Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re no stranger to start-ups. It seems like there are new start-ups appearing every day. Whether it’s a hot new app, a fast new food delivery service, or a tasty new tap house, start-ups find their home here in SF, and the surrounding cities.

While we certainly are a hot-spot for start-ups, not everyone can afford to pay the price for an office space with a view, let alone an office space with a desk.

The solution to the start-up’s financial woes? Co-working space.

What is a co-working space?

A co-working space is pretty much what it sounds like. A space where people go, to work, and they work beside others. Many different types of businesses can share one office. For example, one office building may house a team of app developers, a team of engineers working on a cloud storage program, and a team of designers working on the next big video game.

The people working in the space share office amenities like a coffee machine, a fax machine, the desks, etc.

The people that this type of work environment appeals to is not just those who can’t afford office space, but those who would work from home usually including independent contractors, freelancers, and those who travel often.

What are the top benefits of a co-working space?

There are many advantages to a co-working space. As aforementioned, the people that a co-working space appeals to are those who may work from home usually or those who travel a lot.

Money savings

Are these types of people going to want to invest in a fax machine, a large desk, etc. if their home can’t accommodate it? What if they’re always traveling? Would it make sense to stock up on office supplies if you’re never in the office?

Not only does a co-working space appeal to those trying to save money, but they also appeal to those seeking collaboration efforts.

1. Collaboration

Remember our scenario of who might be working in this co-working space? Engineers? Designers? Developers? Even freelance writers? Say an engineer needs an artists eye on something. They can walk over to said designer and ask an opinion. Shared resources, including those that are alive, can be a valuable asset to those in a co-working space.

2. Increased Productivity

Another asset to the co-working space is increased productivity.

When you work from home, there are constant distractions. Let’s say you’re a designer who currently works from home. You have a spouse and three kids, a dog, and an elderly parent who needs occasional help. Not to mention, the laundry needs to be done, the dishes in the sink aren’t going to wash themselves, and the sink needs fixing.

Between getting the kids off to school, the dog needing walks three times a day, a mother who keeps calling to ask for your help in getting open a pickle jar, and the dishes calling your name, the distractions in our lives can be big time-suckers. Of course, working in a co-working space isn’t going to alleviate you of your familial duties, but it will help to keep them where they belong, at home. How many times has a person assumed that because you’re working from home, you have spare time to do the day-to-day chores that need doing? You’ve probably found yourself at least once saying yes to any of these activities, instead of working. It’s easy to do, and you’re not alone.

With a co-working space, however, you can say, I’m at work, I can do these things when I’m not at work; I can do these things once I get home.

While working from home has its advantages, some people are just more productive while in an office environment.

While a co-working space may not be for you, it is something to consider as office prices soar, and your laundry sits there calling your name. Many start-ups have already learned the wisdom in renting a co-working space. Has yours?