Shared Office Space in Kent has become increasingly popular with SME’s, start-ups and the self-employed over the past 10 years. In-fact self-employment figures reached a record high in 2018, which had a knock-on effect on the commercial letting market.
In recent years co-working spaces have become hugely popular with self-employed workers, who are sole traders that either use their profession to offer services, labour or sell a product.
Due to the vast numbers of those opting to go self-employed over paid employment is on the increase and the likes of WeWork in London are the largest takers of office space in the capital. According to a report by Cushman and Wakefield, WeWork occupied more than 2.5 million square foot of London office space in 2018. That’s above leading global brands, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple.
So why are there so many people self-employed in the UK right now?
The Reasons for the Surge in Self-Employment in the UK
Self-employment levels in the UK have surged in the last 10 years. In 2018 the self-employment figures reached an all-time high of 5-million. 2-million of which were freelance workers. These figures continue to grow, but why in the last 10 years have more people decided to go it alone?
We can only assume that the global financial crisis was the highest contributing factor to this growing trend. It certainly kick-started a trend that continues to flourish in 2019. Initially, it shook up the traditional employee and employer relationship. Many of you will recall the vast numbers of redundancies that businesses were forced to make in order to cut costs.
This put professionals in a terrifying position of unemployment, with some companies taking ‘a last one in first one out approach’, as well as offering early retirement options. It was a crisis that unfortunately many companies did not survive. The UK was in dire straight, but with a typical British approach, we carried on.
Former employees and employers from all sectors reinvented themselves in a self-employed capacity. Small businesses and start-ups were formed, and freelancers were commissioned to fill the void of understaffed workforces across the country (a direct result of the redundancies).
As a result of the self-employment trend, unemployment figures reported by the Office of National Statistics reached 4.1 per cent in 2017, that’s the lowest since 1975.
These remarkable figures suggest that self-employment is here to stay and not simply a temporary consequence of the financial crisis.
Self-employment is a huge contributor to the economy in the UK today and has supported Britain’s recovery from the financial crisis. Now we face another bout of uncertainty, as we wait for a Brexit deal or no deal, but for many, this could present opportunities and perhaps another surge in start-up businesses in Kent. Only time will tell.
How Shared Office Space in Kent Fits the Bill in 2019
We’ve already established that London has an abundance of professional co-working spaces and here are Kent Office Space we take inspiration from the leading co-working providers, WeWork and Spaces.
We understand that being an individual or a small team, there isn’t a need to have copious desks and storage space. All you need is a place to perform your daily tasks in a professional environment, so why pay more?
At Kent Office Space, our tenants enjoy being in a central location and sharing the bills, while benefitting from all the perks of a larger serviced office, including:
- Air conditioning / Heating
- Parking
- Fibre high speed internet
- Meeting room
- Modern kitchen facilities
- W.C. and shower facilities
- Cleaning
- Waste/ recycling
- Business rates
- Service charges
- CCTV and intruder alarm
Who uses Shared Office Space in Kent?
SMEs, freelancers, start-ups and larger organisation all operate from Kent Office Space. We have a very diverse range of companies at our shared offices in Sittingbourne. These businesses enjoy a sizable office to suit their needs and all the facilities you would expect from a large office let.
What’s more, as our tenants expand and grow, there is the opportunity to occupy additional space.
Other Benefits of Shared Office Space in Kent
Aside from the obvious economical savings of shared office space, having access to numerous businesses in one single place can support your business growth too.
At Kent Office Space there is a natural networking opportunity with fellow tenants and other local businesses that present a support infrastructure. Our tenants are co-workers that develop the same friendships one might make at a large organisation, which can provide opportunities to further expand and develop.
Available Shared Office Space to Let in Sittingbourne, Kent
Kent Office Space is currently at 90 per cent occupancy, with just Office 7 available to let.
This light and compact office presents the ideal space for an individual or partnership. To arrange a viewing of Office 7 please contact us today.