With thousands of businesses turning to flexible workspace solutions, managed offices are gaining momentum as an attractive alternative to coworking and serviced office spaces.
Offering a practical blend of flexibility and professionalism, managed offices are the favoured workspace solution for established businesses looking to ditch the traditional office environment.
But what makes managed offices different from other office space solutions?
In this article, we’ll break down what managed offices are, who they’re best suited for, and why they’re quickly becoming the go-to flexible working solution for businesses across the UK.
Understanding Managed Offices
A managed office is a bespoke, fully serviced workspace leased to a single company, offering the flexibility of a traditional lease with the convenience of serviced amenities.
Unlike a serviced office space, which is typically shared among multiple tenants, managed offices provide exclusive use, allowing businesses to tailor the space to their specific needs and brand identity.
Managed workspaces also offer a high level of autonomy while still being overseen by a third-party provider. This gives organisations near complete control of their spaces, without the steep costs of traditional office spaces.
It’s worth noting that many flexible workspace providers will use the terms ‘managed office space’ and ‘serviced office space’ interchangeably, so it’s important to do your due diligence when researching managed office providers.
Key Features of Managed Offices
Exclusive Use
Managed offices give your business a dedicated space only occupied by your team. This not only ensures privacy to conduct your day-to-day business operations it also gives your company control on how to best utilise the space without having to share.
Customisation
Unlike a serviced office where you’re somewhat limited in how your workspace is presented, managed offices allow for customisation of your space. This can include tailoring the office layout to match your company’s style of working and adding branded office furniture to reflect your professional image. That’s why managed offices are often referred to as a custom built workspace.
All-Inclusive Services
As part of your managed office contract, your provider supplies everything your business needs to operate efficiently, covering essentials such as utilities, building maintenance, IT support, high-speed internet, reception services and more.
Flexible Lease Terms
Similar to other flexible workspaces, managed workspaces offer short or medium-term lease agreements, usually negotiated as monthly rolling contracts. This gives businesses predictable monthly expenses which helps them maintain a high level of financial security.
Rapid Setup
Most managed office spaces enjoy a significantly faster setup time compared to conventional offices. This is because managed office providers ensure the spaces are already equipped and furnished before you move into your new office.
While many businesses usually spend 6 months to a year connecting utilities and furnishing empty office spaces, companies in a managed office don’t have this worry. This office management expedites the setup process, reducing the time it takes for your business to make itself at home.
Benefits of Choosing a Managed Office
1. Flexibility and Scalability
One of the most well-reported advantages of managed offices (and other flexible workspaces) is your business’s ability to scale the space to suit your needs.
Whether you’re looking to grow or downsize your company, your managed office space leasing terms can be adjusted to accommodate your current and future requirements. They also allow you to modify the space as your organisation undergoes change such as expanding the floorplan to fit more desk or add extra meeting rooms and breakout spaces for greater collaboration.
2. Cost Efficiency
Both serviced and managed offices are substantially more cost-effective alternatives to traditional offices, especially when you consider the hidden expenses of setting up and running an office independently.
With managed offices, all your workspace costs including rent, utilities, internet, and maintenance are bundled into one predictable monthly, giving businesses predictable monthly expenses with consolidated billing.
Additionally, managed spaces have significantly reduced upfront capital expenditure as your office provider gifts your business fully furnished workspaces. This means businesses can redirect capital into growth activities instead of overhead.
As of 2025, the average managed office space costs roughly £120-£200 per square foot in London, translating to £1,000 to £1,500 per desk per month. While this sounds expensive, this upfront figure often represents better long-term value as you never have to worry about the support services included.
3. Custom Branding and Identity
Unlike standard serviced offices or coworking spaces, managed office spaces give businesses the opportunity to design a workspace that truly reflects their brand, culture, and values.
From the layout and furniture to finishes, signage, colours, and artwork, many providers allow a high degree of customisation so your office doesn’t just feel like a stock standard replica of a typical office space.
This customised space means your corporate image can be displayed throughout the entire office space, creating a cohesive experience for clients, visitors, and staff alike.
4. Operational Convenience
With a managed office space, all the operational aspects of running a business are taken care of, gifting your organisation the time and energy to focus solely on core business activities.
As the most practical benefit of a managed office solution, your third party management also provides access to professional on-site services such as staffed receptions, cleaning, mail handling, and IT support.
This level of operational support not only enhances workplace efficiency but also gives your business the polish of a well-run corporate environment without needing to hire and manage those functions yourself.
5. Enhanced Privacy and Security
Managed offices provide the exclusivity of private offices, giving your business complete control over who enters the space and how it’s used. This dedicated setup ensures confidentiality for sensitive work, client meetings, or internal discussions, making it especially valuable for industries where privacy is non-negotiable.
Beyond physical security, managed offices also offer tailored IT infrastructure and dedicated systems designed around your company’s specific needs. From secure access controls to private networks and custom cybersecurity measures, you benefit from enterprise-level protection without needing to manage this in-house.
Managed Office vs. Serviced Office vs. Traditional Lease
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Feature
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Managed Office
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Serviced Office
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Traditional Lease
|
|
Occupancy
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Exclusive to one company
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Shared among multiple tenants
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Exclusive to one company
|
|
Customisation
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High – tailored to tenant's needs
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Limited – predefined setups
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High – tenant-managed fit-outs
|
|
Lease Terms
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Flexible (1–3 years)
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Highly flexible (monthly options)
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Long-term (typically 5–10 years)
|
|
Setup Time
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6–12 weeks
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Immediate
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Several months
|
|
Management
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Provider-managed
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Provider-managed
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Tenant-managed
|
|
Cost Structure
|
All-inclusive monthly fee
|
All-inclusive monthly fee
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Variable costs (rent, utilities, etc.)
|
Is a Managed Office Right for Your Business?
Managed office space is a smart choice for businesses that want the best of both worlds: the privacy and control of a traditional lease and the flexibility and support of a serviced model.
Managed offices are particularly valuable for small businesses and startups looking to establish a professional presence without heavy upfront costs. They're also ideal for companies expanding into new markets, offering a turnkey solution that allows you to hit the ground running while maintaining full control over your brand and operations.
A managed office could be the right fit if:
- Your business is growing and you need scalable solutions to accommodate any current or predicted expansion.
- You value customisation and want a blank canvas workspace that you can transform into an office space reflects your brand and culture.
- You seek operational efficiency and would like to start outsourcing office management, administrative and IT tasks.
- You require flexibility and/or shorter lease commitments without sacrificing quality.
- You are looking for a cost-effective and more flexible solution to traditionally leased offices.
How to Choose the Right Managed Office
Finding the right managed office takes more than just comparing prices. Here’s what to consider to make an informed decision to ensure the space fits your team, your brand, and your future plans.
1. Assess Your Needs
At the beginning of your office search, start by identifying how much space you need, the amenities that matter most, and what you can realistically spend.
For example, if your business is hoping to streamline mundane admin tasks, then it’s critical you only look for spaces with those included.
2. Location
Choose a location that’s convenient for your team, accessible to clients, and supports the way your business operates.
As a general rule of thumb, having a managed office space in prestigious addresses, whether that be Square Mile in The City of London or in an up-and-coming hub such as Canary Wharf can be a major advantage for your business.
3. Evaluate Providers
Not all managed office providers offer the same level of service or flexibility. Beyond looking at the price tag, it’s critical to consider the track record of potential managed and serviced office providers, paying close attention to the types of businesses they typically work with, and how responsive their support team is.
Check online reviews, case studies, and client testimonials to get a sense of what it’s like to work with them day-to-day. It’s also a good idea to ask about service inclusions, such as IT support, maintenance response times, and flexibility for future expansion or changes.
4. Understand Lease Terms
Before signing anything, take time to understand the fine print of what exactly is and is not included in the leasing terms.
Managed offices often offer more flexible contract lengths than traditional leases, but terms can still vary widely between providers, with some having additional fees for some services.
A transparent agreement with built-in flexibility will give you peace of mind and room to grow.
5. Inspect the Space
Once you’ve narrowed down a few managed offices you like, it’s critical that you check out the space in person.
Visiting the space in person helps you get a true sense of the layout, cleanliness, facilities, lighting, noise levels, and overall atmosphere, all of which greatly impact your business day-to-day.
It’s also helpful to observe how staff interact with tenants and how the building is managed, giving you insight on if the provider is the right fit for your company culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
