- July 13th 2020
- Surrey
Best Shared Office Spaces in Surrey
With many of us still working from home or furloughed, the idea of going back into an office can seem surreal. Coronavirus will undoubtedly change the way businesses are run in the future, with many offices employing remote working as the norm. Some office workers, however, will need separation from home in order to be able to work effectively.
The same is definitely true for the self-employed. Although the majority of people setting up a business will initially work from home, it isn’t a long-term solution for everyone. Loneliness can be a real issue, without the camaraderie of an office. There can be issues with self-motivation, and focus. Also, the blurred boundaries between work and home life mean many will struggle to maintain a healthy ‘work life’ balance. As those working from home recently will have found, it’s easy to start checking your emails late in the evening, when you should be decompressing.
The other issue is expansion – as your business grows, it isn’t easy to increase a home space to accommodate other employees. This is why many self-employed workers and small business owners will look to rent space within a shared office.
Benefits of an Office Share
There are so many benefits to sharing an office. All amenities are supplied, including:
- Allocated desks with secure file storage
- Kitchen and bathroom facilities
- IT resources such as printers, internet access and phone lines
- Access to meeting rooms
Some shared offices will even include a dedicated receptionist, security personnel and gym facilities as well as free parking. There are even shared offices that are set up to embrace the popularity of ‘hot desking’. These offer ad-hoc desk rentals, from a day at a time to full-time deals.
Given the minimal outlay compared with renting your own office, sharing an office is also a risk-free opportunity to locate your business within a prestigious location that would otherwise have been beyond your budget. This is often seen in London, with companies renting office space in expensive locations, conferring an air of profitability and success.
Renting in Surrey
Surrey is one of the wealthiest regions in the country. The county’s business sector is incredibly important to the economy. Indeed, its worth an estimated £40 billion, which is more than Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool. However, rents and property prices are high. In areas such as Guildford, house prices are double the national average. For this reason, sharing a co-worker space is especially popular for expanding businesses within the region.
However, when looking for office space it can be difficult to find what’s right for you and your business. Online searches can throw up a plethora of office spaces, and you can be overwhelmed for choice. As always, if you can, go by personal recommendation. Online reviews are great, but we all know these can be manipulated by unscrupulous landlords.
Our Pick of the Best…
If you’re a business owner in Surrey looking for work premises, or self-employed and looking to gain work-life balance, then the good news is we’ve done some of the research for you!
Here’s a selection of what’s on offer around the county:
Rocketdesk, 20 Nugent Street, Guildford
This is an exciting space for creative start-ups and technology professionals. It’s located in Guildford, the financial hub of the county and offers private offices, dedicated desks and hot desks. The space has been really well thought-through and offers additional benefits such as chill out zones and gaming areas, free tea and coffee and free car parking. What’s more, the office is wheelchair accessible and is open 24/7.
Basepoint Business Centre, Camberley
This is one of 32 business and innovation centres run by Basepoint. This co-worker space offers a range of affordable serviced offices, studios, virtual offices and meeting rooms. An on-site management team ensures everything runs smoothly, and the terms are flexible and simple, with workspaces available from 1 month to 2 years and straightforward monthly billing. As well as all the usual IT support, there’s also the added security of a door entry system and CCTV.
Regus, Hillswood Business Park, Chertsey
Situated in one of Surrey’s most popular business parks, with easy access to London, Regus offers coworking desks, virtual offices, private offices and a great selection of meeting rooms. There’s also a business lounge, as well as an on-site cafe, outdoor seating area and disabled facilities. Pricing is all-inclusive, so there are no hidden extras and what’s more, you can increase the space you’re renting, meaning it’s a great option for a flourishing business.
Mapleworks, 73 Maple Road, Surbiton
With private meeting rooms, collaborative open-plan spaces, secure desk areas and a business lounge, Mapleworks has everything start-ups and freelancers need to get their business off the ground and running smoothly. A private kitchen and free coffee are also provided, as well as all the usual IT resources.
Spaces Woking One
This quirky, inspirational office share is conveniently located opposite Woking train station. Creative workspaces, large desks and comfy sofas make this the perfect spot to run your business. There are 34 desks, 125 private offices and three meeting rooms available in total, as well as breakout areas. This vibrant, fully serviced office share also offers networking events to help you engage with other business owners. Parking is also available, which is really important given its prime town centre location.
Accrue Workplaces, The Long Barn, Cobham
This state-of-the-art centre has over 100 desks and various membership options. These include pay as you go (for daily use), permanent dedicated desks and private office space. Accrue definitely offers something for everyone. There’s a cafe lounge, free tea and coffee, quirky ‘telephone’ style quiet zones, free parking, shower and changing facilities and social events. As well as IT resources, it even has a postal service, offering ‘large business facilities’ in a coworking space. If you’re interested, then take advantage of the 7-day free trial and see if Accrue is the place for your business.
Sharing an office has so many benefits for the self-employed and small business owners. Not only does it provide a professional, dedicated workspace, with minimal financial risk, but it also provides social contact, which is so important to health and wellbeing. It can also come with additional benefits, including cross-pollination of business ideas, and even long-term work collaborations. We wish you the best of luck with your search for an office space, as we all move towards a brighter and more sociable future.
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