If you’re on the fence about the potential of investing in an office franchise, then you should look a little deeper into the potential popularity of office sharing and how it’s not going to go away anytime soon. The following are a few of the reasons why there’s such a strong demand for office sharing spaces and why that demand will only grow stronger in the future.
There Are More Freelancers Than Ever Before
More and more people are working as freelancers, which means that more people will need a workspace in which to get their work done. According to a survey performed by the Freelancers Union last year, roughly 35 percent of all American workers are freelancers. Last year, there were around 55 million total freelancers in the U.S. This was an increase from the 53.7 million freelancers in 2015 and the 53 million freelancers in 2014, which means that this is a trend that is most likely not going to die down anytime soon.
People Are Working Remotely More Than Ever
Those who aren’t freelancing may not even be going to work. In a 2016 survey consisting of more than 15,000 American workers, 43 percent of employed Americans spent some time working remotely. Many of these workers may actually want to work in an office environment, which is why they are attracted to shared office spaces. Shared office space provides a professional setting that helps encourage productivity, but without any bothersome coworkers, cramped cubicles or overbearing bosses that might impede their ability to work.
Shared Office Spaces Provide Networking Opportunities
One of the reasons that freelancers are attracted to shared office spaces is the opportunity for networking. Freelancers can find other like-minded individuals occupying the workspace to collaborate with on certain projects or to even network with in order to find new jobs.
Shared Office Spaces Benefit Startups
Many startup companies simply don’t have the ability to rent their own office space. A small startup of two or three people can get started with everything they need in a shared office space. Not only will they all have space to work at, but they will be able to take advantage of conference rooms for work meetings, whether it’s to discuss the direction of their company or to court potential clients. Being able to court a client or investor in a professional setting like a shared office space will leave a much better impression than doing so at a coffee shop or at home.
Shared Office Spaces Increase Productivity
Shared office spaces attract freelancers, remote workers, and startups not only because they offer a space to work in, but because they foster an environment in which productivity flourishes. There are few distractions in an office workspace to keep people from getting their work done, after all. Not to mention that being in an environment where everybody is hard at work helps to increase productivity as well. A person is more likely to get cracking on a job when they see that everyone around them is working hard.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why there’s such a great demand for office sharing. The way things are going, this shouldn’t be merely a phase—instead, it’s more of a glimpse of what the potential future is going to look.
If you’re interested in investing in an office franchise to take advantage of the growing demand for shared office spaces, then be sure to contact us at Venture X for more information about our office franchise opportunities.