Coworking, Explained.

TimesNext Recommended: BiggBang Coworking, the Best Coworking Space in Mohali

Coworking works in a shared public space with people who work independently for different companies. When you are in a coworking space, you get all the basic facilities and amenities of an office, except it is not your office but a working space that you share with other people. Coworking has become very popular among remote workers and freelancers (1).

Also Read: Coworking Spaces in Chandigarh

Now we can work in an office-like environment that promotes work efficiency without the distractions of home. Coworking became popular after 2005 when people started seeing it as a great alternative for working. I mean, you get to experience working in an office-like environment even if you work remotely, so why not?

Coworking provides services to individuals who prefer to work in a professional environment. It’s a great business model; it functions efficiently (2). You might wonder why you should work in a coworking space when you can work elsewhere. For one, not everybody can afford to have a private working space. Two, the cost of maintaining an office is not small either.

We can’t avoid the fact that working from home or at cafes does not seem very professional. There are factors at these places that function as inhibitors to work. No matter how hard you try, you can’t ignore the noises, the loud chatter, the constant movements. These spaces are not exactly appropriate working spaces.

Naturally, you will experience a lot of disturbance because you have to share these spaces with people whose primary intention is not working (3). People at the Cafe come to enjoy a nice coffee with their friends. They are bound to create noises, and you can’t just silence them because it’s a public space for people of all kinds. 

 

Confused between Cafes or Coworking?

Hmm, they are choosing between Cafe and Coworking. We can’t ignore that people use cafes as their working space(4). But the problem is that cafes have so many uncertainties that make coworking more attractive. For one, coworking guarantees you a spot; in cafes, there is no surety that you will get your perfect spot.  

In cafes, there is no one to ensure that your belongings are safe and nobody else has tampered with them other than yourself. You can’t control who enters the Cafe and for what purpose. While in a coworking space, the purpose is loud and clear. Nobody goes to a coworking space to get coffee and chill. The only purpose you go to coworking spaces is to get your job done, unlike cafes.

Believe it; cafes can be far more costly than coworking spaces. You can’t sit in a cafe for free you’re bound to order something. If you sit around for a long time, you’ll end up ordering two-three cups of coffee and snacks(5). I mean, who can resist sitting in front of delicious snacks and not eating them? Is that even possible? So, you spend a lot of money sitting in the cafes on snacks and beverages. Coworking spaces are different; on average, they charge far less than the cafes.

Check out: Top Coworking Space in Mohali

Not only do they offer you a great working environment, but also good infrastructure. We have already established that cafes are not primarily meant for working environments. Therefore, we can safely assume that there would be a lack of proper facilities at cafes required for a working space. The coworking space has far more advantages than cafes(6).

Cafes, unlike coworking spaces, do not allow you to meet new intellectuals whom you can collaborate with in the future or improve your social circle. You are trapped in your small bubble, in a cafe. On the other hand, a coworking space will allow you to come in contact with individuals who can help you in building a great social network. 

Also, did you know that coworking spaces are open 24×7? Now that is what we call a great advantage(7)!  

 

Coworking and Working from Home, who wins?

Now that covid has exerted its influence upon the whole world, we can’t deny we have gotten used to working from home. It is cheap and cost-effective; you save many money on transportation and other expenses. Working from the comfort of your home seems like a utopian ideal, and we are enjoying it, guilty as charged!

Allow me to show you the falsities of this romantic idea. As much as we love working from home, there are a few issues that we can’t dare deny(8). When we work from home, there are more chances that we will get distracted easily, and these distractions may soon turn into bad habits. Soon, you start losing the motivation to work.

Who’s to blame when you choose to watch TV, use social media, or get entangled in completing your house chores when you should be working instead. Now, when you are at home, you are in a relaxed environment and naturally become lazy. How are we supposed to work when so many temptations around us practically surround us. There is no one to monitor you to ensure you work properly and on time. 

With sheer willpower, you can overcome all these temptations and work. But, not everybody has great willpower; some people naturally require social and authorial pressures to complete their work on time. There are many cons to working from home, as well as there are pros(9). 

Coworking is a great option if you are one of the people who can’t work from home without being tempted by all the distractions(10). It provides you with a professional environment. The sole purpose of going to a coworking space is to work. The atmosphere will naturally encourage you to work. There are no other distractions so that nothing can disturb you. You can fully utilize your time and work efficiently.  

 

So, how does it work?

Coworking spaces are like Gyms, where you buy a monthly or yearly membership. Once you get the membership, you can schedule your work time (11). You can also choose what kind of space you would like to work in, whether a normal office desk or a private cabin.

You don’t need to worry about being crowded because the operators ensure that everyone gets their own space. Many coworking spaces offer a pay-per-use method. So, if you are hesitant to get a full membership, don’t worry! You can always opt for a pay-per-use method. Coworking spaces are very cost-effective for small businesses, freelancers, remote workers, small enterprises, startups, etc.

They are public spaces, types of community centers, and hubs of collaboration.

They also offer renting options; companies can rent out workstations for their employees to operate in. They offer conference rooms, meeting rooms, cabins, collaborative workspace, etc. You can even book halls and auditoriums for one-time or multiple uses. Starting your own coworking space can help you earn money(12).

 

How did it start?

The person who is credited with this brilliant idea of coworking was Bernard DeKoven. He coined the term in 1999, giving birth to the idea of coworking in a different sense from today. What he intended was the way we work and not the working space. 

Then in 2002, two entrepreneurs from Australia decided to set up an entrepreneurial center to avoid working from home, which is the origin of the idea of coworking space. Well, isn’t that relatable? The Pandemic has confined us to our homes. These days most of us work from home. We know how difficult it is to focus on work while working from home(13).

In 2005, the first coworking space was established by Brad Neuberg to promote the freedom of working individually. After some years, the idea of coworking started getting popular, and soon it was in vogue(14). But Neuberg’s idea was not instantly successful; it took some time before people realized how convenient it is to use coworking spaces. 

Did you know that Ray Baxter became the world’s first official coworker at Neuberg’s coworking space?

By 2009, multiple unofficial coworking events were happening around the world. These meetings led to the founding of around 160 coworking spaces worldwide. The first-ever WeWork coworking space started in New York in 2010. Consequently, in the next few years, WeWork inaugurated its first coworking space in London and many major global capital cities.

The idea caught momentum; by 2019, there were approximately 19,000 coworking spaces facilitating coworkers. One year later, WeWork launched two new membership options. The ‘On Demand’ (15) option offers a pay-per-use model, and the ‘All Access’ (16) allows access to more than a hundred locations worldwide.

During the Pandemic, WeWork was on the brink of taking a turn for the worse, but it soon managed to reform itself and emerged victorious. The post-pandemic period had contributed to the uprise of coworking space. Although they suffered some losses in the lockdown, with all those restrictions, it was bound to happen. What nobody anticipated was the reemergence of the company unscathed(17).  

 

Why work there?

If you are a freelancer or a remote worker, fed up with all the distractions and disturbances at home, then coworking is your option. You get to work in a peaceful environment far away from distractions. It provides you with an environment that promotes work efficiency and creativity. 

If you are part of a small enterprise or a company looking to save some costs on rent, equipment, bills, and other necessities of an office environment, then coworking is the best option for you. You work in an office-like environment without investing much money(18).

We have learned that coworking space is far better than cafes and working from home. Therefore, rather than suffering at home, to complete your work, trying your best to avoid all the distractions, you can go to your nearest coworking space and work comfortably. 

Now people are bound to ask the question: who can work there? (19) Let’s say you are a freelancer looking for a quiet space; you can very well work in a coworking space. Similarly, remote workers, individual workers, collaborators, etc., can work in coworking spaces. If your company allows you to work elsewhere, then you are not stopping! 

 

Advantages, Amazing!

So, coworking has a lot of benefits. It allows the individuals to work flexibly. It is very cost-efficient and provides all the necessary facilities and infrastructure. It promotes a healthy working environment with great networking opportunities. You can meet highly intellectual individuals to exchange your ideas with and gain new insights.

Coworking spaces give you a professional address; if you are not comfortable sharing your address, you can use the address of the coworking space you work in for all professional uses. It creates a neutral space, a no man’s land for individuals to work(20).

Do not assume coworking to be the arena of remote workers and freelancers. The space is occupied by entrepreneurs, small companies, remote enterprises, private offices, startups, and many more. It is filled with diversity. It is not a space of complete isolation. 

It allows you to build connections with the people you share your working environment. This is a great way of learning new things, building new relations, developing new business ideas, and searching for potential collaboration. Coworking offers a lot of advantages(21). 

When you are surrounded by people who are passionate about their work, it ignites the fire of motivation in your blood. You would work with even more vigor and concentration. You might even feel excited to work because of the healthy and encouraging environment. If you’re introverted and shy about communicating with strangers, a coworking space is a great option to pull you out of your shell.  

 

Great for collaboration!

When companies collaborate to work on projects and ventures, it becomes very difficult not to invade each others’ private space. In such a scenario, a coworking space provides a great alternative(22) where individuals collaborating on projects can work in a neutral space.

It provides the members with Wi-fi, printers, projectors, meeting rooms, conference rooms, private working space, etc. The individuals can easily work together and have meetings, discussions, etc., in the allotted meeting rooms. It provides opportunities to find great people to collaborate with. 

Working side-by-side with people from different fields might spark your innovation. You will not only be inspired to get new business ideas but will also have the resources at hand to gain potential collaborators(23). The coworking space creates a sense of companionship, you get acquainted with people, and there is a sense of belonging. 

The shared environment in a coworking space will help you unveil your talents.  

 

Coworking is the Future

After the Pandemic, people have gotten used to working from home. There has been a surge in remote working and freelancing. Now, we consider them as a great alternative career-wise. Coworking facilitates these working individuals, providing them with a great environment for their convenience. 

Work flexibility has now become one of the prime sights of debates among workers. Having flexible working hours is great for your mental and physical health. Employees express that they are much happier working on their terms. They do not get tired easily and are highly motivated to work.    

So, the coworking space offers its members great infrastructure, work collaboration, and non-hierarchical space. Here, they have the freedom to work on their terms, which greatly motivates them. Working efficiently with a good state of mind ensures the success of the individuals. Therefore, we can expect a surge in the field of coworking space shortly (24).

The Pandemic has changed how the companies view office space. During the lockdown, the offices were shut, and employees worked from home. The companies experienced how much cost they could save just because of the lockdown. Therefore, they started looking for other options to continue cutting down the cost instead of leasing an office for the long term.

Coworking turned out to be one of the best options for companies to function regularly in a pseudo-office-like environment. Now they can work in an amazingly interactive environment and save money simultaneously. It’s a win-win situation!

Coworking space decentralizes offices and helps the companies in avoiding long-term lease commitments. The surge in a startup has also contributed to the increased demand for coworking spaces. With so many pros and very few cons, many companies prefer coworking spaces instead of leasing offices.

All these factors have contributed to the coworking space becoming an important part of the professional arena. What started as an idea has become a highly demanded business services model.

Coworking might as well be the future of work(25) and working space!     

• Coinsmart. Europe’s Best Bitcoin and Crypto Exchange.
• Platoblockchain. Web3 Metaverse Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. FREE ACCESS.
• CryptoHawk. Altcoin Radar. Free Trial.
• Source: https://timesnext.com/coworking-explained-top-places-india-faq/