Which one do you prefer? A physical office or a virtual office? Let’s explore each of them to see their differences.
Choosing between a physical building as an office and a virtual office does not depend merely on personal preference but also on your business needs. The type of organization you want to pursue also plays an important role, such as fully in-office, hybrid, or fully-remote.
If you are unsure which is the best for your business, read the following article that will distinguish between a physical office and a virtual workplace.
The So-Called Virtual Office
A part of a flexible workspace industry, a virtual office offers space, services, and technology to a business without bearing the capital costs of owning or renting a traditional office.
The workplace allows employees to work remotely from anywhere through Internet access. Accordingly, it even calls for global hiring or not only limited to the local one.
Interestingly, a virtual office also offers services similar to the conventional one, such as a formal address, mailing, or telephone system. The difference is that it does not need to pay the costs or maintenance.
About Physical Offices
A physical office is usually a central business building or location where the workers go to work on fixed working hours. It has a formal address, office rooms, and other business facilities like receptionist and phone services that require routine overheads and maintenance.
The central location provides an environment for all employees and other external parties to meet and communicate face-to-face. The custom address and building sign are often helpful in showing off the companies’ brands.
Many companies usually choose their physical offices in strategically high-traffic areas with easy access to transportation and other conveniences like restaurants or cafes.
We can conclude some factors that differentiate virtual and physical offices are location, cost, working environment, accessibility, flexibility, and communication. A physical office is a must if your organizational strategy is 100% in-office. Meanwhile, if you want to adopt a fully remote culture, you can go for a virtual office.
Reference: