There has been a growing concept about workspaces, and I believe you have heard about it more often than not. The idea is the concept of Shared Workspace, also referred to as co-working space or shared office.
What is a Shared Workspace?
A shared workspace is an office or open workspace shared by two or more individuals, or businesses, that are different entities, and are independent of each other.
The practice has seen wide adoption in most recent times. However, for some people, it seems to mess with their years of preconceived ideas of a business place or office.
Anyways, Who Needs a Shared Workspace?
Though different individuals and businesses have distinctive needs, some needs are fundamental, still. However, shared workspaces are practical. Practical enough to meet the essential workspace needs of the individuals and businesses mentioned below.
- Freelancers: If you are a freelancer or a working professional, then I believe you would do better with shared workspaces, although, like most, you may prefer to work out of your favorite spots in public cafes and lounges. However, you’d find that shared workspaces offer excellent working areas and services to up your productivity as a professional.
- Entrepreneurs and Startup Teams: Likewise, as an entrepreneur with a modern small business or startup idea, you would find that a base of operation is of utmost importance. A shared workspace is ideal for your startup team to improve knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Small, Medium, and Large Corporations: It may seem very unconventional for a company to work out of a shared workspace. But most companies, like yours, maybe, have found that it costs less to acquire shared workspaces per individual than to rent a business office annually. Additionally, shared workspaces reduce operational cost and hassle.
Benefits of a Shared Workspace
1. Affordability
While there are a lot of benefits to shared workspace, it is equally very cost-effective. Shared workspaces are very affordable compared to the cost of renting and keeping up a conventional personal office.
Freelancers and Startups take co-working space opportunities to reduce costs at their early stages and probably remain that way.
2. Workspace Perks
Shared Workspaces have their perks. While the perks can differ, with the membership plans users are subscribed to, there are primary perks every workspace provides. These perks include:
- available and fast internet services
- access to meeting rooms or conference booths with whiteboards, projectors, screens and so on
- free access to the cafeteria, kitchenette, or common area.
Besides the features listed above, co-working spaces provide concierge support too.
3. Physical Location for Clients
Although public cafes and lounges could pass off as freelancers’ faves, they undeniably are quite unprofessional locations for meeting clients. So, co-working spaces provide you a professional yet comfortable, physical place for your clients.
4. Calm and Safe Atmosphere of Workspaces
Well, aside from a traditional office, the only place you can experience a relaxed and safe work atmosphere would be in a shared workspace. You feel safe working in a healthy environment without noise and unnecessary issues that affect your productivity.
5. Collaboration and Network Building
A benefit of co-working spaces hardly found anywhere else is the opportunity to collaborate and build functional networks with other teams, freelancers, or companies.
More so, being a member of a shared workspace connects you with other professionals while developing effective networks.
6. Increased Productivity
While productivity is a measure of the use of resources and yield of desired results, it is greatly affected by a lot of physical factors. One of the factors that affect the productivity of individuals and teams, is the environment.
However, shared workspaces with concierge support and secretarial service, reduce or even eliminate your operations hassles.
7. Idea Sharing Amongst Workspace Users
Constructive criticism is a free consultation. No one ever pays for it.
Working out of a shared office space lets you meet professionals in fields light-years away from yours. Moreover, it lets you share ideas with other experts.
8. Learning And Development Opportunities
Learning never ceases, they say. You could benefit from training and development programs in the shared workspace.
Similarly, meetups, seminars, and workshops are all avenues to learn and develop yourself when you are a part of a sustainable community in a co-working space.
9. Community Support
Being a member of a co-working space creates a good sense of community. Still, belonging to a functional community suggests that you can always get support from other creatives who are a part of your community through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
10. Credible Address
Additionally, working from a shared workspace gives you a reliable address for your services, which undeniably is more professional and reputable than a business address that reads XYZ Bar & Lounge.
Next Step
Finally, as a creative and professional in Nigeria, a shared workspace could be what you need to pace up your brand. Though there are numerous untapped advantages of working from a shared workspace, some demerits exist too.
But these disadvantages do not outweigh the benefits it presents.
However, the choice is yours to make as a creative, professional, freelancer, or small business. Yet, we are always here to help you make the right choice.
You can always Contact Us for more information on Shared Workspaces.
Until next time, stay smart!
