The concept of co-working spaces needs no introduction. We have all heard about it.
But, have we ever thought of working from one such space?
Most of the professionals who know about it are open to trying it, at least, for once in their career for the benefits that can derive from it.
If you are keen on trying, I’ll recommend, go for it.
Still thinking? Here are some aspects that will help you decide.
- Your Preference
Everyone has a different preference for workspaces. Some can easily focus in crowded, busy, and happening settings, whereas some prefer the solace of cubicles.
So, the first question that you must ask yourself is whether you like to be with others while you are working or prefer pin drop silence and isolation while you are neck-deep in work?
If you are a very friendly person, waiting for every opportunity to interact and socialize, co-working spaces are an ideal choice. You should, especially, opt for it if you are currently working in an organization that doesn’t promote much interaction among employees, or if you are working from home because of personal reasons.
Notwithstanding the reasons why you’d prefer co-working spaces, it’s better to avoid such spaces if you are dealing with clients all the time. Wouldn’t it be annoying to talk to your client when the people around you are making noise all the time?
Introverts and extroverts can both continue to exist the way they are and should not change their basic preferences. So, it is important to identify your work type and personal traits before you choose how and where you work.
- Your Business Needs
If you are a solopreneur or an owner of a small business, and you are not prepared to buy or rent large premises for your business as yet, co-working spaces are an excellent solution for you and your employees.
You will not have to worry about the basic facilities initially. And, you get more time and experience to search for the right premises.
In your situation, co-working spaces are also an ideal place to interact with co-workers who might be managing the challenges of their small businesses. They also will have experiences to share which can add value to yours.
Plus, shared or co-working spaces give better learning opportunities. With people from different areas of work sharing a space, you get to learn behavioral and technical skills. And, solopreneurs would never want to miss any such opportunities.
Further, most small businesses love hiring remote employees. If you have remote employees who cannot come to your premises, you can even pay for a co-working space for them in their location.
But, for the employees of well-established businesses who already have access to excellent facilities, co-working spaces may not offer as many perks. Co-working spaces might even lack some of the equipment and amenities that the employees of large organizations are accustomed to.
Ultimately, it depends on the stage and size of the business and we cannot have one size that fits us all!
The decision has to be thus made on the facilities that you need and whether the co-working space offers the same. As the availability of amenities even differs from one co-working space to the other, the choice of the place should be based on the facilities offered that completely match your needs.
- Your Current Situation
Last but not least! Whether you are happy with your current situation or not matters more than anything else.
I have seen some freelancers enjoying every bit of working alone in the corner of their house and still performing well. And there are some who love being with friends and family and are good at concentrating on work even in distracting environments.
Nevertheless, I have met some remote employees who were sick and tired of working from home and so decided to work from the co-working spaces. And, they are enjoying it.
It gives them enough room for their tools and equipment and allows them to concentrate without distractions which are usually a part and parcel of working from home.
And then there are those who have tried such shared spaces and couldn’t manage to work from there as comfortably. They are now back to their office or home.
So, if you are happy with your present work setting and are not looking forward to a change, don’t get lured by the idea of co-working spaces.
However, if you do need a change from the current position, try it! At times it is necessary to change the present work setting, especially if it is de-motivating you; and gradually affecting your work.
Conclusion
Initially, the idea of co-working spaces might appear very appealing to you. But, your company may not necessarily allow the same.
Though, human resource professionals are gradually realizing the need of allowing their employees to choose their workspace, be it from home or co-working spaces. The employees can perform better if they are allowed to choose the workspace as per their own comfort.
And, many companies value their employees’ preferences regarding workspaces as far as they are able to perform well.
As such technology allows people to work remotely and so more and more companies are opting to implement cloud solutions for teamwork and collaboration. As a result, there are hardly any technical constraints to working from co-spaces.
Obviously, if the choice is in your hands, you can try it after evaluating whether the idea is suitable for your needs.
Do share here, if you have any experiences related to co-working spaces!
Author Bio
Jin Markov is a Content Writer with GoodFirms.co, a research firm in the USA. He has an experience of 6 years and has been writing on areas related to small business and marketing.
