Keen to bring your team together in an office to call your own? Opting for either a full-time or part-time office is a great option for you. But how do you know which one is best for your business?
Luckily, there are some sure-fire ways to tell which solution you should choose. Below, Hubble explores them all so you can feel safe knowing you’re making the right decision.
What are full-time and part-time offices?
First things first, let’s briefly explain what full-time and part-time offices are.
- Full-Time Offices: An office for your team that you can access every day of the working week.
- Part-Time Offices: An office for your team that you can access 1-3 days per week.
Unlike on-demand workspaces (workspaces you book by the day or hour), full-time and part-time offices require companies to sign a contract. These contracts are flexible, ranging anywhere from one month to one year. Most workspace providers even offer monthly rolling contracts.
Often serviced, these flexible offices are designed to take the hassle out of office management. Serviced offices are workspaces set up and ready to go from the day you move in. This means another company, the workspace provider, handles all your utilities, bills, and day-to-day office management.
What’s more, all the workspace’s amenities and facilities — such as meeting rooms, breakout space, showers and bicycle storage — are free to use and included in your rent.
What are the key differences between full-time and part-time offices?
Now, let’s get into the key differences between full-time and part-time offices:
| Full-Time Office | Part-Time Office |
| An office for your team that you can access every day of the working week | An office for your team that you can access 1-3 days per week |
| Savings Our expert advisors can help negotiate a discount of 10-15%. | Savings Up to 75% cheaper than a full-time office, depending on the days taken. |
| Workspace strategy Ideal for teams seeking a full-time home of their own or those with a consistent and balanced attendance throughout the week. | Workspace strategy Ideal for hybrid companies implementing a set-day or preference-based workspace strategy. |
| Cost consciousness Ideal for companies prioritising the stability of a long-term space over strict cost efficiency. | Cost consciousness Ideal for cost-efficient companies, enabling them to secure a premium space within their budget |
| Minimum commitment Anything from 2-12+ months. | Minimum commitment Notice period is usually monthly (rolling). |
| How far in advance to start looking Companies can usually sign up to 3 months ahead of the start date. | How far in advance to start looking Companies usually cannot sign more than 4 weeks ahead of the start date. |
| Adding your own branding Ability to brand the space. | Adding your own branding Limited ability to brand the space. |
| Equipment and storage Ability to leave items onsite. | Equipment and storage Ability to leave monitors in the space, but usually no other storage overnight. |
| Deposit Usually 2x months of rent. | Deposit None. |
What are the pros and cons?
When making significant business decisions, it’s crucial to consider the pros and cons. Here, we highlight the advantages and disadvantages of renting both full-time and part-time offices:
Full-Time Offices
| Pros | Cons |
| Consistency Renting a full-time, dedicated workspace ensures your team has consistent access — making establishing routines, reinforcing behaviours, and maintaining a stable work environment easier. | Cost Since you’re renting the office full-time, rent will naturally be higher. You’ll also pay a slight premium on it in exchange for all-inclusive fees and facilities. |
| Team bonding A shared, full-time office space fosters stronger team cohesion and collaboration since team members are physically present, allowing consistent brainstorming away from competitors’ earshots. | Desk underutilisation If you haven’t adopted a fully office-based workspace strategy, renting a full-time office may run the risk the team not utilising the space often, leading to unnecessary expenses. |
| Professionalism Renting a full-time office allows you to brand the space and make it your own, enhancing your company’s professional image and credibility. | Team satisfaction Opting for a single office space for teams to use may pose the risk of negatively impacting members with longer commutes and varying financial circumstances. |
Part-Time Offices
| Pros | Cons |
| Cost savings Renting a space for only 1-3 days per week can lead to substantial cost savings compared to a full-time office. (We saved £129k per year!). | Potential reduced team interactions Your teams’ bonding and collaboration may take a hit on the days they can’t access the office. |
| Flexibility A part-time office allows more flexibility for remote work, allowing team members to work from different locations on days when they’re not needed in the office. | Professionalism With a part-time office, you lack the ability to brand and personalise the space, which may not convey the same level of professionalism. |
| Adaptability Renting a part-time office involves signing a monthly rolling contract, making it incredibly easy to adapt to unprecedented situations and/or needs. | Limited availability As access is limited to specific days, your team may encounter scheduling conflicts and challenges coordinating team activities. |
Find a full-time or part-time office with Hubble
At Hubble, we help businesses give their teams great places to work. Our platform makes it easy to find and rent a flexible workspace that suits your needs — all in one place.
For those actively looking for a full-time or part-time office, our expert advisors can assist you. From giving recommendations to attending viewers, they’ll do the heavy lifting and help manage your entire search so you feel supported.
And since our service is free of charge, we’re confident we can help you find an affordable full-time or part-time office in London (and beyond!)that suits your budget and your teams’ preferences.
Get in touch today, and we’d be happy to help!
