Alternative workspaces enable professionals to rent desks, tables, offices, or conference room spaces with access to high-speed internet and the opportunity to network with other professionals. Designed to be productive, people feed off each other’s energy in the workspaces, and members inspire one another with their successes, said David Walker, a partner with Austin-based co-working agency Open Work Agency.

Because of the flexibility that alternative workspaces offer, more businesses have been drawn to the idea in recent years, said John Rainone, regional vice president of Regus Group, which offers multiple workspaces in Travis County.

Co-working and rentable office spaces have been expanding outside of the Austin metro and into areas where business professionals used to commute from, said Paul Beaver, owner of office building Executive Suites at Flintrock.

“Convenience is No. 1,” he said. “Now [employees] can work at home and have an office space that’s close and capable of serving them when they need one.” 

Rainone said a common misconception is only small businesses look at alternative workspaces.

“It’s Fortune 500 companies, too,” he said. “When a company wants to test the waters in a market or is working on a shorter project, [executives] reach out for space. A company doesn’t need to spend money to outfit a temporary space with furniture and the bandwidth they need. We have that ready.”

Virtual offices, which give home-based businesses an office address and phone service, allow clients to be perceived more favorably, Beaver said.

“Whether people are looking for a full-time office, an office for the day, a co-working service or a virtual office for their home business, what people want most is flexibility,” Rainone said.