Businesses in shared office spaces or coworking spaces report high rates of success, so what’s the secret behind these types of workspaces? If you’re a solopreneur or a growing small business, choosing the right shared office space can give you and your team numerous benefits that drive higher productivity.
Networking and community
One major productivity driver of shared office spaces could be the sense of community. Businesses and sole traders located in coworking spaces can draw on the positive work culture, networking opportunities, and community benefits of their shared office spaces. Rather than being isolated in a home office or in a standalone office suite, the businesses in a shared office or coworking environment have instant access to a wide community of businesses. These other businesses can be potential partners or even customers. The human element of the best coworking spaces can provide support in the form of business networks as well as culture and even emotional support..
Meaningful work
Research suggests higher productivity can be a result of people in coworking spaces feeling their work is meaningful. Businesses based in coworking spaces are typically freelancers and startups, which means they’re probably passionate about the work they do.
Coworking spaces can make people feel like they can bring their whole selves to their work. This is because coworking spaces tend to be free of the traditional internal politics associated with large businesses, and the people located there are usually working for a range of different small businesses. Within the coworking space there’s little competition between the businesses, and this creates a positive sense of community as well as a stronger working identity.
Coworking spaces tend to have a supportive culture where the businesses sharing the space enjoy networking and are willing to help other businesses out. With a variety of businesses operating in the same space, you could get the same advantages of a large organisation with diverse human resources while enjoying the autonomy and specialisation of a small business. This lets you draw on a useful skill set and knowledge base from others to enhance your business objectives.
Businesses within coworking spaces often see themselves as part of a social movement emphasising sustainability, collaboration, community, and learning. This intangible or cultural aspect can drive a strong sense of meaningful work and in turn, productivity amongst your team members.
Flexibility and control
Coworking spaces can give businesses and their teams extra flexibility and control. If you’re a freelancer, small startup, or growing small business, your coworking space offers you the option to work through the night or decide your own hours as you like. Your team members can take a break at the gym, spend a few hours in a silent area on individual work, and then collaborate with the rest of the organisation in a meeting room for the remainder of the day.
This agile approach to working, where you move around to support the type of work you’re doing for the next several hours, is conducive to flexibility and productivity. Coworking spaces provide the perfect balance between flexibility and structure, and support your team in reaching higher productivity milestones.
Multiple ways of working
Coworking spaces lead to higher productivity because they offer your team multiple ways of working. Generally, staff need at least four types of spaces to be effective: focus spaces, collaboration areas, learning spaces, and socialisation areas. By providing these areas, you support your team in different ways of working.
Coworking spaces will typically offer these and more, whether it’s quiet work areas, meeting rooms, or lunchrooms. Major companies like Cisco, Mars Drinks, and Atlassian understand the benefits and they provide employees with different types of working spaces to facilitate multiple ways of working.
In addition, you should ensure that your coworking space provides the equipment and space you need as a remote worker.
Design and Well being
Shared office spaces with a great ambience, a welcoming community of other businesses, and perks like gyms and lounges can enhance well-being. In turn, this could drive higher productivity.
Consider how your current worksite makes you feel. When you walk into the space, does it feel welcoming and positive, and give you an energy boost?Is there natural light, break out spaces and attention to great interior design? Or do you feel like you’re walking into a sterile and uninspiring environment?nick
Coworking spaces are often designed to appeal to a wide community of people. The feel of the space can have a dramatic impact on your team’s well-being and drive higher productivity. If your employees like the coworking space, they will be more engaged, healthy, and ultimately productive.
Optimising office layout and design
The physical environment can have a major impact on productivity. Your coworking space should be designed in alignment with your technology setup, and it should also reflect your business’s work culture, and importantly, the different workflows in your business.
Workflow refers to the individual activities required for a project or task. Whether it’s a team or an individual completing the workflow, you can create your workspace within a coworking environment for a seamless workflow. For example, you might want to situate collaborating departments (such as customer service and marketing) or team members next to each other. Use zones to to support each stage of the workflow: provide areas for individual work, collaboration, and customer service, for example.
Let your office space drive productivity
Networking, meaningful work, flexibility, and well-being are some of the factors linking shared offices and high productivity. As a small business or solopreneur, choosing the right shared office space and optimising your layout can support you – and your team – in hitting productivity goals and allow your business to achieve sustainable growth.
NexusHub is a leading provider providing affordable yet premium coworking spaces for small businesses. Whether you’re a startup, solopreneur, or growing business, we have the right office solution for your team achieve high productivity. Explore our website for more information or contact us today for a discussion.
