Small businesses looking for flexibility and remote work have been using shared working spaces for a while now. This has been primarily because shared working spaces help businesses cut costs and workers network more efficiently. It has also been proven over time that sharing a working space with other professionals can increase a worker’s productivity.
Thanks to the increased investment in coworking spaces, employees who have the luxury of working remotely can find an affordable coworking space within their locality. Boston-based businesses as well as freelancers can easily find a coworking space in Boston that has world-class office infrastructure, post-modern technology, and that brings together professionals of all kinds and backgrounds. Now that the coronavirus has forced most businesses to allow remote working, a trend that might outlive the pandemic, the popularity of these spaces is likely to shoot through the roof in the coming years.
In case you haven’t considered working at shared working space yet, here are 5 reasons why you should:
1. Helps you maintain a professional image
If you are a self-employed remote worker, where do you meet with your clients and associates? Probably in hotel lobbies and upscale restaurants. Maybe your home address doubles up as your business address. Neither of that puts up a good front for your company. To maintain a professional image, you need to start holding meetings and issuing business cards with a real office address. If you don’t have the resources or the need for your own office, a nearby shared working facility becomes your best option. Most coworking spaces have high-end options; exactly where high-end clients prefer to hold meetings.
2. Can boost productivity
You are more likely to oversleep when working from home compared to when you have to leave home for work. You are more unlikely not to shower when you can work in your pajamas than when you have to dress up for work. You are more likely to be distracted when working from home than when in a professional setting. You will focus more on your work when surrounded by committed, enthusiastic, and motivated professionals as opposed to your kids, partner, or other family members. The four facts combined points to one fact; Working in a shared space can increase your productivity compared to when you work from home. Besides, working from home can leave you feeling isolated, disconnected, and unhappy. The sense of community in a shared workspace can boost your morale and passion, so you are happy and productive.
3. It is cost-effective and flexible
Compared to a traditional office rental, a shared working space comes with more flexibility and lesser long-term financial commitments. You only pay for the space that you need, when you need it, on a month-to-month or a day-to-day basis. If you hire more employees, you just pay for their space. If you fire an employee, you just stop paying for their space. In a coworking space, you pay for meeting rooms and conference rooms only for the days when you have investors or clients coming over. This is unlike an office rental where you have to pay for a monthly rent even when you’ve held zero meetings in the facility.
4. The amenities are amazing
On top of being affordable, coworking spaces offer you amazing amenities that you can rarely find in a traditional office rental. You will get reliable WiFi all day long, the best office furniture, unlimited printing access, modern chill areas, and everything that you need for optimal productivity. You don’t need to hire an office manager to get things flowing because coworking spaces are designed for members’ comfort, so there is always someone pulling the strings behind the scenes to make you comfortable. That also means lesser managerial obligations, so you are able to focus on your core business.
5. More networking possibilities
Startup entrepreneurs, corporate leaders traveling for business, and seasoned freelancers, among other professionals, meet and form communities in shared working spaces. People with the same ambitions get a chance to network and communicate their day-to-day challenges, as they drink from the wealth of experience provided by their successful counterparts. If you are starting your venture, for example, you will benefit greatly by sharing the same space with a multinational corporate leader within your industry who just happened to be in town for a business meeting. These are people that you probably will never get another chance to meet.
Conclusion
Finding a well-shared workspace is not difficult. If you don’t know of any in your location, a simple search online will give you tons of reliable options. When choosing the best space for your needs, consider factors such as distance from home, the amenities offered, and cost.