The American Dream includes the fact a person can be happy and provide for their family with hard work, creativity and the desire to build a happy home. Nowhere does this opportunity reveal itself more than with the prospect of entrepreneurship and the opening of private business. Although rated by Forbes Magazine as #111 on a list of the best cities for business, New York has always been recognized as a business hub not only for the United States but internationally.
Part of the reason for the low ranking is the fact that office space, just like homes, can be expensive in New York comparative to other cities. There is more competition for office space and the demand drives up the prices. There are ways around the price of a high-end office. An executive office is a primary example of how to save money by allowing work functions to be conducted remotely rather than in the main office.
Self-Sufficient Employees
The first noticeable advantage of the virtual office is the productivity of employees who have a sense of pride and responsibility. It is a part of human nature when workers are allowed to do their jobs without direct supervision they are motivated to do their job with ambition and strive for their best performance. When they are allowed to reasonably set their own schedules they can determine the best time to do their job when they feel most productive. Allowing an employee to be self-sufficient weeds out the lazy workers and allows the great ones to strive toward perfection.
Efficiency
There is a further aspect to employee efficiency when allowed to work from home unsupervised. Employees work from where they need to be instead of feeling tied to a time and place. If, for example, if somebody needs to take an hour break to greet children arriving home from school they can do so and make up the time after traditional office hours. If a parent knows she has to coach a soccer practice on Wednesday, she can work ahead of schedule on Tuesday evening and check in after the practice to assure the work load is caught up. Furthermore, the main office is not restricted to the local pool of potential professionals when using the virtual office option. A great employee located in Denver can be in touch with the main office via internet and phone communications to New York and any clients around the country.
Lower Expenses
In 2013, the average square footage of office space was nearly $50 and rising in New York, NY, but in Long Island it was much more reasonable at only $22 per square foot and falling. Assuming a reasonable level of efficiency and modernity, the virtual office does not have to meet the expectations of employees and can be set up in a lower priced neighborhood. There’s also less required space and lower daily operating expenses associated with office supplies when a majority of employees work from a distance.
Making it Happen
In today’s world and modern communications, the virtual office simply makes practical sense for many businesses. There are proven ways of making work. Just like a traditional office, somebody has to be available for email and telephone conversations with clients during regular business hours, and accommodating availability across time zones is an added benefit. Although the employees work independently, there has to be a strict system of communication and accountability applied across the board. A professional company specializing in building the executive office can be an invaluable tool toward developing and maintaining a successful virtual work space.