Whilst many freelancers effectively run their own business from home and the occasional coffee shops, others prefer the buzz of a working office environment.

Co-working space provides the ideal solution for freelancers to connect with other creatives, network, make new friends, share knowledge and ideas, and even secure new clients.

For these reasons and more, co-working spaces are growing in popularity – and not only amongst freelancers, but start-ups and established businesses as well. Most shared office providers rent out entire floors.

For freelancers, the opportunity to work alongside other creatives doing the same or similar types of jobs is an opportunity to make professional and social connections.

Co-working spaces are therefore a valuable resource for digital nomads that have recently moved to a new city and freelancers looking to hook up with like-minded professionals.

Embracing the office environment

Co-working spaces are typically fully-functioning offices with all the vibes you expect from a working environment. Most providers also have office facilities you can use such as photocopiers, scanners, printers and AV equipment.

Should you need to consult with a client, give a presentation or brainstorm ideas on a collaborative project, meeting rooms are available to hire as well. If it works to your advantage, you can actually create the impression that your business is a larger operation than just you and a laptop.

For some freelancers, being in the hub of a busy office pumps you up with some much-needed motivation. If you’re the type of person that is easily distracted at home, co-working spaces help you ramp up your productivity levels.

And if being around other creatives brings a spark into your life, then hanging out in shared office environments is a no-brainer. If you’re lucky, the service provider will even provide free refreshments and biscuits. If not, start your own biscuit club. Make mine a chocolate hobnob!

Convenience or flexibility…or both

Freelancers who rent shared office space have the option to choose from a fixed desk or hot desk. The latter is more cost-effective, whilst fixed desks provide you with convenience and stability.

You can read more about the key differences and the advantages of hot desks and fixed desks in this article, but to sum up, a fixed desk means you work from the same place every day whilst a hot desk gives you more flexibility to work from different locations.

With BluDesk.com, hot desking provides you with multiple convenient options because you only need one pass to work from an unlimited number of locations. And we have thousands of co-working spaces around the world that are primed for local freelancers and digital nomads to hook up.

The main advantage of the BluDesk.com Membership Pass is you can book a hot desk anywhere in the world without having to register with multiple companies.

What’s more, there is no contractual obligations to any one service provider. If you don’t like a particular office for whatever reason, you don’t have to return just to get your money’s worth.

Co-working spaces not only fulfil your professional needs but fill the gaps freelancers and digital nomads often experience in their social life. BluDesks.com make it even easier for you to find the space you want to work from and connect with people you want to socialise with!

Co-working spaces provide a number of solutions for modern businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs. When flexibility and cost-cutting is a priority, shared office spaces ticks all the right boxes.

There are also various ways for you to rent a flexible workspace; hot desks, fixed desks and private offices. The option you choose depends on your business needs.

To paint the bigger picture, this article will address the differences between hot desks and fixed desks and list the advantages of each. You can then choose the option which is most appropriate for your needs.

What is a Hot Desk?

Hot desking is a fairly recent evolution that breaks from the traditional office set up. Essentially, a hot desk can be used by anybody. The first person to arrive at a desk in a shared office space has a place to work for the day. The same desk may be occupied by someone else the next day and so on.

The concept was originally designed to provide creative freelancers and entrepreneurs with an office environment to work in and network with other creatives.

Businesses that want to cut the cost of owning offices are also taking advantage of hot desking. They give your employees the flexibility to work in the office or away from the office.

What is a Fixed Desk?

Fixed desks are closely related to the conventional office model of positioning employees in a dedicated space. The major benefit of a fixed desk is you have your own space and know where everything is.

The concept of a fixed desk is mostly appreciated by employees that feel settled in one place rather than moving around all the time. Being in different places every day can overload the sense and distract the mind – which has a negative impact on productivity.

In contrast to hot desks which fosters collaboration and gives you the opportunity to meet new people on a regular basis, fixed desks ensure you are around the same people every day which helps to create lasting bonds.

Hot Desks v Fixed Desks: Which is right for my business?

Whilst the choice of hot desking or having a fixed desk can be a personal choice, if you are a business with multiple employees, you may want to have the option of both.

Below, we have listed the advantages of hot desks and fixed desks so you can see the benefits of each more clearly. All you have to do is decide how many you will need of each.

Advantages of Hot Desks

Hot desking is less expensive than fixed desks and private offices because you are essentially using less space.

More potential to meet new people and make new friends, job opportunities and share ideas.

Gives your staff more flexibility to work from other locations if they do not want, or need, to be in the office. With our Pay-As-You-Use policy, hot desking also helps you to cut costs.

Advantages of Fixed Desks

You can create your personal space that is comfortable and familiar to you.

Enables you to keep your equipment in the workplace without having to carry it to and from the office every day. This also gives you more flexibility to enjoy your social life before and after work.

Avoids disrupting your rhythm if you can’t find your hot desk when you arrive at a new shared office space.

Once you’ve decided whether a hot desk or a fixed desk is best for you, browse through our global partners and book your workspace today. We have thousands of desks to choose from!

In today’s business landscape, freelancers, entrepreneurs, small business owners and even established enterprises need to find cost-cutting solutions.

Regardless of your budget, virtual office space provides businesses of all sizes with several key benefits.

Official Business Address

Virtual office providers allow businesses to use their building address as your official business address which you can advertise on your website, stationery and other marketing materials.

If the company has a post scanning and forwarding service, you can also receive business post at the address of your virtual office provider, including official documentation from Companies House and HMRC, and get them sent to your mobile device or home address.

Adopting an official company registered address is an ideal solution for businesses that will benefit from projecting a professional image and creating the impression that you own office premises.

It is also possible for business owners who live overseas to register a business in the UK. Furthermore, company directors who do not want the address of their private residence made available to the public should take advantage of using a virtual office address as your official director’s service address.

Access To Fully-Functioning Office

Although a virtual office is often used by business owners who want to create the appearance of an own office, there will be times when you may need to take advantage of physical office facilities.

Some virtual office providers also offer shared office spaces and provide you with access to equipment which may not be readily available to you at home. Office facilities include printers, scanners, AV equipment, fax machines and meeting rooms.

Dedicated Telephone Line and Receptionist

Adopting the receptionist of a virtual office is one of the biggest cost-savings you can make as a small business or start-up. Annual salaries for receptionists in the UK are typically upwards of £18,000.

What’s more, you can also set up a dedicated landline which will be answered by a professional receptionist under your business name. A telephone answering service means you will never miss a call, and when you are unavailable to speak with a client, the receptionist will be able to answer simple questions and take a message for you.

More Flexibility

Whether you’re an established company with existing employees, a start-up needing to avoid hefty costs or an entrepreneur that needs access to office facilities, renting co-working desks in flexible workspaces provide you with both short and long-term flexibility.

Hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices and meeting rooms can be rented for as little as one hour, an entire day, a week, month or even a year. Companies that need long-term residency are often rewarded with attractive discounts.

Unlike most flexible workspace providers, BluDesks.com offers a pay-as-you-use membership so you are not tied into long-term contracts.  This gives you the freedom to work from multiple offices without committing yourself to one location or losing your money if you are not able to attend.

For more advice about our huge selection of virtual offices and the additional services offered by our global partners, get in touch today and speak with a member of our friendly team.

Starting a new business often requires capital. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to a sufficient amount of cash and with banks reluctant to offer small business loans some great ideas don’t even make it to first base.

The alternative is protect your capital by looking for cost-cutting solutions. It makes smart business sense to budget wisely and free up cashflow that enables you to get your business off the ground.

Navigating the start-up stage into the growth stage is the trickiest period for start-ups. According to statistics, 20% of small business fail within the first year and 60% go under after three years.

One of the first targets start-ups should aim for is keeping overheads as low as possible. The suggestions below provide you with solutions that can make a significant difference.

Virtual Office Space

Other than employee salaries, renting office space from a private landlord is evidently the most expensive cost start-ups encounter. Whilst having a physical location to run your business from can return dividends, the cost is a drain of resources.

Renting virtual office space provides a solution for business that attract customer through online channels. You can use the address of the virtual office on your website, stationery and other marketing materials to project the impression you have your own offices.

What’s more, virtual office service providers offer other useful services such as telephone answering services, receptionists and post forwarding, all of which create the impression of a fully-functioning office even if you actually work from a coffee shop, or your garage – hey, that’s how Apple and Microsoft started!

Co-working Spaces

 If you need some physical office space to work, but cannot afford hefty rents and long lease tie-ups, co-working spaces present an alternative solution. You can expect the majority of flexible workspace providers to offer access to typical facilities you would expect to find in an office.

Most Coworking spaces operate as a fully-functioning office. If you need access to printers, photocopiers, scanners and AV equipment, it is all available. And if you like the buzz of an office environment, co-working spaces are a great opportunity to network, make new friends and potentially acquire business.

Hot-Desks, Fixed Desks and Virtual Meeting Rooms

Another potential benefit of co-working spaces is they give you access to hot desks and meeting rooms. If you don’t need office space full-time, a hotdesk is a cost-effective solution.

On the other hand, if you have a team that need to work closely together, fixed desks or private offices mean you can keep your team together and establish a company culture and team bonding.

Meeting rooms on the premises also make it easier to hold team meetings in private and host clients. Some co-working spaces will even let you hang business signs on the wall which gives the appearance you own the space.

Virtual Receptionist

Whilst a receptionist is a nice-to-have feature which helps promote your business and manage calls, the annual salary of a receptionist is money you can spend in other areas.

If you do need someone to field your calls and project a professional image for your front-end, a virtual receptionist provides the answers. Co-working spaces also employ receptionists you can adopt for your own business.

You will be given a dedicated land line number which clients and prospects can reach you on and the receptionist will answer calls to that line in your business name.

Virtual offices and co-working space facilities are the best cost-cutting options available to small businesses because they help you function as a business without the hefty bills.