With more and more companies pushing remote work ever since the onset of the pandemic, the popularity of coworking culture has increased over time! It’s a huge hit among the millennials, so much so that it has become an important element of employer branding.

This concept has been welcomed with open arms in the United States. In fact, according to Zippia, there were only 14 coworking spaces in the US in 2007. But now, in 2022, it’s predicted to cross the milestone of 6,000!

But, like many, are you also wondering what a coworking space means and what benefits it provides to remote or hybrid workers? Keep reading to understand this modern workplace.

What Is a Coworking Space?

Officially, the meaning of coworking relates to independent professionals assembling at a common workplace to work. It allows freelancers, remote workers, and contract workers to come together and work independently on different or sometimes on the same project.

What makes it different from the normal office setting is that here, people don’t work for the same company. They are independent workers assembled to enhance their productivity. In simpler terms, they are transporting their home office setting and sharing it with other remote workers!

Several companies have started providing coworking spaces for their remote workers. These membership-based workspaces are perfect for your remote-working employees to boost their productivity! Apart from this, you are provided with the benefit of hiring the best talent without paying extra for relocation.

There are so many other advantages of coworking spaces! Read further to understand more.

Reasons Why People Thrive in Coworking Spaces

From large-scale businesses to small-sized enterprises, today, individuals and companies are opting for coworking spaces, and that’s for all the right reasons! Enhanced flexibility, reduced costs, and more, there are so many reasons behind the increasing fame of this concept.

Let’s dive into the several reasons why remote employees are thriving in coworking spaces.

• Brings Flexibility

  Coworking spaces allow more flexibility for individuals and organizations by choosing their preferred working time and space.

  With work-life balance becoming a buzzing trend among young workers, employees disapprove of being micromanaged. They want more flexibility in their work style. A shared office place with the aim of creating space for individuals with similar goals serves the purpose of providing the best work-life balance!

• Provides Job Control

  Remote workers have faced the problem of taking control of their time and delegating it responsibly to their job when they work from the comfort of their homes. But, when they are provided with a community that serves the same purpose, it helps them build a proper work structure and discipline.

  With coworking spaces, remote employees also get the freedom to control their job. Since these spaces are open all day long, they can choose when to arrive, work, take a break, and leave. They have the choice to sit in peace or with a group.

• Makes Them Feel Included

  Connecting with others and feeling included are the main reasons why people choose to work in a communal coworking space as opposed to a remote home office setting. Today, the managers of these spaces go to great heights to make the remote employees feel included as a part of a working community.

  A coworking space gives remote employees a chance to socialize with like-minded individuals. It makes them feel included by collaborating with different groups.

• Enhances Creativity

  Working in the same work setting for a long time brings monotony. People stop feeling creative. Coworking spaces have managed to give people the benefit of attractive rooms with open spaces, bright colours, and entertainment sections with customizable options. You get to choose what your working space could look like.

• Creates Networking

  Smallbizgenius reported that almost 82% of remote employees expanded their professional network connection post joining a coworking space. That said, these spaces undoubtedly give the perfect opportunities for independent professionals to grow their network and socialize more by collaborating with a group.

  Unplanned interactions are a prominent feature of coworking spaces. It increases spontaneity, improves employee satisfaction, and allows business growth!

• Improves Communication

  A coworking space allows your remote professionals to meet people from different social groups and interact. They get to communicate with different people, develop their communication skills, and grow their network!

• Adds Meaning to Their Work

  Coworking spaces add more meaning to independent working individuals. This happens because these professionals choose their own projects and work on what excites them.

  Moreover, they are free to work as their true selves without having to fake a working persona. They don’t carry two personalities: work and personal – like people in a normal office setting carry. And because of this, there is no office politics, toxic work culture, or harmful competition.

Can Corporates Combine Coworking Spaces?

The coworking space is a concept cherished by freelancers and solopreneurs. And seeing this success, many corporates and huge organizations want to adopt this setting.

If your company is deciding to integrate this model into their working setup, here are two strategies that will benefit you:

• Internal Coworking Strategy

  In an internal coworking strategy, a company can take a large space and turn it into a coworking space. Employees can have an unassigned workstation with a common work area. You can even partner with coworking spaces to give your employees a vibrant workplace.

  However, the success of this strategy depends on the level you can replicate the coworking space culture. If not, the entire model is a failure. One way you can begin is by providing your employees with the same freedom, flexibility, mobility, and collaboration chances a coworking space provides to independent workers. You can even call freelancers to work in your internal coworking space; this way, your employees will generate creativity and productivity.

• External Coworking Strategy

  If you don’t want to go with the previous model, businesses can even opt for an external coworking strategy. Here, you can select an existing coworking space, pay for the membership, and use the place as an optional working setting for your employees.

  Companies must apply their own method to decide which employees can have the coworking space. For example, you can either allow the place to certain teams working on the same project or give membership to employees with flexible work. You can even use the coworking space as a place to conduct meetings.

Final Thoughts

As opposed to the secluded home offices that sometimes shut down the creativity of your employees who work remotely, coworking spaces provide a better setting for individuals as they’re given the benefit of creating a work-life balance, access to creativity, and increased productivity!

Time management won’t be an issue. Apart from that, remote employees have the opportunity to grow as individuals by collaborating with different people, building strong connections, boosting innovation, and focusing on their well-being.

Author Bio:

Kelly Barcelos is a progressive digital marketing manager for Jobsoid. She is responsible for leading the content and social media teams at work. Her expertise and experience in the field of HR enable her to create value-driven content for her readers – both on Jobsoid’s blog and other guest blogs where she publishes content regularly.