As more advancements in technology are made, communicating and connecting with people all around the world has become easier. Because of this, more people are starting to work online. In fact, in the United States, about 80% of the workforce believe that telecommuting, or working outside the office, is a job perk.
Working at home offers better flexibility, and it's been said that those who are allowed to do their job at home are more likely to be more productive and happier. With this, it's easy to see why remote workers are more likely to stay with their employers. But some are concerned about the lack of socialization, teamwork, time management, and more. (3)
But there are solutions for home-based workers to overcome these problems. Aside from socializing outside of work, managing a good work/life balance, and following scheduling strategies, and joining team-building activities online, using coworking spaces is also helpful. And there are plenty of these places that remote workers could go to since it's increasing in number exponentially worldwide. For instance, the coworking space Phoenix setup offers access to 13 branches in one city alone. (1)
Remote workers also need to find working spaces other than their homes, and this is what coworking spaces are for. Aside from remote workers, freelancers and those who run small businesses or startups can also benefit from this working arrangement to reduce overhead costs.
These Arizona coworking spaces could be designed and set up strategically to match the needs of modern professionals. Probably the most important goal is to make the space conducive for working. However, there are many factors that could either contribute to that goal or not.
What Makes A Coworking Space Successful?
For anyone looking for a good and reliable shared workspace, it's important to determine the factors that could make or break its success. You might want to look for some signs to make sure that your choice of coworking space is good for you and your work.
To help you out, here are some cases or situations to look out for in a terrific coworking space.
1. When It Houses A Healthy And Supportive Community
One great sign to look out for in a coworking space is when you meet other remote workers from various fields. This shows that the environment is open and accepting to different professions, which can help you grow your professional social circle and also get help and support. (2)
There are some who have a hard time finding support from other remote workers because there is rarely any opportunity to meet up. But you'll be surprised how many people work online and just how many use coworking spaces. In the U.S. alone, there are 4.7 million individuals who work at home for at least half of a week. Out of this number, 44% work full-time jobs remotely. (4)
A coworking space will help you get that sense of community that is usually lacking in remote workers. Speaking to other people who can relate to working online can boost morale and make workers feel happier and satisfied.
Furthermore, it also allows workers to support each other by giving advice about work. For instance, if you have a question about an aspect of your work that you don't understand, you could ask the other workers in the shared space to clarify it.
2. When The Office Is Designed Strategically To Suit Common Worker Roles
How an office is designed can have a huge effect on how different workers do their jobs. And this also depends on their role at work and maybe even their personality type. However, in reality, it's difficult for coworking spaces to accommodate every different type of worker. But there are strategies in how they could design the floor plan and interior design of working and common areas.
Being aware of the kind of environment you work best in will help you decide whether a coworking space is right for you or not. For instance, cellular and cubicle offices are great for workers like organizers and thinkers. This is because the quiet and private space helps them focus on analyzing data.
On the other hand, you might be a seller or helper who does well communicating with others. For this, you'll probably do well in open floor plans since it allows you to connect and speak directly to your other teammates. For companies looking for coworking spaces, open spaces are great for close collaboration.
As for creative and artistic workers, it's important for them not to be constrained in a cubicle or cellular office. An open floor plan that's beautifully designed will help boost inspiration and imagination.
All these different kinds of workers can have the chance to work well together in a coworking office, even if they have different styles and needs. The trick is to look for a coworking space that has different working spaces. For instance, one section could be a large open floor plan, while there are also corners that are arranged to block out distractions from other workers.
How well the coworking space was designed by professionals can be easily seen by how well different workers can be productive all at the same time. If you notice that workers aren't able to focus, or there's tension between different kinds of workers, it might be because the space isn't strategically designed to be conducive for a number of workers.
What Makes A Coworking Space Inefficient?
In any working environment, certain situations could make it difficult for workers to do their jobs, and it's the same for coworking spaces. Again, knowing how you work and which factors affect your productivity could help you recognize situations that make a shared office inefficient. Here are the red flags to look out for in a coworking space:
3. Poor Accessibility
Some remote workers often stay at home to do their work. However, this can get boring and desolate, so sometimes they might work at a café. Unfortunately, this can be impractical because working in places like a restaurant or café might be distracting. It's often loud, and you'll have to keep ordering to let you stay. Furthermore, you might have no access to Wi-Fi or a charging station, which are essential for remote jobs.
A coworking space is the better choice because it's designed to be conducive for work, and you could pay to stay there as long as you need to. But if the closest coworking space is in an inaccessible area, it might be too much of a hassle to go there to work.
Coworking spaces based away from the city center or town might make it inaccessible for most remote workers in the area, especially if they primarily use public transportation to get around. Usually, public transportation, like cabs, trains, or buses, is more available in city centers. Therefore, a coworking space that's in a city is more accessible compared to one located in the outskirts.
Furthermore, inaccessible spots are often not surrounded by convenient amenities. Unless the coworking space provides food, banking, and other essential services found in city centers, it might just make the coworking space unattractive to workers.
4. Poor Management
Socializing is one of the benefits of coworking spaces, but it's possible for coworking spaces to become disorderly due to poor management. When this happens, how comfortable you are with working in these spaces could be negatively affected, and so will your earnings. For example, gossiping, conflicts, unhealthy competition are common in on-site workplaces that aren't managed well. If the workers using the space don't get along or don't respect one another, individual productivity will plunge.
Coworking spaces where there are no rules for how workers must behave can easily lead to this terrible situation. When this happens, the shared office might develop a bad reputation that will likely put off other remote workers.
Enforcing house rules, installing cameras, and having security personnel keep an eye on the ins and outs of the space could help avoid these unwanted situations. Although there are some rules that the management will enforce, it also helps to follow common etiquette for shared spaces, such as:
• Minding how loud you speak
• Not touching or using other people's things
• Cleaning up after yourself
• Being friendly and courteous
• Being mindful of other people's personal things, even in common areas
• Not bothering workers who are busy
• Keeping the toilet clean
• Not slamming doors, windows, chairs, or desks
Coworking Conclusion
Coworking spaces in Phoenix AZ can offer so much to remote workers in this day and age. As designs and floorplans continue to improve to match different work styles and personalities, these shared offices will likely flourish.
However, it does take some personal responsibility to make these shared spaces successful, too. Although it helps to rely on all the conveniences of a coworking space, like the internet, equipment, and other amenities, it's still necessary for each worker to do their part. In a way, it is not just an office but also a community that will need to be built and enhanced by both the management and the workers using the space.
References:
1. "From Cubicles to Coworking Spaces: What's Your Company's Ideal Workspace? [Infographic],” https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/ideal-workspace
2. "8 Reasons Why Valued Employees Quit," https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/081015/8-reasons-why-valued-employees-quit.asp
3. "Working From Home: The Pros and Cons," https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/070715/pros-cons-working-home.asp
4. "40 Remote Work Stats to Know in 2021," https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/remote-work-stats
