If you were a company seeking office space in 2019, you’d have a very straightforward process. You would determine the space and location requirements, check out the availability, then contact another company or a realtor to see the place. If you liked it, you’d sign a 5 to 10-year lease agreement. Of course, you’d have to furnish the new office yourself, see about the equipment, and maybe hire a designer to help you with the common areas. But for all that hassle, the space would be yours for the foreseeable future.
Only five years later, in 2024, leasing an office is quite a different process, especially if you check ready-to-move-in office spaces for rent. But what is a furnished office space, and why should you consider it instead of the traditional, empty version? Let’s find out!
What is a furnished office?
In short, a furnished office is a turnkey solution for your space needs. It may include furnishings such as ergonomic desks and chairs, computer workstations, internet and telephone connections, and fully equipped common areas like kitchens and conference rooms.
No one size ever fits all, so the place you are looking at today may look very different from what you’ll find tomorrow. Some offices are semi-furnished, meaning they have the bare necessities: functional features like HVAC systems, lighting, and plumbing. Others are fully equipped, meaning you only have to bring yourself and your team. Either way, they are the hassle-free solution a business needs to start operating sooner rather than later.
One thing you’ll notice on the spot is the price. Furnished office spaces are obviously and notoriously more expensive, so much so that you might be tempted to give up on the idea without much consideration. However, a good decision is always an informed one, so let’s explore why renting a furnished office space could be just what your company needs.
- The most cost-effective option
Financially speaking, renting a furnished office is one of the wisest investments you could make. While the initial price tag will be higher, having everything you need already in place when you sign the lease saves you precious time and spares you plenty of effort. You and your team can “move in” immediately and get used to the new space and its amenities within the week.
- Flexibility above all else
To rent furnished office space is to prioritize flexibility. Unlike traditional office spaces, furnished ones, in particular, and flex ones, in general, have less rigid terms. Sure, you might be able to sign that good old 10-year lease, but you certainly don’t have to. You could start with a year or maybe a few months, see if you and your team work well within the space, and be able to change it if need be. Your business might experience unexpected growth, requiring more people on site. Similarly, you may realize more employees than you expected prefer to work from home or have less office time within their hybrid schedules, so you could get a smaller place and save on operation costs. Either way, furnished office spaces offer the wiggle room you want for your company.
- The amenities you need and those you didn’t know you needed
Say you found a furnished office space you like. It’s got all the basics: computers, printers, ergonomic chairs, and a few meeting rooms. It’s also a bit pricier than you expected, but as you browse the pictures, you start to see why: the kitchen is big, has microwaves, and a coffee machine you can count on. In addition, it includes facilities you didn’t even think about, such as prayer and mother’s rooms. You might not need either of them, but how about your employees? How much easier or more pleasant would their in-office experience be thanks to those facilities? What if they are just the thing your team needs to get back on track with office life?
Not every company needs unique amenities, but if yours could benefit from them, the world of furnished office spaces for rent is where you’ll find them.
- Keeping up with the trends
Following the trends gets a bad rap, but it’s a must when it comes to business and technology. Whether we’re talking AI tools or IT infrastructure, your equipment must be up-to-date and support the advances that make work easier. That doesn’t mean you must change your team’s computers every time better ones become available—instead, it’s a matter of keeping an eye on the market and implementing new tools and measures every now and then.
Trends apply when it comes to the way we work, too. For instance, we have research that shows hybrid work models are increasingly popular, more so than fully remote or permanently in-office schedules. Plus, we now know plants can make an impact, that wellness is a thing at work as well as outside it, and that creating a not only professional, but positive and innovative environment can aid employee retention.
With so many factors to consider when designing and operating an office space, looking at already furnished office spaces for rent is only natural. Competitive as they are, they offer up-to-date fixtures, finishes, and amenities, basically doing the work you don’t have time for.
- A new sense of community
Some companies need entire floors all to themselves, while others seek accommodation for 5 to 10 people—which would mean some desks and easy access to the common areas. If you have a start-up business with only a few employees, sharing a fully furnished office with other similarly sized businesses lowers the costs but also brings unexpected advantages. One of those is a unique sense of community.
It’s one thing to chit-chat with your team members and another to meet new people, share new ideas, and network. A fully equipped office is a scene already set, one that uniquely fosters communication and collaboration, sparking excitement about the potential for growth and innovation.
Summing up
Just like businesses, every office space is different, answering different needs. You may fall in love with a fully equipped office or realize you want to take charge of some of the process, opting for a semi-furnished one. Regardless, having the information you need to make a decision is paramount. And if you want to see what it’s like to work in a well-equipped space, WeWork can provide several solutions that can help.
