From remote workers to freelancers, businesses worldwide have recognised the benefits of using a collaborative workspace. Here are 7 reasons to make the switch.
With the trend of coworking steadily growing in popularity over recent years, it’s clear that workplace culture is evolving as freelancers, startups, and small businesses everywhere embrace collaborative workspaces. With benefits including greater flexibility, lower costs, and networking opportunities, it’s clear that the trend of flexible coworking is here to stay. Here are 7 reasons why you should make the switch.
Networking
One of the biggest benefits of a collaborative workspace is the opportunity to network. Working alongside new people every day offers the perfect environment to connect and build business relationships with individuals from various backgrounds that you might otherwise never meet. Whether it be gaining professional contacts or making new friends, building relationships with coworkers can provide you with the room to grow both professionally and personally.
Combat Loneliness
In addition to networking with other professionals, coworking is a good way to avoid the loneliness that can come with remote work or freelancing. While working remotely can lead to feelings of isolation, disconnection, and ultimately burnout, over half of employees (51%) say coworking spaces provide them with a sense of community. A collaborative workspace can bring together people who share common interests, with many coworking spaces also offering a range of networking events and workshops to help you get acquainted with like-minded individuals.
Cost-Efficiency
Managing your own office space is costly and often comes with a host of hidden fees – and if you’re working as a small team, renting a full office could leave you with wasted space and money. Coworking spaces offer a dedicated workspace at a lower cost while allowing you to pay only for the space you’re using, and often come with perks and amenities like coffee, snacks, printing services, and Internet connectivity at a monthly rate. Collaborative workspaces also often provide additional features like private meeting rooms and postal services that could help you save money (and time!) in the long-run.
Flexibility in Working
For established companies that are stable in size, it makes sense to rent traditional office spaces – but for a startup or growing business, a coworking space might be the better option. Unlike traditional office spaces, which often mandate committing to rigid, long-term leases, coworking spaces offer you the flexibility to scale at your own pace, so companies can easily and efficiently rent more space as the size of the team grows. The flexibility of coworking agreements also means that a company can freely cancel its membership if needed, rather than being tied down by a long-term lease.
Fewer Distractions and Temptations
Studies have shown that it takes 23 minutes to regain focus after being distracted, which is why it’s important to establish a distraction-free environment. It can be frustrating to be working around noisy coworkers in a traditional office setting and working from home often means being susceptible to ad hoc distractions from family members and home comforts. In a dedicated workspace, however, everyone is there for a common purpose – to work in a distraction-free environment. Ultimately, you’ll be able to get more work done, at a faster pace.
Increased Productivity
Throughout the workday, you may find that your energy levels fluctuate. This is especially true when working from home in an environment where distractions can be found at every corner. A change of scenery could be helpful for jumpstarting your productivity. Coworking spaces offer the perfect middle-ground for working professionals to stay motivated, providing a wide range of work environments that can cater to different working styles. Being away from the mess and clutter of a home office and being surrounded by like-minded working professionals may just be the key to optimising your productivity levels.
Bring Structure to Your Day
When the line between your home and work life begins to blur, it can be a slippery slope. With devices that allow you to be reached with the press of a button, you can find yourself checking your work email or working on projects even outside of work hours, making it easy to slip into patterns of overwork. Working in a collaborative workspace, on the other hand, helps to prevent your work life from spilling into your home life by providing you with a designated workspace. The added structure to your day enables you to allocate hours for focused work, allowing you to power through your tasks and switch off at the end of the workday.
Thinking of trying out coworking? The Hive offers a variety of flexible coworking membership options – book your free trial today!
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