Remote workers may find they need a virtual office or coworking space to do the job. While a virtual office provides a physical address, a meeting space, and reception services, a coworking space offers these benefits, plus physical space to work and personal interactions with other coworkers.
Remote coworking spaces, a concept that started in the U.S. in 2005, skyrocketed during the pandemic.
Many people who have worked in offices with colleagues for a long time were sent home to work on their own. This resulted in increased burnout and loneliness and lowered productivity at times.
While some remote workers love the comfort of their home office and need silence to focus, others may perform better with a sense of community in a space resembling a traditional office.
What is important to know for those who are not back to on-site working but need the office environment they’re used to to do their best work? The first thing is that those work remotely can choose virtual coworking or remote coworking to enhance their professional lives.
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What Is Virtual Coworking?
Virtual coworking happens online in a virtual office, meaning remote teams work together using shared tools and services. A virtual office exists in the cloud. Its purpose is to replace a physical office. It offers meeting spaces such as virtual conference rooms, a reception area, and different ways for remote employees to communicate and collaborate.
What Are The Benefits Of Virtual Coworking?
There are many benefits of coworking in a virtual space. Some of them are:
- Work flexibility for employees
- Reduced costs for companies
- Maintaining the company culture and relationships within remote teams
Many remote employees are grateful for the flexibility of a remote job, whether it pertains to their working hours, not having to commute daily, or not being tied to a physical location away from their families while they work. This helps plenty of workers travel more or spend time with their children when taking breaks from working.
On the other hand, companies pay less for cloud-based services than physical offices. It’s a win-win for everyone involved in a remote work model.
How Does Virtual Coworking Work?
Let’s take Slack as an example. Unlike Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other video conferencing apps, the software offers much more than a way for workers to have a meeting.
Team leaders can create multiple channels and group messages to divide team members by project, specific task, etc. This prevents notification overload and ensures everyone gets the information they need quickly.
There are often random or fun channels, too, where people can socialize and crack a joke during the workday (just like they would in a physical office).
Tagging is easy with Slack’s instant messaging, so communication happens in real-time. Moreover, you can always hop on a call or huddle with someone if you need help or want to discuss a project.
Slack helps remote companies operate like a well-oiled machine, especially since it can be customized and enhanced with numerous integrations (Google Drive, Zoom, and Dropbox, just to name a few).
What Is The Difference Between Remote Coworking And Virtual Coworking?
While virtual coworking takes place exclusively online, remote coworking occurs in a physical coworking space. Many remote workers choose to work from a coworking space instead of their homes. It may appeal to:
- Freelancers
- Full-time remote employees
- Digital nomads
- Small businesses
- Startups
- Entrepreneurs
- Consultants
How Does Remote Coworking Work?
Although some workers prefer cozy but crowded places such as cafés, coffee shops, and restaurants, for many, these types of environments can be distracting and overwhelming. This depends on the individual, the type of job they’re doing, and the hours they need to commit to.
Moreover, WiFi is often not as reliable in those places, as it’s not intended for continuous work and may not have the necessary speed or security. Therefore, remote workers regularly choose to pay for coworking spaces (or their company pays for them). Those typically have monthly or yearly memberships and may offer a dedicated desk or a private office in addition to bookable meeting rooms and other shared spaces.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Remote Work?
Some disadvantages of remote work include poor work-life balance, isolation, and increased distractions, especially when done at home. On the other hand, employees report it saves a lot of time and money, especially for those who used to commute to work daily.
Both virtual offices and coworking in a shared space may help overcome the disadvantages of remote work. Remote employees may even prefer one over the other in some cases. For instance, coworking space subscriptions can be expensive, so a virtual office saves more money.
However, many remote workers with children find that they need to pay for some childcare to get work done, regardless of whether they have a virtual office or a coworking space.
Perks of remote coworking include:
- Reliable internet connection
- Better work-life balance
- Increased comfort levels and a warm, friendly atmosphere
- Improved overall wellness
- Working with like-minded people nearby
- Networking opportunities
On the other hand, shared spaces can be noisy, which can lead to decreased productivity. You can take Zoom calls in a coworking space, but it’s recommended to do so in private areas, which may cost more.
Other cons of this working environment are:
- Lack of privacy
- Low levels of customer and IT support
- Trial and error until you get your best fit
It pays to look at some spaces and find the one best arranged for your needs. If you know you need more privacy for calls and such, you can opt for a space where desks are spread out, or you can get a private office.
What Is The Best Feature Of A Remote Coworking Space?
The best coworking spaces are as customizable as possible, and they all share features like:
- Easily accessible location
- Stable, encrypted WiFi with anti-hacking software
- Affordable dedicated desk and private office options
- Tech equipment, including copy and fax machines, printers, and video conferencing necessities
How Do You Find Virtual Office Or Coworking Space?
For a virtual office, you’ll need to set up a few things:
- A virtual business address
- A virtual phone system
- Basic collaboration tools and apps
- A cloud backup system
If you’re looking for a coworking space, check out national chains like:
- WeWork
- Impact Hub
- Venture X
- District Cowork
- Green Desk
Some coworker spaces may also offer virtual offices, so checking there may help you get a perspective on which arrangement would be better for you. and help you get set up.
