Looking to provide flexible work solutions for your team? With the rise of the remote and decentralised workforce, satellite offices are an increasingly popular choice for businesses that prioritise workplace culture, productivity and staff morale.
Leading organisations are adapting workforce management strategies to incorporate a mix of work from home and flexible satellite offices that provide space for teams to collaborate on projects or specific days without requiring staff to commute to the head office (which may or may not exist any more).
Satellite offices provide a balance between location, affordability and workplace features, making it increasingly easy to run a company from just about anywhere. Satellite offices are also helping companies to sustain their unique workplace culture and the human connection that people need to feel like they belong. Businesses lacking flexible policies and workspaces are likely to have a harder time attracting and retaining staff.
If you’re ready to adapt more flexible workforce strategies, satellite offices are a cost-effective solution.
The term satellite office is not new, yet it has emerged as a top priority in workforce planning and management due to newer features and inclusions found in coworking hubs – such as flexible lease options and shared facilities, like meeting rooms and printers. The ability to avoid long term lock-in lease agreements gives businesses confidence in uncertain times.
Why your business strategy should include a satellite office
If you’re building a team from the ground up or expanding your core workforce, satellite offices can increase employee retention, collaboration, and foster a network of industry experts all under one roof.
What is a Satellite Office?
A satellite office, also known as a decentralised or branch office, is a location that is physically separate from your head quarters or main office. Satellite offices can vary in size but most organisations find benefit in accommodating teams from 5 – 100 people.
A key benefit of modern satellite offices is the flexible to scale up and down with operational needs. The ability to “dial up and down” so you can rapidly grow and scale isn’t typically offered in traditional longer-term leases, and so satellite offices are often found in coworking hubs where floorspace and lease terms can scale as you grow. According to our research, switching to a satellite office can save your business 30 to 40 percent in overhead costs when compared to running your business out of a traditional office.
Check out our price comparison chart to see how much you can save with a satellite office.
Cost benefits
- Price per square metre
- Utilities like electricity, gas, WiFi
- Property repairs, maintenance, cleaning
- Administration staff and equipment like printers, landlines
- Space furnishings like desk, chairs, decor
- High-speed internet and cyber security
- Onsite facilities like goods in and out stations
- Community and workplace social events
The best part? Satellite offices are an all-in-one solution. The front-end work of setting up and operating an office is already done for you, the space is ready for you to move in. You don’t have to spend time on lease negotiations, property and maintenance repairs. Free up time to design your own office space. Some spaces even come furnished with desks and chairs. Also, you can count on pre-planned social, community and networking events to help increase staff retention with access to additional onsite perks.
Now that you know how much you can save with a satellite office, here’s how it can foster connection while you scale and grow your business.
Collaboration benefits
- Increased productivity
- Decreased isolation
- Access to onsite facilities like meeting rooms
- Move-in ready
- Open concept design
- Built-in office operations
- Social, community and networking events
- Increased customer satisfaction
Opening a satellite office in a shared workplace hub allows your team to collaborate with leaders from a variety of backgrounds, skill sets, industries and business models. It can be as easy as grabbing a coffee in the kitchen and discovering how to diversify your product or service offerings from other founders around you.
Satellite offices can be a home away from headquarters and it acts as your eyes and ears on the ground. Teams on the ground help to create connections between a local customer base. Find a location that will put you in the best position to tap local markets or work alongside businesses who can become potential clients. This form of collaboration is very hard to come by if you’re stuck at your kitchen table all day.
Most businesses have become adept at leveraging technology to communicate with key stakeholders. However, a satellite office provides a valuable professional environment for those game changing moments: an executive meeting, customer workshops, team building.
Safely bringing people together in a satellite office fulfil more than simple productivity gains: a collective physical space and the rituals of interaction it creates, supports staff morale, team development and workplace culture.
Level-up your Workforce Strategy with a Satellite Office
The Future of Work has many businesses adopting (and designing) new workplace management models. Consider how well your business has adapted to disruption to traditional workforce models and plan future improvements now. Creating productive, collaborative workspaces while offering flexibility in remote and office-based options can retain staff, trim expenses and build thriving teams.
Set your team up for success by providing a reliable infrastructure that can withstand disruption while providing security and certainty. Whether your teams are spread out regionally or globally, you can optimise your workforce with a satellite office and re-ignite focus and growth.
