Working in a coworking space is great for anyone with a creative mind and a remote working situation. As startups and tech companies start to take over the northern Californian workforce, we’re starting to see the benefits of allowing people to work in their own ways, even if those methods are more unconventional. Businesses are starting to be more lenient about their office space, and allowing many of their employees to work remotely. Besides remote employees, we’re also seeing a rise in remote business owners, who work 24/7 on their business but don’t necessarily have or need an entire office suite that they rent out each month. Especially now, with the rent prices what they are in the bay area, it’s important for business owners to be smart with every dollar they have. This is one of the main reasons coworking has been on the rise.
If you’ve recently started renting a coworking spot, or are considering doing so, it’s important that you be aware of a few unwritten rules, in order to keep the atmosphere positive with your “coworking coworkers”. Here are some things to keep in mind while you’re hard at work in your new space.
Be Mindful Of Volume
A coworking space is not a library, you’re not going to be shushed by a woman with oversized glasses and a messy bun. However, it is important to be mindful of your volume and how appropriate it is for the area you’re currently in. If you’re in the middle of a discussion with some coworkers, in the open seating area of the space, talking at a normal indoor volume is totally fine. Try not to go overboard so that people across the room can hear what you’re all saying, but discussion is encouraged in this section. If you are working in the more private, quiet portion of the office, try to be as quiet as possible. If you need to talk on the phone, move to one of the private phone booths or step outside for some fresh air. Being courteous is the main idea here.
Be Friendly
Many of the people who use coworking spaces are creatively minded introverts, and we completely understand that you might not prefer socializing while you’re trying to get work done. However, in order to keep the vibe of the office in a positive way, try to be friendly whenever you do happen to come into contact with coworkers.
Don’t Hog The Conference Room
We do have conference rooms for rent, and we encourage you to use them anytime you need. However, it’s best not to hog the conference room, or any space for that matter, if you don’t need to.
Clean Up After Yourself
Coworking spaces work to provide you with as many included resources as possible, and it’s our job to keep the place tidy and comfortable. However, just because the coworking space you’re renting has a staff that cleans up every night, doesn’t mean you should take advantage by leaving trash or messes around. The main reason this is important is that your coworkers don’t want to be in an environment full of messes. It’s likely that if you leave a spill or a bunch of trash lying around, one of them will end up picking it up for you, just to get it out of the way. This can create an uncomfortable environment for others.
