Key Advantages of Coworking Spaces For You and your Coworkers
Coworking memberships present an array of perks and benefits for the modern workforce, which consists largely of freelancers and remote workers. Even small business owners and corporate teams can find coworking spaces to be the flexible work arrangements they need. It's an evolving work environment, and what used to be a conventional office is now more likely to be a dynamic, community-focused workspace. With that in mind, here are some of the best reasons to join a coworking space.
Unparalleled Flexibility: Work on Your Terms
An apparent advantage is flexibility. Most coworking memberships offer different levels, from day passes to monthly subscriptions, letting individuals or teams choose what best fits their needs. Whether you want a dedicated desk in a quiet area or prefer to hot-desk a few times a week, coworking spaces offer scalable options that grow with your business or career. And they do that without obligating you to the kind of long-term leases that come with overhead costs for office furniture and utilities.
Productivity Powerhouse: Amenities at Your Fingertips
Spaces that work alongside you also provide professional benefits that can enhance productivity and make remote work more effective. High-speed internet, printing services, private meeting rooms, fully stocked kitchens—those are just a few of the productivity perks that come with coworking space memberships.
These spaces create an environment that helps you maintain focus and equally separate your work life from your home life—something that can be difficult to do without a commutable middle ground.
Networking: Connecting with a Diverse Community
For many coworkers, the major appeal of working in a shared office is the ability to network and build a community. Pros in all sorts of fields fill coworking spaces, and chance encounters with them can lead to unexpected collaborations and knowledge sharing.
Cultivating Connections: Events and Interactions that Inspire
Events, lunches, and workshops held by coworking spaces help members connect. This interaction is vital for some coworking members. Freelancers and remote workers can sometimes feel alone, and the absence of anyone to talk with can stifle motivation. Being around the diverse community of a shared office can inspire and provoke new ideas.
Boosting Motivation and Productivity
One other frequently ignored benefit is the enhancement of motivation and productivity. Merely being in a space where other people are hard at work can foster a pleasant sense of accountability. Coworking spaces usually are purposefully designed with productivity at the forefront—providing productivity pods, the opportunity for quiet, and lounges that are anything but office-like to help you get your work done. Coworking spaces are set up to cater to you and your need to be in a "working" environment that plays to the strengths of both introverts and extroverts. They provide creative spaces for you to brainstorm and ergonomic setups that push you to keep working.
Elevating Your Brand: A Professional Presence for Small Businesses
From a branding perspective, coworking spaces are quite advantageous for small businesses. Where you and your team conduct business matters. If you're meeting clients, doing so in a stylish, well-maintained environment (as opposed to a coffee shop or home office) has to count for something in terms of leaving an impression. The same holds true for meeting space in general. If your small business is conducting any kind of get-together, doing so in an easily accessible, central location (which is often the case with coworking spaces) ought to work to your advantage.
Achieving Work-Life Balance: Setting Boundaries in a Dedicated Space
A work-life balance is something that coworking memberships can support. When you use a coworking space, you and your work are in a different area from where you live. This is a far more conducive environment for setting boundaries between your working and living hours. I've used a lot of different types of spaces over the years. The best ones have offered me some form of balance.
Access, Productivity, Community, and Professionalism Without the Overhead
To sum up, a membership in a coworking space gives you a way to access a professional environment without the cost of a traditional office. It makes you more productive, connects you to a community that can help you grow your business, and gives you the illusion of being at the office for the price of more solitary alternatives. If you are a successor to Steve Jobs, then the Business Incubaotor space on the third floor of the CAED is probably a great coworking space for you.