The office market is evolving all the time and there are now more options for businesses than ever before. Whether you are a small start-up or a large enterprise, there is lots to consider and having a good understanding of the different types of office space available is a vital starting point.

Read on to learn more about the differences between traditional, serviced and managed offices.

What is a traditional office?

A traditional office is where you lease a fixed amount of office space for a minimum period of time, usually at least three-to-five years. There will be no flexibility in terms during this time period, so if your business grows or scales back you will still be renting the same amount of space as before, even if you don’t fill it anymore. This can lead to you wasting a large amount of money paying for empty space.

You will usually have to fit out, furnish and brand the office yourself which can lead to considerable move-in delays of up to six months in some cases. Additionally, it increases the capital cost of moving in beyond that of choosing another type of office.

Additionally, you will be responsible for managing and maintaining the office space yourself, though the building manager will often be responsible for some areas like the toilets.

What is a serviced office?

A serviced office is a fully furnished, ready-to-use space which comes with everything provided for you, often including a range of facilities and amenities, and an on-site building management team who operate the space for you.

Most importantly, renting a serviced office means choosing a workspace that supports and flexes with your business in the long term. You can take more space as you need it on a per-desk basis so that you aren’t paying for anything you’re not using.

One fee covers everything in an all-inclusive serviced office, including utility bills, and you won’t have to worry about furnishings or fit out costs either. Everything is ready and same day move-ins are available. In many ways, this is the opposite of a traditional office lease, providing all the certainty of signing up to an office for a long period of time, but none of the downsides.

FigFlex’s Serviced Offices are the safest, flexible option for businesses of all shapes and sizes, due to you renting directly from the landlord! Are you ready to rent serviced office space? Please see our range of serviced office spaces available to lease here and get in touch with our friendly team of office space experts. 

What is managed office space?

Managed office space is very similar to serviced office space, with the key difference being that managed space generally refers to a space you can use exclusively rather than sharing amenities and facilities.

Like a serviced office, you can personalise your space if needed and you don’t need to worry about supplying furniture or other fittings. However, unlike a serviced office, a managed space is a set area and it will be harder to flex the amount of desk space up or down if your company changes size.

For this reason, a serviced office is often viewed as having the broadest appeal as it provides most of the benefits of all other types of offices, but is more flexible and simplified – allowing it to offer the best of all worlds, and making it suitable for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

Want to rent serviced office space in the UK but don’t know where to start? Get in touch with our team today to discover our portfolio of office space for rent.