Shared offices - when unused desks become prospects

Shared offices - when unused desks become prospects

In Switzerland, around 3.5 million people work in offices and secretariats, which accounts for more than 50% of all employees. But times have changed and not all employees prefer the old habits of simple convenience.

Especially now, when more people than ever before prefer the practical home office to the conventional workplace, the question for companies is: “What to do with all the unused desks?”

The solution: renting out workstations

A shared office is no longer a thing of the past. Large companies such as Bayer, Siemens and Porsche are making their workplaces increasingly flexible and giving their employees more freedom to work. If an employee goes on vacation, switches to a home office or travels in the field, many unused desks and tables are left behind in the office.

According to a study by the Zurich-based company Locatee, only around 15% of the desks available in the office are currently being used because employees are increasingly absent. On the other hand, there is a lack of space and room for employees, especially in new, up-and-coming companies.

Demand meets supply

maison.work has dedicated itself to developing a new and contemporary match-making platform for shared office spaces that not only offers many advantages to advanced companies, but also helps start-ups to grow sustainably.

Companies that have a lot of free office space can rent out their workstations and use this to gain financial resources. On the other hand, job seekers have found a solution to their problem and can benefit from the idea of a modern office concept and flexible office solutions.

The shared office: briefly explained

The idea of this concept originally comes from the USA. A growing shortage of space for commercial enterprises and the constantly expanding population have forced the Americans to find a solution to the problem: Shared Offices (in German: Bürogemeinschaft).

Companies, freelancers and start-ups that do not have their own office and are looking for space for their employees have the option of renting workstations. These are made available to them by other companies who want to take advantage of desks or offices that have become available. This can be the case, for example, if your own employees go on vacation, are laid off, switch to part-time work or switch to working from home completely. Such a shared workspace can be set up with the following spaces:

• individual desks

• workstations

• private offices

• Workshop and meeting rooms

   

On a monthly or weekly basis, tenants can carry out their activities here and are provided with the necessary infrastructure. In return, they pay the company a suitable rent for the sublease. This idea of office organization has already gained a foothold in Europe and is being used by more and more companies to make advantageous use of unused desks.

Advantages of renting out unused workstations

Renting and leasing workstations and office space has many advantages. Below you can get an overview of why a flexible shared office not only helps to increase profits, but also contributes to the satisfaction of your employees.

Additional income with subletting in a shared office

Whether you want to advertise an individual office, offer shared office space or simply rent out a desk, you can generate profitable income with every offer. Instead of leaving a free workspace unused, you can benefit from monthly or weekly fees and invest them wisely to drive your business forward. Workshop and meeting rooms are always in demand for both small and large companies on a short-term basis, while individual workstations or private offices are often used for longer periods. Whether you are helping out another company, hosting a start-up or providing freelancers with an office, it doesn't matter. If your office is equipped with everything you need and creates a comfortable atmosphere for working, you have a good chance of successful marketing.

Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the many advantages of renting out unused workspaces. With a shared office, tenants and landlords are not tied to long rental periods and are free to choose how long they want to stay, or more precisely, how long the office should be made available. As a company, you can therefore rent out the free desks and offices for short or longer periods. Just as it suits you. If you ever need your vacant office space yourself because your company is hiring new workers, for example, you can easily and quickly use it yourself again without incurring many losses. Instead of selling your offices, you can rent them out exclusively at profitable prices and have access to them at all times.

A breath of fresh air that inspires

An employee-friendly office atmosphere is the be-all and end-all for a large number of satisfied employees in your company. Making friends, having a beer with colleagues after work and treating each other with respect and friendliness always make for a good workplace. That's why the shared office is a promising way to bring a breath of fresh air into the community. New people can inspire, motivate and connect. The encouraged exchange of communication partners can also have a major impact on the work motivation of your own employees. People from different industries can come together and bring inspiration, creativity and new knowledge into everyday life. As an employee, getting to know the visions, working methods, motivations and knowledge of colleagues from other niches can have a positive influence on your own way of working.

Save costs

Once you have acquired a suitable office space as a company, you will normally have to pay ancillary and maintenance costs. If you opt for shared office space that you rent out to other employees, the costs can also be shared with them. For example, if you receive monthly income from the rental, you can use this amount to pay any bills that arise. You also don't run the risk of renting a large office and then not using it because you have lots of unused desks.

Cultivate a community of like-minded people

A shared workspace brings together visionaries, do-gooders and creative minds. Like-minded people who have set themselves the same goal increase productivity in the way they work. As a company, you can benefit from a workforce that, spurred on by people with similar wishes and ideas, works more efficiently. Your office space can become a hub of ingenuity, resourcefulness and effectiveness as your team expands thanks to a sublet in the shared office.

Contribute to sustainable urban development

Our world is facing a constantly growing population and therefore it is no longer a secret that real estate and premises are increasingly in demand. Especially for growing companies, it is essential to find a suitable location for their business center. Within the city in particular, the demand for offices is higher than ever before. This is because not only is there an excellent infrastructure and good connectivity, but employees also have a greater choice of surrounding cafés, parks and restaurants. So there is no question that the popularity of central offices also makes them significantly more expensive than those located outside the city. To avoid the decentralization of up-and-coming companies and to have new office buildings built, it can be of great benefit if you rent out your vacant workplaces. A shared office contributes to the sustainable development of a city and can save space where it is needed to combat the increasing shortage of space.

A safeguard

Every company goes through sluggish lulls and profitable growth phases. By renting out your vacant workstations at Maison, you can stay afloat even during low periods. If you are ever forced to lay off employees or your company stops growing, the long-term rented office space can often become too large and too costly in the long term. Advertising workspaces can help you monetize vacant space and optimize rental costs. Unused desks become a hedge in bad times and can bring you a result even when things are not looking so good for your company.

The shared office summarized

Whether you're looking for additional income, want to give a start-up a helping hand or simply want to breathe new life into your company. A shared office is always a great way to create change and save costs at the same time.

You can rent out a team office, advertise an individual office or advertise individual desks. In doing so, you help small companies that cannot yet afford their own office and support them as they grow.

Always remain flexible and adapt the business rental to the fast pace of your company. If you are curious, contact us at maison and get the right offer for you and your company. We will help you to rent out your premises appropriately and find the perfect subletting partner for your shared office space.