Why Are Coworking Spaces So Important For Us Today?

 

There is a common saying – When you love what you do, everything else falls in place. But it’s not just enough to have passion for your work – the actual “space” you work from can be the tipping point for either excellent or unsatisfactory results. Working out of the right work environment helps you explore your full potential and bring in extra passion towards your work.

With more companies welcoming remote work options, coworking spaces help them fill a novel void. They represent an office without the typical rigidity of one. Shared office spaces offer social opportunities, networking prospects, and much required human interaction to replace the isolation of strictly working from home.

This leaves a lot to love about coworking. So,

• Why is renting a furnished office space important?
• What does this say for the evolving workforce?

Coworking spaces aren’t only about hosting remote workers. It’s indispensable because it benefits both companies and their employees equally. These commercial spaces for rent take the most essential but costly business expense—the workplace—and turns it into service. The space-as-a-service model creates workforce flexibility at a fraction of a cost compared to a traditional office.

Experts today project the coworking segment to be the most significant driver of the next evolution of how, where, and when we work outside of cloud computing technologies.

 Keeping Pace With An Evolving Workforce

The benefits of coworking are undoubtedly pivotal for the world’s workforce and quickly becoming the new standard. Coworking spaces are suited to every worker, everywhere, no matter their job profile. If they can work remotely and benefit from coworking, so do the businesses they serve.

Coworking providers support companies by enabling space optimization. Consequently, companies are free to focus on investing in their people instead of space. Employees further get the tools and assistance they need to do their jobs better.

Through this, brands get an opportunity to reinvent the workplace.

 Coworking Creates Flexibility

The one trait that’s placed above all in the workforce today is adaptability—flexibly getting work done without focusing on the “how“, “where“, and “when” and keeping quality and efficacy intact is invaluable to companies.

Shared office spaces enable this flexibility, allowing more of the workforce to adapt to changing demands. In contrast to a traditional workplace, companies today understand how coworking plays a vital role in enabling their employees to shift to a more remote, autonomous, yet highly efficient workforce.

 Cost-Effective And Flexi Options

Reducing overhead costing is of the utmost importance for every business, especially now. Thankfully, to rent a coworking space is both cost-effective and value-added. Corporate professionals prefer to move into coworking spaces as companies prefer to have only a limited percentage of their workforce to be physically present and/or distributed across different workspace locations.

This significantly reduces their infrastructure and administration cost-effectively. Also, coworking and shared office spaces providing Flexi options enable people to pay only when they use the service.

Proliferation Of Startups And Local Businesses

We’ve seen the “Vocal for Local” movement trending within the business communities in recent times. More businesses and startups are coming forward due to this movement and encouraging more local products to improve the economy.

The mushrooming of these small and medium businesses have triggered a need to occupy cost-effective, fully serviced office spaces for rent to call their office. Coworking presents itself as an attractive option for its cost, benefits, and value adds.

Recovery And Rebound

Moving into a future that’s defined by ever-present levels of social distancing, community ties are fraying. The economic hit to small businesses may lead to “decay” in “organizational capital“, which will be challenging to restore. This makes community support is equally or even more critical ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

How Coworking Spaces Stand To Benefit Remote Workers

 

Remote work – the ability to work from anywhere- was recognized as a global work movement even before the pandemic compelled many to work from their homes. But it gained tremendous momentum in 2020 as people were inherently forced to look at alternative workspace options.

How is remote work defined?                           

Remote work is work from an alternative yet efficient workspace- not the traditional office. Remote workers use digital tools to handle tasks, complete projects and communicate internally. Remote work is facilitated by the necessary infrastructure, devices and a steady internet connection.

Contrary to what we perceive, remote work is a broad umbrella term that encompasses more than work from home to present more viable and economical options such as:

• Working full-time from coworking spaces
• Working remotely on a flexible/rotational office schedule (available in the office from time to time)

Is work from home and working remotely the same?

The answer is NO because ‘working remotely’ signals that you could be working alternatively from a coworking space.

If you are a company considering adopting a remote workplace style for your employees, here are compelling reasons why you should rent an office in a coworking space:

1. Meet Inspiring Coworkers

Unlike a standard set of employees working in an office, a coworking space is a professional space for people who come from a diverse range of professionals – think web developers, software salespeople and e-commerce specialists or even graphic artists.

Coworking spaces can introduce you to so many types of professions you may have not even heard of and the diverse people who work in these professions.

These spaces buzz with people coding websites, writing novels or designing startups and is a far cry from the corporate talk and dry meetings most people know as an integral part of ‘professional life.’

2. More Stimulating Than Traditional Offices

Have you ever worked with your laptop on a gallery seat? On an open deck? or simply de-stressed by resorting to a game of foosball? This is all possible in a day when you rent shared office spaces!

Sometimes a switch in surroundings is the best inspiration of all, which is why the best coworking spaces are designed with meditation rooms, outdoor deck space, social cafeterias, high-top tables, couches- you name it!

Coworking spaces are aesthetically and ergonomically planned, sporting creatively designed spaces to make you think beyond the box.

3. Coworking Spaces Foster Entrepreneurship

Taking up fully-furnished coworking spaces are for those who work remotely already or any group of employees working for a small or large company that has sought office space at a coworking space.

Coworking spaces, a relatively new phenomenon, are usually future-focused, newly-built and therefore have incorporated creative and modern designs into their builds.

Entrepreneurship, because it can be outside the box, requires a certain level of an inspirational environment. Whether you and your team comprise three people or fifteen, being in a coworking space and using all its dynamic locations and benefits will likely inspire new ideas.

4. Reduces Anxiety And Loneliness In Remote Workers

A feeling of isolation stems from prolonged periods of working from home or alone without any company making burnout and loneliness real concerns for remote workers ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

How Coworking Spaces Help Empower The Entrepreneurial Women Workforce

 

Women’s struggles are numerous — balancing personal life and children with their careers, starting a business, and raising funds. Why is it then that highly experienced professional women who have children tend to leave the workforce at some stage of their career?

The lack of enough women conducive working spaces around the world may be partly the reason. But a new booming industry is changing the way women think of realizing their potential and achieving their dreams. This blessing in disguise for women is otherwise known as – Coworking spaces!

There’s a wonderful relationship that coworking spaces can foster for women, which extends beyond just productive workspaces. Here’s how –

1. Community (And Friends)

Women-owned businesses are mostly sole proprietorships. This by itself can feel incredibly isolating throughout the first few years of business. Entrepreneurs have found this journey to be so lonely and challenging that, according to a study, almost 30 percent of founders experience depression. Women must prioritize themselves and their team’s interpersonal needs, even if it’s just them and their co-founder.

So, consider renting a fully furnished office space from a coworking space operator. From the second you walk in the door at one of these centres, the abundance of human interaction that greets you will remind you: You’re part of something larger. Enjoy the sociability of these shared office spaces, minus the conventional cubicles.

Sounds promising already, right?

2. Mentorships And Partnerships

Picture this:

• A restaurant owner sitting down with a creative journalist.
• An e-commerce retailer grabbing coffee with a social media manager.
• Varied exposure across different industries that help you develop different perspectives to your work

Mentorship, casual or formal, forms the heartbeat of coworking spaces. So is it any surprise that startups that receive mentoring initially enjoy twice the survival rate of non-mentored businesses? The open and collaborative atmosphere a coworking space sports can do that: It makes inviting someone to grab a coffee or do an elevator pitch far less intimidating.

In no other environment can an entrepreneur access the best legal advice or an extra creative eye simply by walking across the hallway.

3. Greenhouse For Growth

Most forward-thinking coworking spaces aim to enable you to scale consistently while they remain the pillar (pun intended!) in the background to your growth. An important thing to keep in mind while scouting for spaces is to evaluate coworking spaces by their most successful companies.

• Is there scope to graduate to larger spaces with the same coworking space operator?
• Will the transition be smooth, and can they provide for the same?
• Does the space seem conducive to growth?
• Does the space hold meaningful relationships with the differently team sized organizations in their ecosystem?

Excellent coworking spaces are designed to support growth. A shared office space does this by creating the right ambience infrastructurally and the right community needed for their entrepreneurial occupants to thrive.

A coworking space, for example, makes it easy for their members to – participate in industry-specific discussions, skill upgradation workshops, head to the gym for some stress relief at any given time during the day, get a caffeine boost at all hours, take essential calls in private telephone booths and even catch some Zzzzs in the wellness zone if needed.

As one of the fastest-growing and most promising segments of our economy today, women-led brands should choose to invest in these furnished office spaces that build their brands with this design, energy and track record.

4. A Physical Location That Gets Work Done

While working from home may seem the ultimate dream initially, meshing work and personal life will take your company only so far. With a coworking space, you still maintain ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

Networking secrets everyone should know about!

 

“Your reputation is who knows you, and your connections are the ones who you know.”

Picture a crowded reception room full of anonymous faces, grappling with drinks and canapés while trying to make small talk? People frantically ‘‘working the room’’ and exchanging business cards?

Is this the image that instantly springs up in your mind? Surprisingly, this common assumption is not an accurate representation of what networking is.

Instead, what networking truly stands for is –

To build reciprocal relationships with people you like, admire and trust. 

If you are someone who finds themselves breaking out into a sweat every time you think of networking, then you are in good luck! Renting a private office in a coworking space can provide the perfect opportunity to integrate with other people and develop meaningful relationships without having to take out separate time out from your hectic calendar.

Coworking spaces were initially and accidentally discovered by drifting entrepreneurs, exploring an alternative to the buzzing coffee shops (or distractions) or the isolation from working at home. As more people moved towards working out of coworking spaces, over time, these spaces witnessed a culmination of diverse talents and business people from all walks of life.

These were the people inspired by the quest for a creative atmosphere — the community’s camaraderie and the comfy ambience of these spaces.

People working in coworking spaces have often networked at rather unconventional places, for example, the corridors or even the stairs. These small conversations that may have begun over a small appeal for help might even get converted into an exchange of pleasantries and leading to much more than that after that. Natural networking can only occur in a relaxed atmosphere where you don’t have to be conscious about networking.

Here are a few ways why coworking is conducive to networking and how you can use the eclectic atmosphere of coworking spaces to your advantage!

1. It Puts You In The Right Mindset –

Working from home alone means you’re probably going to lack the motivation to socialize over time. If you become so used to your own company, you might not be attempting to network as much as you should. Using a coworking space, you will be well-positioned in the thick of it to speak to everyone around you.

At the same time, you don’t need to worry about having to pull yourself away from important work just to “network”. A casual chat over shared interests near a breakout zone should be enough to get the conversation going, and you can take it up from there!

2. Networking Requires More Than Just The Basics.

Many people assume that networking is as easy as shaking hands, small talk, and exchanging business cards. But that’s not all. Start by analyzing your prospective and current connections. How does their experience fit in with your short-term and long-term goals? How do you visualize the extent of their participation?

Is there a plan on how you would want to approach your prospects while still making time for your existing relationships? Answering these questions beforehand and practicing them in conversations will bring you closer to your networking goals.

3. Diversity!

The open and harmonious nature of coworking spaces and the internally connected work area fosters a better synergy for like-minded individuals. Cafeterias, breakout area and other common areas in shared office spaces can often double up as the perfect ground for networking, sharing knowledge and insights with coworkers.

This brings forth an opportunity to interact with people from differing professional backgrounds, possibly turning into valuable connections. These connections will be more likely to get converted into leads and other partnership opportunities in the future.

A coworking space embodies so much than just another place to get work done! The potential to network within a coworking space is one of the significant advantages. When done correctly, this networking ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

Why Coworking Spaces Are Naturally Conducive To Employee Engagement

 

Today’s workforce comprises mainly of millennials who call themselves the “creative class”. They refuse to tread the traditional path – be it the choice to work independently as freelancers or shift to a cooler workspace in place of conventional offices; their approach to work and their workspace are very different from the mainstream. So, it’s no surprise that keeping this class of employees engaged can often seem like a challenge – but one that delivers “loyalty” in ten folds if done correctly!

This is what makes businesses of all size turn towards the future of workspaces – corporate coworking. While the observed link between employee engagement and shared coworking areas is quite apparent, often it is disregarded.

Coworking spaces are inherently great at employee engagement because they capitalize on the three main Ps: Productivity, Potential & Performance.

Workspace Innovation And Design

When employees work in formal workspaces with confined cubicles, productivity tends to take a hit. Soon enough, this declining efficiency negatively affects their engagement. But allowing employees a free, unrestricted space to work delivers quite the polar results. It engages them entirely and unreservedly!

How does coworking help in this case? Employees get to choose when and where they want to work, given the flexibility of options between open and private office spaces. Secondly, they are infrastructurally and ambience-wise designed to impel engagement. The openness, flexibility, and collaborative spirit found in coworking spaces are just the right fit for these new-age employees!

The Flexibility Of The Coworking Space

Today’s workers crave flexibility. They enjoy accomplishing tasks according to their schedules instead of arriving at the office and leaving work at the same time every single day. While some may require a rigid 9-5 structure to perform to their 100% competence, others may work better through the night. Alternatively, suppose an employee knows that they have access to their choice of a workspace (open or private office space). In that case, they are also more likely to dive into a project enthusiastically. Unlike coworking areas, traditional offices do not offer this choice,

This is also favourable if you work with a remote team. Employees often lose interest due to the dearth of human contact. When employees are placed in a high-energy, collaborative environment to communicate, share ideas or brainstorm concepts, output increases. This collaboration is what drives productivity. Coworking spaces brim with this collaborative spirit, making them inherently superior for employee engagement.

A Stimulating Environment

Simply put, every employee benefits from working in a different working atmosphere. While some thrive in stimulating offices where they can socialize with their colleagues, others may be more comfortable in quiet private office space areas where they can zone in on their tasks. Luckily, coworking spaces offer both areas for people to work distraction-free while also incorporating dynamic spaces to interact and collaborate.

Coworking spaces enable employees to pursue their work meaningfully and provides opportunities to expand their network simultaneously. Furthermore, shared workspaces are melting pots of diverse talents and skills that exist in the same space. The heterogeneous nature of these workspaces promotes further collaboration, often resulting in a mind-blowing innovation.  This loops back to meaningful work, and consequentially they become more engaged.

Engagement: Socializing And Otherwise!

A dull office that’s always quiet, and doesn’t encourage collaboration, stifles creativity and productivity. Employees can only become more engaged when their office encourages more social interaction opportunities with their colleagues. Coworking spaces promote community, collaboration ......read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

How Design-Thinking Is Helping Businesses Propagate In 2021

 

Design thinking today encapsulates a fundamental aspect of creative leadership. Visionary entrepreneurs and business people who believe in carving their path instead of following a conventional route rely on design thinking to re-imagine the future.

It demonstrates a way of thinking to solve problems that disregards set processes while prioritizing the consumer’s needs above everything. It is an iterative, hands-on approach to formulating innovative solutions that rely on observational empathy and curiosity towards the way humans interact with their environment.

But this isn’t all that’s making design thinking take the business world by storm!

Design thinking is “human-focused,” which suggests that real evidence of how actual consumers interact with their service offering is applied rather than acting on how an organization “thinks” they will engage with it. To be genuinely human-centred, business owners must observe how people use a product or service and continue to refine it in a way that improves their experience. This is the “lean methodology” aspect of design thinking, favoring moving quickly to get prototypes out to test rather than ongoing research.

In contrast to traditional problem-solving, which is a linear process of identifying a problem and then brainstorming solutions, design thinking only works if it is repetitive. It is less of a means to get to a single solution and more of a way to respond to consumer needs continuously.

But how is this critical to businesses looking to rent a large or private office space post the pandemic?

We often find that when organizations look to renting private office spaces, the conversation around is rooted in the wrong direction, beginning with the furniture or the room itself rather than what the office space can do to enhance the human experience.

This brings us to the central argument- “Do we ever consider what we want our workspaces to do beyond just what we want them to be? The correct emphasis should be on thinking about the activities and experiences you as an employer want to create within this private office space and then enable it.

One key lesson here is: coworking spaces are not and rather cannot be designed like traditional offices. You may find multiple private office space options where people and companies interact, often in beneficial ways. These office spaces are built to facilitate community building while still allowing for privacy.

Since it is always centred on humans, this method also ensures that the functional and working environment in a coworking or shared office space meets different users’ expectations. Just the presence of modern furniture and decoration doesn’t necessarily correspond to the end-users. A deep reflection is required, and this is where design thinking comes into its own.

The spaces we occupy profoundly impact our experiences, feelings, psychology, productivity, mood, and creativity. The private office spaces owned by businesses must be set up to facilitate the purpose behind each phase of their operations. A team can truly optimize productivity only when exposed to a space that embraces the mindsets required at every point of the business process.

As they have evolved, coworking spaces have become quite savvy at managing their occupants’ shifting space needs. A hint lies in the architecture. Many coworking spaces utilize these principles of design thinking to delineate spaces as needed by organizations.

For example:

Round tables work great when you want to encourage people to collaborate during ideation and brainstorming sessions – and so does standing up. Ideally, these spaces should be located away from the actual work desks or else this may stifle creativity.

Even without moving the furniture, large shared office spaces can create options for companies that need more space — as flexibly as the need arises.

This shift towards human-centred design and experiences embraced by coworking spaces in recent years is increasingly evident in many organizations shifting to these experientially designed spaces. There are plenty of onsite amenities that rival the splashier startups ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.

How To Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Workspace

                              

Work can frequently be fast-paced, chaotic, and stressful, which is why so many people usually take to multitasking, and, consequently, risk running on autopilot to get everything done. Nearly every office worker faces a regular barrage of emails, messages, phone calls, texts, and meetings that pull their focus and attention in multiple directions at once. This can soon turn into an endless loop if every worker’s magic word – Mindfulness – is not introduced.

In its simplest form, mindfulness means awareness and practicing it offers a way to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment. When you train your mind to become increasingly mindful at work, you start to become fully present and in control of taking care of one task at a time. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, increase resilience & improves communication.

Mindfulness in the workplace is a frequently discussed topic among businesses to help reduce stress – a dominant cause of employee disengagement that can also hinder productivity. Based on a study conducted by The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, more than half of the 550 million working days lost every year from absenteeism are stress-related.

While these statistics are shocking, the good news is that office environment doesn’t have to be a catalyst for poor mental well-being. It can be literally the opposite, promoting mindfulness and positivity all driven by the idea that – “Better buildings can lead to healthier people”.

Whether you work from office full-time or even from a flexible shared office space, creating a mindful workspace can make you much more focused and energetic. This is why it’s so essential to establish or look out for an environment conducive for you to knuckle down and do your work.

In other words, gearing your space to promote mindful working can have tremendous benefits for your job performance and directly affect the bottom line of your company.

While there are numerous ways to incorporate mindfulness into the workplace, employers must first set sight at the physical office environment they have created for their employees. Alternatively, this could be a way of looking at reputed fully furnished office spaces for rent and ensuring these elements are fit in.

Keeping that in mind, here are three simple solutions to look out for, so you are fully present and engaged:

1. Easy Furniture

Office furniture is one of the primary influencers of mental health within the workplace. It won’t come as a shock to know that the human body isn’t designed to be sitting down for 8 hours a day. Combine this with poor posture and ineffective furniture, the effects are pretty negative.

Check to see whether your shared space has standing desks and ergonomic task chairs. An additional benefit is furnishings “closer-to-home” such as sofas and coffee tables to provide employees with different seating options.

This allows posture to be varied throughout the day and encourages you to get up and move around whilst making the office feel more like home and promoting a more relaxed atmosphere.

2. Create A Space For Employees To Unwind

The term “meditate” can be used interchangeably with any other number of verbs – decompress, unwind, regroup. What’s important is the facilitation of your space that is conducive to doing so.

One of the fundamental principles of mindful office design is creating the ability to escape the stress and distractions of the typical workspace by focusing on the present moment. A designated quiet space will allow employees to practice mindfulness in whatever capacity they see fit – from breathing to eating to being actively mindful of the peace.

In a serviced office space, this might look like intuitively designed breakout rooms.

3. Create Calming Spaces

A calming space can be as simple as the materials, textures, colours, lighting, and views. Spaces that provide ample natural light can have a calming effect on the mind. A mix of materials – like wood, “green walls” and exposed brick – mixed with calming colours in décor and the right textiles on furniture can make a designated workspace into a welcome retreat within the office. ....read more

Coworking, Private Offices, Custom Built, Dedicated Desk, Hot Desk, Virtual Offices & Meeting Rooms

We are a growing community of inspired professionals who work in creative & innovative spaces. Our vibrant business ecosystem offers flexible office plans, seamless connectivity and security. We are a contemporary workspace, A playground for minds, a powerhouse for brands.

We are Workafella.