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What Does a Flexible Workspace in Zurich Cost? The Business Case for Companies

11. June 2026

The short answer

With a flexible workspace, a company pays a predictable price per membership or workstation that bundles rent, utilities, furniture, IT, cleaning and services. Compared with your own office, you avoid investment, operating effort and long commitment. Depending on the contract, the arrangement can also be treated as an operating expense rather than a balance sheet lease liability. The business case therefore lies not only in the price, but in predictability and scalability.

What costs come with your own office?

For your own office floor, plan space per workstation, plus space for necessary appliances, meeting rooms, break areas and a kitchenette. Add energy, office furniture, IT infrastructure including PC support and IT security, cleaning and, where relevant, a caretaker. In Zurich, one of the most expensive office markets in Switzerland, these items add up quickly. On top comes the effort of organising all of it yourself.

How is the price of a flexible workspace structured?

Reputable providers put together all-inclusive packages. Cleaning, printing, meeting rooms, coffee, snacks and community activities are included. This keeps costs controllable and turns many variable, hard-to-plan items into a fixed, transparent monthly figure. More than 90 percent of flexible offices in Zurich are available without long-term commitment, which simplifies budgeting further.

What is the hidden financial lever: IFRS 16?

Under the accounting standard IFRS 16, leases must in principle be recognised on the balance sheet as a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. A long office lease therefore lengthens the balance sheet and weighs on metrics such as gearing. Short-term arrangements with a term of up to twelve months, as well as low-value leases, are exempt and can be carried as an operating expense in the income statement. Flexible workspace memberships with a short term fall into this category depending on how they are structured. The result is a leaner balance sheet without a long-term lease liability. The precise accounting treatment depends on the individual contract and should be reviewed with your auditor.

Where is the real business case?

In the combined effect of three things. First, you avoid investment in fit-out and equipment, so less capital is tied up. Second, the monthly cost becomes predictable and scales with the team, up or down. Third, short, flexible use tends to improve the balance sheet structure. From a sales perspective, the argument is not the lowest price per desk, but the lower total cost of ownership at higher flexibility.

Providers such as HeadsQuarter reflect this logic in their membership model. Instead of square metres with a utilities settlement, there is a membership with clearly defined, included services, from the Fix Desk to the Custom Suite Solution.

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