What is coworking? Your essential guide
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What is coworking? Your essential guide
Helen Jackson
20th September, 2024
6 min read
Helen Jackson
20th September, 2024
6 min read
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What is coworking?
A brief history of coworking
Five benefits of coworking
What types of coworking spaces are available?
Coworking FAQS
Work better together, even when you’re apart from your company. We share the five biggest benefits of coworking for businesses and freelancers.
If you currently work in solitude and it’s wearing a bit thin, coworking might be the answer for you. You can interact with people, take part in office chit-chat, and generally build a better working day structure, all without the tedium of office politics.
Coworking has many benefits, including increased focus and less context switching. Read on to learn more about coworking and why you should consider popping into your local coworking space.
Coworking has many benefits, including increased focus and less context switching. Read on to learn more about coworking and why you should consider popping into your local coworking space.
What is coworking?
Coworking is a concept where you work in a communal space alongside other freelancers, remote workers, and businesses. This work arrangement allows you to enjoy the structure of an office environment, but on your terms - it’s more flexible.
A brief history of coworking
Coworking has become a mainstream working concept since the mid-1990s and has continued to grow significantly over the past few years, particularly with the shift to more home or remote working opportunities. Research suggests that there will soon be over 42,000 coworking spaces worldwide.
The concept is already thriving in the UK, with over 1,400 coworking spaces in London alone and many spaces around the country, particularly in major cities like Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester.
The concept is already thriving in the UK, with over 1,400 coworking spaces in London alone and many spaces around the country, particularly in major cities like Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester.
Five benefits of coworking
If you’re toying with the idea of joining a coworking space, here are five benefits for you to consider:
1. Boost productivity and focus
If you’re easily distracted, which, let’s face it, so many of us are, coworking can help solve that problem. Having a routine can give you a daily purpose, so not only is the coworking space getting you out of the house, but it can boost your productivity and encourage you to mingle with other professionals.
2. Shared facilities can mean significant cost-savings
If you’re using a coworking space, you don’t have to drain your electricity or purchase a printer. The convenience of shared facilities is unmatched. The printer breaks down, no worries, someone else will fix that for you. They design these spaces to give you everything you need to work effectively.
3. Opportunities to network
Your next exciting opportunity could be just around the corner, and being in a coworking environment means you naturally bump into other working professionals. They might become a new client, offer you your dream job, or introduce you to someone who could change your career path forever.
4. A better work-life balance
When working from home, creating a clear boundary between work and home life can be challenging, particularly when it’s easier to check your emails at 10pm. But, in a coworking space, you have a carved-out work routine that makes it much easier to say goodbye to work as you leave the space.
5. Increased creativity
Working alongside different creative types means you benefit from diverse perspectives, helping you problem-solve, and encouraging you to think more creatively. Your shared experiences with your new colleagues inspire you to talk and share ideas.
What types of coworking spaces are available?
Most coworking spaces offer shared desk bank facilities, basic kitchen access, and the option to book meeting rooms if needed. Tenants usually pay for this on a monthly per-desk basis. Others offer a more sophisticated setup, with the chance to rent private office spaces long-term to act as remote offices for small businesses.
There’s also the possibility of home coworking, where you invite other remote workers to work from your house, maybe a close friend or two, to keep each other accountable and productive! This coworking setup helps you retain the relaxed home working environment but removes the loneliness it can come with.
There’s also the possibility of home coworking, where you invite other remote workers to work from your house, maybe a close friend or two, to keep each other accountable and productive! This coworking setup helps you retain the relaxed home working environment but removes the loneliness it can come with.
Coworking: frequently asked questions
What tools can keep me productive when coworking?
A tool that helps centralise documents can ensure effortless remote team collaboration. Important documents remain fluid with real-time edits and collaboration, so it doesn’t matter whether you’re working from home or the office; you can collaborate effectively from anywhere.
Tools like Confluence integrate seamlessly into your tech stack to unify all systems. You can also integrate with Trello or Slack to further streamline communication.
Psst: What is Confluence we hear you ask? Here’s a complete Confluence guide for beginners.
Tools like Confluence integrate seamlessly into your tech stack to unify all systems. You can also integrate with Trello or Slack to further streamline communication.
Psst: What is Confluence we hear you ask? Here’s a complete Confluence guide for beginners.
How do I choose the right coworking space?
Choosing the right coworking space doesn’t have to be challenging. First, figure out what you want from the space - do you need the option to book private rooms? Access to networking events with other professionals? A pay-as-you-go plan? Then, it’s time to research your local coworking options.
Are coworking spaces noisy?
Not necessarily. Some spaces offer quiet areas or private bookable rooms to help you focus when needed. Otherwise, you can invest in some noise-cancelling headphones to help you block out any office distractions.
Apps that help you do more in Confluence
Minimise context switching by making your Confluence setup more powerful. How much time could you save?
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Read moreWritten by
Helen Jackson
Content Writer
Helen is a freelance content writer specialising in Software as a Service (SaaS). She has a BA Hons degree in English, a Chartered Institute of Marketing qualification, and over ten years of experience in content marketing.
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