The main point with setting up a company with virtual offices is to save on costs and add to efficiency. This stems from the principle that a company can save on rent, utility, and staffing costs if it foregoes the need for a central office and then distribute the costs among smaller home or mobile offices, instead. Also, employees are likely to be more productive if they are left to work at the comfort of their own environs.

However, considering that costs of logistics and technical support services become too high, a business might be led to think twice about going into virtual office set-ups. There is, however, a solution to this. Companies are better able to save if their employees are adept at handling situations where technical know-how is required. So instead of having to outsource tech support needs, for instance, the company’s employees can take care of this themselves. This best works with tech companies, in particular, because their employees are expected to know all about computers and communications infrastructures, from basic to advanced.

Among the problems associated with virtual office arrangements is the issue of logistics. Some companies prefer to provide their mobile employees with all the equipment and other tools they need for work. Others just let their employees purchase things they need and then reimburse these at cost. Still other companies would let their employees purchase needed items at their own cost, with these imputed into their respective compensation schemes.

And as with other work settings that rely heavily on technology, work-at-home or mobile office set-ups are not without glitches. Often would one or two remote employees experience technical problems of some sort, whether it be with the Internet connection, computer software, or hardware.

So how does one remedy the problems attributed to logistics. Some companies prefer to have the logistics centralized. For instance, a company can outsource its technical services to another company specializing in such, with the only requirement being that the technical services firm has branches or personnel in the areas where one’s remote workers are located.

An article on eWeek tells on the varying practices and approaches several companes take when it comes to virtual office settings. Given that a growing number of firms have employees working at their own home or mobile offices, different rules also apply.

Since employees may be located in different parts of the country, or even across the globe, you can just imagine the difficulties in terms of logistics. Some provide all the equipment and hardware needs of employees, including the occasional tech support requirements (which are usually sourced out if the staff are not tech savvy enough). Some ask their employees to be responsible in purchasing equipment and other needs.

However, there is one thing in common among these different firms–they are all embracing the use of technology to make things more efficient. No longer would workers have to be located within the vicinity of the central office. No one would have to spend on transportation and commutes, and even lunch! And office rent is also minimized.

It’s probably an ideal situation for cost-savers. However, there are also the disadvantages.

These days of broadband, wireless Internet, and videoconferencing, companies are moving towards virtual office setups, where workers can be mobile, and work wherever the infrastructure supports their needs. The laptop, mobile phone, and even BlackBerry are the “weapons” of choice for today’s mobile warriors. The virtual office has its advantages, in terms of lowering costs of maintaining central offices, and keeping employee costs—travel, meals, etc.—to a minimum.

However, working with virtual offices has its disadvantages, too. Foremost among these are the difficulties associated with not having face-to-face encounters with managers and staffers. For one, human interaction does have an effect on productivity—whether positive or otherwise. For employees, the fact that there are no managers to supervise work may be an excuse to shirk or slack off. For managers, having no staffers around physically to check on might be daunting, as one might keep worrying about the status of projects or work.