Coworking also offers so many tangible benefits, including professional space and a variety of tools that help meet the needs of the new age workforce of freelancers, remote workers startups, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Here are 8 of our favorite perks.
1. Collaborations
In this new business world, people collaborate on projects, businesses and jobs. Coworking helps facilitate these collaborations by bringing people of all types together to meet and chat. New networks come forth naturally out of interactions that take place all day, every day, in coworking spaces. For instance, a programmer might help a fellow member who’s a designer with a piece of code, and that designer may then create a logo for the programmer. These types of mutually beneficial relationships are commonplace in coworking spaces.
2. Separation Between Work and Home
For some, working from home means that you’re constantly working because, as any good remote worker will tell you, there’s always something to be done. Joining a coworking space lets people to get up and travel outside of the house which creates a distinction between work time and non-work time. It also works the other way around, allowing you to quickly transition into “work mode” as soon as you arrive at your desk.
3. Conference Rooms
Meeting a client at a coffee shop may work for some occasions. But eventually, freelancers, solopreneurs and remote workers may need a professional conference space—whether for a client meeting, a presentation, a workshop or something else. Many coworking spaces provide professional spaces, ranging from small conference rooms to large event spaces. Members generally have discounted access to these spaces.
4. Productivity
Coworking spaces are known to boost productivity, with 74% of coworking space members polled reporting that they are more productive since joining a space. In this fast-moving economy and world, increasing productivity can help independent professionals take their business to the next level.
7. Motivation and Inspiration
When you work from home, you may have an inspirational saying on your desk or wall that motivates you. In a coworking space, you’re surrounded by other professionals doing innovative, inspiring work, including graphic design, social good projects, startups, community organizations, digital marketing, software engineering, art, and much more. You can’t help but get caught up in what I call the collective hustle.
8. Resource Sharing and Tips
In addition to mutual support networks that lead to jobs and professional opportunities, coworking spaces are full of people willing to share tips, best practices and resources. For instance, one member needs recommendations for a tool to embed a calendar in her website, so she asks the person sitting next to her; I came across a file extension I couldn’t open, so I walked two seats away to ask a fellow member what they use; and people regularly ask me for advice on a headline or piece of copy they’re working on. These casual interactions serve to strengthen relationships and the community at-large.
