One thing we in the bay area excel at is creative thinking. Especially in business, the bay area has been extremely receptive to creative work and innovative, out-of-the-box ideas. Even in industries that don’t typically lend themselves to creative work, such as accounting or dental work now participate with social media branding and innovative marketing. You’re almost guaranteed to find at least one creative job in every big company in the bay.
Since this area embraces that type of work, and worker, the landscape of the business world has begun to shape itself around the type of person who thinks a little differently. Research and surveys have shown that creative people don’t do their best work in a typical office environment. They tend to favor more open spaces, with amenities and new ways of doing things. Because of those preferences, there has been a huge surge in coworking spaces. So why are these creative type employees so crazy about coworking spaces. It’s pretty easy to understand once you get a good idea of the functionality of a coworking space.
For one, coworking spaces offer open spaces where people can feel free to discuss projects and brainstorm ideas with each other. Designated discussion areas encourage socializing and networking, which often helps creative people think more clearly, or come up with plans that they might not have thought of sitting alone in a cubicle.
When the lightning strikes and a creative person comes up with a brilliant idea for a project, they often feel the need to get it down on paper, or even get started on it right away. When this happens, the last thing they want to worry about is a lack of supplies or amenities that they need to get the job done. This is another great aspect of coworking spaces. All the supplies and amenities of a typical office are supplied and maintained by the staff. That means powerful wifi networks, paper, pens, printers, scanners...and even free coffee. You’ll never have to worry about the wifi going out when you make that skype call to your business partner to pitch that genius idea you just came up with. On top of that, there will always be more espresso for you to enjoy while you type out that unique pitch.
On top of the open spaces that encourage networking and sharing, there are also quiet areas, for those moments when creative people need to really buckle down and hammer out all the details of their latest innovation. Not every minute is going to be one where you want your fellow coworkers to sit over your shoulder and comment on your work. When you need to concentrate, heading to the quiet area will guarantee that you’re left alone with your thoughts. There are even private phone booths where you can take an important call without being interrupted. When it comes time to present your ideas, rent on of the professional, all-inclusive conference rooms that are available and really drive all your forward-thinking plans home.
