With so many options for office space available, how do you know which is right fro your business? From coworking desks and hot desking to private offices, it’s about finding the right fit for your business and employees. If you’re weighing up your options, it’s worth understanding exactly what you gain by choosing a private office space over a shared one.
For some businesses, a shared desk is all they need. For others, particularly those handling sensitive client information such as tech companies, a private office isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the safer, smarter choice.
This guide breaks down the benefits of a private office space and why it might be the right fit for your team.
A private office space is essentially exactly what it sounds like: a dedicated space for just your team rather than a shared room or floor. Only your team has access to the space and equipment in it.
Each private office space is different in terms of what it offers, but here at Us&Co, our private office floors can range from just a small handful of desks up to a whole floor depending on what your team requires.
Both setups have their advantages, and usually flexibility and cost are the main deciding factors.
The main difference between the three types of office space typically comes down to what your team requires in terms of space and control.
A private office is exclusively yours. It’s a dedicated, lockable space that only you can access. The benefit of that is keeping the same desks and layout each day as well as full control over how the space looks and feels. Typically, more established businesses or teams holding a lot of sensitive data benefit most from this.
Hot desking is the most flexible and least consistent of the three options. Employees don’t have a fixed desk as this works on a first-come, first-served basis. This usually works well for solo workers or smaller teams as it offers little in the way of day-to-day consistency.
Coworking sits in the middle of the two. The usual set-up is that you’ll have a set of desks within a shared office floor, which is then used by other businesses too. For any businesses, it is more flexible and cheaper than a private office, but it does mean you are sharing space with people outside of your team.
The most sought-after benefit of a private office is privacy. For your team, any sensitive data but also the privacy of conversations you’d prefer to stay within your own four walls. There is no risk of a competitor, client, or stranger overhearing a sensitive call or glancing at a screen on their way to their desk.
Unlike a shared workspace, which needs to suit the needs of many businesses at once, a private office floor is yours to shape. Subject to your landlord’s approval, you can often tailor the layout, furnishings, and overall look of the space to reflect your brand in a way that a shared coworking floor can’t.
Consistency of the same layout and neighbours every day supports focus within the workspace, helping to build a culture that’s harder to establish when employees are moving between different desks or floors each day.
Unlike coworking space, private offices typically come with access to your own meeting rooms and breakout areas, so client meetings and internal discussions don’t need to be booked around other businesses’ schedules.
A good private office provider will let you scale up as your team grows, without the disruption of moving buildings entirely. At Us&Co, our private office spaces are fully reconfigurable as your headcount changes.
A private office is right for your business if:
If you’re ready to see how a private office space could work for your team, take a look at our private office floors across London. Get in touch with our team to book your tour today.