Coworking spaces are a relatively new concept, however they’ve gained significant traction in less than 10 years. Their main selling points are that they offer a collaborative workspace environment that disrupts the norms of a traditional office setting. Further, they provide an aesthetic, attractive and comfortable environment to work in.
Expand Your Connections
A greater sense of community is fostered by coworking spaces, mainly due to its layout of open desks and spaces. This is beneficial when you’re a start-up because you’ll be surrounded by passionate, like-minded and driven people. Their work ethic can motivate and inspire you, similar to how peers can lift a cohort.
The open layout of a coworking space encourages spatial as well as social awareness. With desks quite visible to each other, it’s hard not to notice the people surrounding you in the office. Take advantage of this opportunity to cross collaborate, and interact with people beyond your work discipline.
The coworking space can range in age, backgrounds and abilities. Consequently, you can gain a wide network that can be useful down the track of your career or expansion of your company. Gather the knowledge of the people around you, but remember to reciprocate that help as well.
Community & Wellbeing
Coworking spaces often provide recreational activities to promote work-life balance. This includes wellbeing sessions such as group yoga or meditation, but also some fun through ping pong or air hockey tables! Additionally, there are usually free snacks and drinks provided, that pair well with a relaxed settin.
Consequently, a larger sense of community can be gained, because of casual group spaces that encourage human interaction and shared lunches. This sense of community helps employees feel valued and included. Further, the positivity surrounding coworking spaces are reflected, through their increase in popularity.
Efficient & Flexible
When starting a small business, costs can accumulate when you’re just trying to find your feet. However, coworking spaces can eliminate a lot of these extra costs, making the start-up process more efficient. Using a coworking space means you don’t have to worry about finding the best wifi provider and the complicated process of setting it up. It also means that you don’t have to worry about finding an appropriate office space or buy furniture.
Creating an appealing office can be stressful, especially when guests or clients visit. However, in a coworking space, you can make use of the meeting rooms provided. Additionally, coworking spaces are often placed in central locations, which make it easier for yourself and clients to visit. The flexible work hours and locations are also a plus because you’re in control of when you want to work!
Productivity
In a coworking space, everyone co-exists. In other words this means more socialising. Therefore, if you’re susceptible to being distracted by the sound of people chatting or playing table tennis, this might not be the best work environment for you. However, many different coworking spaces exist, and most offer a private room if you’re looking at getting some serious work done with minimal distractions.
Additionally, Coworking spaces recognise that most of their clients have an entrepreneurial spirit, so they often hold workshops or think tanks to assist start-ups. Make the most of these opportunities and learn new skills that may give your company the creative boost you’re after!
Not Sure?
Most coworking spaces offer free open days or even weeks, so you can trial the experience before committing. From this, you should be able to tell if this is the work environment for you! There are a number of coworking space providers, so explore your options.
The prominent companies in Australia include:
- WeWork
- Hub
- Two Space
- Your Desk
Remember, that the people in your coworking space were probably in the same situation as you at one stage. Ask for their help and advice, but be wary that information may or may not be correct. Therefore, we recommend speaking to one of our small business lawyers if you have any queries.
Unsure where to start? Contact a LawPath consultant on 1800 529 728 to learn more about customising legal documents and obtaining a fixed-fee quote from Australia’s largest legal marketplace.
