a professional image while running your new business from home
- Working from home guide for small business owners and their employees
- The workaholic’s guide to successfully working from home
- Work from anywhere: live anywhere in the world, do business in the UK
- Working from home? Watch out for these insurance policy pitfalls
More on starting and running your own business
ByteStart is packed with help and tips on all aspects of starting and running a small business. Check out some of our most popular guides;
Starting Up
- 5 things you must do when you go self employed
- 10 advantages running your business as a limited company has over being a sole trader
- How to set up a limited company
- How to choose the best online accounting software for your business
- 15 Questions to ask when hiring an accountant for your new business
Funding your business
- How to maximise your chances of securing a small business loan
- A Guide to ‘Alternative Finance’ – the new funding options for startups and small businesses
- Finding finance for your new business – funding advice for start-ups
- How peer-to-peer lending offers businesses a new funding option
- What to do when the bank says “NO”!
Promoting your business
- Making your small business a BIG hit online – A Digital marketing guide for small business owners
- How to create business cards that make a big impression
- The “Magic 10” Tips on networking – how the experts build great networks
- A Practical guide to Content Marketing for small business owners and start-ups
- 10 Top tips for small businesses starting out with social media
Hiring and managing employees
- Becoming an employer – Your responsibilities when you hire staff
- Dismissing a member of staff – what you need to do to stay on the right side of the law
- Health & Safety compliance for small businesses – where do you start?
- Flexible working rights for all employees – what small businesses need to know
- Employers liability insurance – if you employ anybody you are legally required to have cover
Legal issues
- Which types of insurance must your business have?
- Becoming an employer – Your responsibilities when you hire staff
- Health & Safety compliance for small businesses – where do you start?
- A Guide to the National Living Wage for small business owners
- Why it’s vital you have clear ‘Terms & Conditions’ for your business
