The freelancers, start-ups and remote workers community is fast increasing due to which the Coworking spaces have exploded globally in the past few years. The shared workplaces are fast becoming the preferred choice of the people and they are getting out of the home offices or rented places and moving their setups to the shared workplaces.
A Coworking place is like a shared office where people from diverse backgrounds and different companies work together under one roof- in the same office and share the same amenities. The common infrastructure leads to cost savings for the firm which is essential for every company these days. It provides immense flexibility in terms of working hours and the climate of the place is highly motivating for most people. There are several benefits of working in the shared office place because they offer tremendous benefits to improve the productivity of the employees. Even large companies are in favor of these workplaces because of the opportunities they are offering.
There are several reasons why you should opt for the co-working space. Some of them are:
The Coworking spaces are highly flexible. You can work according to your schedule and requirements. They offer several places and one can select according to the specific needs. A freelancer or an individual remote worker can select a hot desk or a dedicated desk, whereas a team of workers or start-ups can go for a private cabin. There are meeting rooms and conference halls available where one can work according to the specific needs and requirements.
One of the main advantages of working in a shared workspace is that you get several networking opportunities. Several people are working under the same roof from diverse backgrounds due to which one can easily find business partners or opportunities to expand the business. One can even get to know several people who can help in the culmination of new ideas.
Coworking spaces increase the productivity of the workers. The environment of the shared workplaces is quite positive, charged up and highly motivated. People are enthusiastic and brimming with joy and passion for work. This helps in increasing the motivation of the people and has a positive impact on productivity.
An investment in real estate is a big thing today. So the start-ups find it difficult to purchase an office space right at the beginning. Renting out is an option, but that too is quite expensive. Financing individual offices costs a lot for the individuals as well. A shared workplace provides you with a feeling of working in a large office without additional costs. They are highly affordable and one can go for a monthly, quarterly or annual plan, based on the needs and requirements.
Not just this, the shared workplaces provide several amenities to the users including common printers, fax machine, photocopy machine, WiFi, power back-up, house-keeping, reception etc. It also provides the facility of tea, coffee and healthy snacks for the users to keep them charged up. These additional amenities can further save costs while making the life of individuals comfortable.
Many Coworking spaces organize several events and business meets where they invite guest speakers and eminent business personalities. These events can expand your knowledge and provide you motivation to move on the required path of business. They can also provide you with an insight into the careers of business leaders which can enlighten you.
There are some problems as well which the people have to face while working in the shared workplaces which include:
There is a severe lack of privacy due to the presence of thousands of people around you who might just overhear your conversations or just look at your computer system. Many companies fear the loss of sensitive information, intellectual property or important ideas. The best solution to avoid this and to maintain your privacy is to discuss important matters in separate meeting rooms and take the calls in quiet places.
There are several people working under the same roof and you might see many people walking around, talking or laughing around you. This might create a distraction for the people. The way out for this is to take a desk at the corner or hire a private cabin if your work demands a high level of concentration.
This is a serious drawback of the Coworking places. At times even the competitors might also be housed in the same office place. They might interact with your best employees and make them attractive offers to work with them. The companies need to be vigilant and keep their employees happy and motivated to avoid this problem.
Coworking spaces are truly a blessing for the people as they can work in a large office space without spending fortunes on real estate. The people who work over here have noticed a considerable increase in their productivity. They are better than working in the home atmosphere and are considerably free of distractions and constant noise which one may experience while working from home. Moreover, the flexibility they offer is highly commendable. Undoubtedly there are certain problems as well, but most of them can be overcome with the right practices and approach.
It is essential to know about them and understand their benefits before you regret not working in the shared workplaces. They are different from the traditional offices and are much more employee-friendly, engaging and cost-effective. With the correct approach, they can benefit everyone a lot.