Co-Working Space is Changing Business for Good!
Do you want another cool tool to boost productivity and a whole lot more? Then, use Co-Working space! You read that right, co-working space. In less than 5 years the use of and the demand for co-working space has grown quickly. And, for good reason.
Stuffy private offices and isolating cubicles and workstations are on the way out. Evidence suggests that these environments actually feed stress levels, stifle creativity and are not conducive to collaboration even among immediate co-working groups. That can be a real problem! Today, I make a case for co-working spaces as one more cool productivity tool that is changing business for good!
There are a ton of articles and posts about the benefits of co-working spaces for startups, freelancers, and small business. For businesses operating out of home offices, co-working space offers an option worth looking at. I can give you three examples from our experience here at Chemistry PR and Multimedia and our membership at the T-REX building in beautiful Downtown St. Louis.
Co-working space virtually eliminates feelings of isolation that can surface, especially when other team members aren’t working together full-time. For creative businesses like Chemistry PR and Multimedia, co-working space gives us that change of atmosphere we sometimes need to boost the creative process. Membership at T-REX offers access to meeting rooms and open spaces in the perfect neutral location when we want to brainstorm and collaborate with team members, meet with clients and, of course, potential clients.
Now, think about large and well-established businesses. An off-site alternative offers the same benefits as those enjoyed by entrepreneurs and small businesses. Let’s look at some benefits in more detail.
My favorite…
Co-Working for Productivity!
Co-working spaces allow for and encourage productivity. I work about half of my work-week in a home office. Not a day goes by when I can’t think of a million things – not business related – that need to be done. Laundry, dishes, dogs want in, dogs want out, dogs want to play … distractions all around me! In a co-working space, the buzz of other enthusiastic productive workers surrounding us is infectious – not necessarily distracting.
For the large corporation, co-working space revamps the traditional cube farm and walls of private office spaces and transforms them into large open spaces. The traditional setting is known to discourage communication and cohesiveness. Productivity is enhanced when verbal and physical communication is welcome and encouraged. Walls and small cubicles do NOT speak ‘welcome’. Competition among co-workers is reduced in larger open spaces. It is said that in co-working environments, companies and the people who work in them are more likely to thrive. Some co-working spaces deliberately resemble coffee shop lounges with tables, unassigned workstations, and relaxing décor all around. Who wouldn’t thrive in that atmosphere?
The more part…
Co-working is easy on the budget
Co-working spaces are budget friendly for business in several ways. First, most co-working spaces are membership based. Firms pay a monthly or annual membership fee and all the benefits of the co-working space are at their disposal for as long as the membership is maintained. Support staff, use of office equipment and services are often included in the membership fees, so additional costs associated with them is reduced. Memberships are often non-binding. That means there are no 3-year, 5-year or 10-year lease contracts binding an organization to a building. You are a member as long as you wish to be a member.
Co-working for Connections
For the solopreneur, the start-up and the small business operator, co-working space offers a sense of community. In a shared space where different businesses are operating, workers develop a connection with other businesses and people. There is diverse interaction and opportunity to make connections with the very heartbeat of business in the community. This concept is popular among young business owners today.
There are co-working spaces designed just for women which offer them the opportunity to connect and interact in ways unique to women. Others are designed to cater to the tech industry, thus opening doors to relationships in that community. There are co-working spaces especially suited to many industries that are specially designed to help their respective businesses collaborate, grow, and thrive.
Opportunities galore!
In addition to nurturing creativity, collaboration, a sense of community and productivity (not that you need more great benefits than these), there is opportunity for new business in co-working space. Working in a space with people in businesses other than your own creates the possibility of expanding networks and building new business relationships. The operators of these spaces often host networking events to draw attention to their work-space model and gain new members. These events also give current members a great place to meet future clients and business partners.
More productivity, budget-friendly, more connections, and a sense of community. All great reasons to consider co-working space for your organization. It’s no wonder there are thousands of co-working spaces globally [1] and their popularity is growing. Don’t just take my word for it. Check out a few of the co-working spaces hitting the top of the Google searches.
Note: Many of these are in the Greater St Louis Area, and a few have gotten a lot of attention. Have a great co-working day!
If you want some advise, please call us!
