Coworking or a private office? A guide for small consultancies in Canberra

For a small consultancy in Canberra, the choice between coworking and a private office isn't really about the coffee or the décor. It comes down to three practical questions: where can we have a confidential conversation, how many of us are in most days, and what does it cost per head once we add the extras we actually use?

This guide works through those questions for firms of roughly 1 to 12 people, with a checklist at the end. Prices for Workspace by black vc are ex GST, plus applicable taxes and fees.

Why confidentiality decides most consultancy moves

Most government-facing consultancies handle information their clients care about: draft advice, procurement material, personal information about staff or citizens, and documents carrying government protective markings. The Australian Government Style Manual explains how those markings work, from "OFFICIAL: Sensitive" up to the higher security classifications.

Two rules of thumb keep you on the right side of your obligations:

• Your contract sets the rules. Your client's security and confidentiality clauses, and any handling instructions on the material, decide where and how you can work with it. If you're unsure whether a shared workspace is acceptable for a particular engagement, ask your client contact before you start, not after.
• Personal information has its own duty. Under Australian Privacy Principle 11, businesses covered by the Privacy Act must take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access or disclosure, according to the OAIC.

If your work involves security classified information above the sensitive level, talk to your client's security adviser about where it can be handled. A commercial workspace, shared or private, won't change those requirements.

Practical habits that matter in any shared building

• Take sensitive calls in a closed room, never at an open desk or in the kitchen.
• Angle screens away from walkways, or use a privacy filter.
• Don't leave papers on desks. Lock them away or take them with you.
• Avoid printing sensitive material on shared printers.
• Lock your laptop whenever you step away, even for a minute.
• Don't discuss client names or matters in lifts, cafés or common areas.

In coworking, all of this depends on discipline and on meeting rooms being free when you need them. In a private office, the door and the lock do much of the work for you.

Calls and meetings: count them honestly

Consultants spend a lot of the day on video calls. Look at a typical week and count:

• Confidential calls (client strategy, people matters, procurement). Each needs a closed room.
• Routine calls (scheduling, internal check-ins). A quiet corner or headset is fine.
• In-person meetings with clients or partners.

If confidential calls add up to more than an hour or two a day across the team, booking rooms by the hour gets fiddly and expensive, and a private office starts to pay for itself. At Workspace by black vc, meeting rooms for 4, 6 and 10 people are $80, $120 and $200 an hour, with an allowance on paid memberships.

Team size thresholds

These are rules of thumb, not hard lines:

• 1 to 3 people, often out at client sites: coworking or a day pass. You pay for what you use.
• 2 to 4 people in most days: dedicated desks. Same desk every day, your monitor stays put, and a business address and mail handling are included.
• 4 or more people in most days, or regular confidential work: a private office. You get a lockable room for the whole team, somewhere to keep files, and space to talk freely.

Cost per head: coworking vs dedicated desk vs private office

Here's what a team of four would pay at Workspace by black vc each month, ex GST:

• Coworking: $289 per person on a 12-month plan, or $339 month to month. For four people, $1,156 to $1,356.
• Dedicated desks: $425 per person on a 12-month plan, or $500 month to month. For four people, $1,700 to $2,000.
• Private office, 4 person: $3,200 at list price ($800 per person). Our launch offer is up to 25% off selected private offices on a 12 month agreement, so a 4 person office from $2,400 a month (list price $3,200), for agreements signed by 31 December 2026 (offer terms).

The private office costs more per head on paper. Before you decide, add the meeting room hours you'd book for confidential calls in coworking, and put a value on the time lost moving between desks and rooms. For many consultancies of four or more, the gap closes quickly.

Flexibility

• Coworking is the most flexible. Month to month memberships ($339 per person) let you add or drop members as engagements start and finish, while 12 month plans ($289 per person) trade that flexibility for a lower price. Either way, changes are subject to your membership agreement and its notice period.
• Dedicated desks suit a stable core team, with coworking or day passes for contractors who come and go.
• Private offices are rented as a whole room, so size for your usual headcount rather than your peak. When everyone's in for a workshop, book a larger meeting room for the day.

A common pattern is to start on dedicated desks, then move into a private office once the team and the work settle.

When dedicated desks are the right answer

Dedicated desks fit a consultancy that:

• Has two or three people in most days
• Wants a fixed setup with monitors and a place to leave things
• Handles mostly routine material at the desk and takes sensitive calls in booked rooms
• Needs a business address and mail handling, which are included
• Isn't ready to commit to a whole office

A decision checklist

Work through these with your team:

1. How many people are in on a typical day, and on the busiest day?
2. How many hours of confidential calls does the team have each week?
3. Do any client contracts restrict where you can work with their information?
4. Do you hold paper files or equipment that must be locked away?
5. How often do clients visit, and do you need a room that's yours to host them?
6. How stable is your headcount over the next 12 months?
7. What's the total monthly cost per head once meeting rooms and extras are included?

If most of your answers point to privacy and a stable team, choose a private office. If they point to mobility and changing headcount, choose coworking or dedicated desks.

How Workspace by black vc can help

Workspace by black vc is at Level 3, 4 Mort Street, Canberra City. We offer coworking, dedicated desks and private offices for teams of 4 to 12 under one roof, so you can move between them as your firm changes. Some offices sit in a quieter, separately locked wing. If you'd like to judge the noise and privacy for yourself, book a tour at the time of day you'd normally work.

Questions

Photo: Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash