Coworking spaces, you’ve surely heard of them. You’ve probably walked by one in your neighborhood. Your friends might even work from there. But what is a coworking space exactly?
Coworking space originated when freelancers banded together to create spaces where they could work side by side. They were looking to beat the social isolation of working alone by creating community feel and structure. Since then, coworking spaces have evolved to welcome much more than freelancers. Today, coworking spaces offer a variety of open and private workspaces for individuals and organizations. Furthermore, coworking spaces offer events and social activities to build strong communities of professionals.
What does a coworking space look like?
So what can you expect when you enter a coworking space? You’ll first be greeted by a friendly community manager. After that, you’ll encounter a selection of different zones. At most spaces, you can expect open seating areas, phone booths, and conference rooms. Yet, each coworking office space has its own style.
At Workbar, the workspace is divided into four neighborhoods: the Study, Commons, Switchboard, and Café. These are specially designed to enhance your productivity. In the Study, silence reigns to enable high focus work. In the Commons, light conversation stimulates creativity and teamwork. In the Switchboard, visual dividers and white noise make phone calls possible. In the Café, soft music and small tables encourage people to gather informally and attend events. And it doesn’t stop there.
Coworking spaces also commonly offer private offices. These are attractive options for organizations wanting their own space on flexible terms. A Variety of sizes is available. At Workbar, private offices can accommodate anywhere from 2 to 40 people. Even better, companies with a private office can participate in all events and activities. Sound attractive? Read on to learn how you can join a coworking space.
How does a coworking space work?
Coworking spaces commonly run on a membership basis. There are a variety of options to best suit your needs. At Workbar, for example, individual memberships start at 5 days per month, and extend to 24/7 access to your favorite location. You can choose to have a dedicated desk, or work on a flexible basis. Memberships run month-to-month, and allow you to access additional spaces within the network.
Memberships for organizations are flexible too. Rather than signing up for a 5-year lease, companies can join for much shorter periods of time. This means they can dynamically vary their space to respond to changing needs. This flexibility is just one of the advantages of coworking space for large organizations.
What happens at a coworking space?
At a coworking space, people with a variety of professions gather to work side-by-side. Though they may have unrelated work, members often exchange ideas, give feedback, and offer encouragement. Some members even work on projects together! Coworking office space is a great environment for fostering this kind of collaboration. And there’s more.
A coworking space is much more than a physical place to get work done. One of the main values of coworking lies in the community of members. People at coworking office spaces readily socialize, build friendships and help each other professionally. These connections form through several means.
Coworking spaces encourage people to connect by organizing events. Community managers frequently put on social and professional events for members to meet and mingle. At Workbar, these take the form of happy hours and bagel breakfasts. Workbar also openly welcomes new members with a complimentary lunch at least once a month.
Furthermore, coworking spaces encourage people to meet by designing physical areas to socialize. Coffee machines and kitchens are strategically placed to encourage spontaneous encounters. In these areas, it’s common for members to bump into each other and spark up conversations both personal and professional. This creates an environment where people build genuine connections.
Why choose a coworking space?
Joining a coworking space is a wise choice for several reasons. First off, flexible and membership options make coworking space an affordable choice. This is just one of the economic benefits of coworking. Furthermore, coworking office space is optimally designed to boost productivity. Workbar‘s neighborhood concept is one successful approach. And the advantages don’t stop there.
Coworking office space also offers great community and networking benefits. These can benefit your business, and your social well-being. Coworking space also has a multitude of health benefits. Through multiple approaches, coworking spaces encourage healthy nutrition and movement. And there are even more benefits of coworking space.
With all of these benefits, coworking space is a great option for individuals and organizations in search of a workplace. And if you’re in the Greater Boston area, consider joining Workbar!
About Tobias Froehlich
Tobias Froehlich is a workplace consultant. He applies design strategy principles to enhance the workplace experience with organizations in and around Boston. Visit his website to learn more.
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