Coworking Spaces:  The Best Investment for Remote Workers

We have certainly learned a lot about the limitations and advantages of remote work over the past year.  Businesses have seen huge advantages in decreased operational costs, even as they have had to work to put the technological pieces in place to keep productivity going. 

At this stage of learning, many businesses are deciding to continue remote operations with a few tweaks.  One of those challenges is the recognition that productivity is actually enhanced through remote working, but team members working in true isolation cannot always access that productivity.  Some businesses are choosing to close that gap by utilizing coworking space. 

Are you ready to expand into coworking?  Here are some considerations to make regarding this flexible office space.

Signs your workers may be ready for coworking space:

• Loneliness.  Even the most introverted of team members need association with other people from time to time in order to stay creative and productive.  Loneliness is the number one reported negative symptom of remote working over the past year.
• Low motivation.  Finding internal sources of motivation to continue putting effort into projects can get difficult while working in isolation.  People are more externally driven than they realize, and the perks of getting to chat with a coworker to solve a problem are harder to replicate in a virtual environment.
• Major distractions.  Whether it is other people working from home or attending school, projects sitting in the corner, or pets demanding attention, home can be a major source of distraction from work.
• Difficult connections.  Team members may not even be in the same time zone, so making those office relationships is more difficult online.

If you have provided all the structure you can give remotely and your team members (or you!) are still experiencing these feelings, it is probably time to consider a coworking space for remote workers. 

These shared spaces allow as much or as little “real office” feeling as you need in order to stay creative and productive. 

Plans include rentals of shared space, private space, meeting rooms, and loads of amenities to replicate the office setting without the sunk costs of investing in an office environment.  Here are some key ways to utilize coworking as an investment.  See if any of them are right for you!

• Offering space while controlling costs.  Having your own building or responsibility for an office suite can come with tax implications, electricity, and other utility needs, building insurance, janitorial expenses, etc.  Coworking spaces for remote workers allow for as much or as little actual space as needed without the need to worry about those line items in your financial reports.
• Temporary meeting space.  Need to hold a meeting with a client in a town you aren’t actually living in?  Shared space allows the renting of conference rooms with requisite technology for short-term use.  Why pay for a conference room of your own sitting empty for stretches at a time when you can just rent-to-order based on your needs?  Coworking spaces for remote workers allow you to travel and have access to professional spaces for work.
• Shared vs. private spaces.  If your workers need the connection of being around other people to feel motivated, a shared working space is ideal and far less expensive than maintaining a space of your own.  Sometimes people need the ability to get up and get away from the distractions of home, and a shared working space allows for that productivity while lowering the burden of costs.
• Mental health and creativity boost.  It is very true that coworking spaces are more inspiring than a regular office setting or isolation at home because there will be other creative professional people in the same space.  The ability to change up your surroundings is key to creativity.  For some, just being around other people even if they are not interacting with you personally is a mood boost that carries them through the workday. 
• Cutting edge accommodations.  Think of shared working spaces like a boutique hotel experience.  There will be a manager who can customize your experience and a range of work designs meant to cater to your interests.  Work from a hammock?  Why not try it out?  You have a lot of creative options for your “desk” now, and creative options lead to creative people.
• Create stability and discover new networking.  One of the biggest challenges for remote work is creating a routine you can actually follow and being isolated at home only increases the difficulty.  Coworking spaces for remote workers offer stability and a regular schedule – an office environment you can control.  But they also typically offer lots of networking opportunities to meet other professionals, many of which are actually hosted by the shared workspace.  

If it is time for a change in the way you are approaching your remote work, coworking spaces can solve most of the problems that typically arise. 

Whether you are seeking to break boredom or reduce distractions, coworking space can be customized to include your next client meeting, a creative, quiet space to work, or networking opportunities to grow your business.