Along with everything else business related, the way and where we work is changing. For some businesses, offices are still a necessity. For other businesses, they are able to have all their employees work remotely or from home. While offices still have a place, nixing the actual office building has some major benefits. Work from home or working remotely can have benefits for a company such as flexibility for their employees, flexible hours of work and reduced overhead costs (no utility bills, rent, supplies, etc.). It can also benefit you both during tax time. Most employees who work this way are independent contractors which means the employer has less responsibilities when it comes to taxes (no tracking and withholding, only reporting the employees income) and the employee will gain a good handful of write offs. If you like the idea of not working from the office, but somedays find it difficult to get motivated to work from home, there is a middle ground solution: co-working space. These spaces are popping up all over the map. This is generally an office or event space that you pay a monthly (sometimes daily if your not using it often) fee to use. It provides all the perks of an office such as the space to work, conference rooms, printer/copier/fax machines, internet and a lot of times coffee. A lot of them even have 24/7 access so unlike a traditional office, you can still work as it suits your schedule. Co-working spaces encourage networking and collaboration because you never know who you will meet-there are new people in and out all the time. They will encourage and motivate you due to the change of scenery. These spaces, just like working from home, give you full control while still receiving benefits of have an office to work from. Many studies have been done to track productivity and creativity on employees who work in a typical work environment versus environments of their choosing. There was a clear increase in both productivity and creativity when they were encouraged to work where and when they want and when they were able to collaborate with other individuals they have never met. As times change, it is always a good idea to re-visit your business practices to see if you are performing in the most efficient and beneficial ways for your company and for your employees. Is it time to take the leap for your company and become remote? Do you think your office could make it work or benefit? We would love to hear your thoughts and concerns in the comments below!