Originally a favorite for entrepreneurs and tech start-ups, coworking spaces are more mainstream today, becoming a viable option everyone from solo and remote pros to SMBs and enterprise organizations. In this article, we’ll dive into the 11 essential benefits of a coworking space that make these flexible office environments the ideal option for modern businesses.
You can opt for a private office for total focus or leverage the variety of other spaces available, such as lounges, coworking, dedicated desks, private offices, and team suites, depending on what your or your business needs are (coworking spaces allow you to easily upscale or downscale between these different options as your business shifts). Lastly, you can also make use of other spaces, such as phone booths or outdoor areas, to work in the best way for you.
The 11 Essential Benefits of a Coworking Space
Coworking Benefit #1: Increased Focus
Coworking spaces are designed to increase your focus, boost your productivity, and help you check items off that to-do list.
One of the biggest benefits of a coworking space is that it features intentional design elements and spatial diversity that help professionals find the focus they need. Comfortable workspaces, carefully chosen background music, and other hard-working professionals nearby all create the ideal environment.
You can opt for a private office for total focus or leverage the variety of spaces available, such as lounges, phone booths, or outdoor areas, to work in the best way for you.
Coworking Benefit #2: Inclusive Amenities and Services
Professionals tired of their home office often opt for public spaces like cafes or coffee shops to get work done.
this option may offer some advantages, most don’t have fast, reliable Wi-Fi or other important amenities. Home offices are also not ideal for meetings or impressing prospective clients.
Coworking spaces are equipped with everything you need to get work done, including:
- Stable connectivity and high-speed WiFi
- Printing and scanning services
- On-site support for any issues that come up, tech or otherwise
- Friendly community managers that make your day a little brighter and help broker introductions to industry professionals
- Virtual office services
- Phone booths
- Bookable meeting rooms
- Coffee and tea are often complimentary, as they are in our Launch coworking spaces.
- On-site gyms and/or mindfulness rooms. Our Launch offices have either an on-site fitness center, a discount to local gyms, or on-site wellness events like yoga sessions.
- Lounges that are designed to help you authentically network with other industry professionals, potential mentors, or mutually beneficial relationships for your business.
- Discounts to local restaurants or cafes.
Instead of struggling in a place that’s not designed for work, one of the big benefits of a coworking space is the fact that it’s set up to optimize your work experience and provide you with everything you need to run your business.
Coworking Benefit #3: Enhanced Productivity and Efficiency
Coworking spaces can supercharge your productivity and efficiency throughout the day. One survey shows that almost half of the people working out of a coworking space rate their productivity as excellent due to the focused environment.
Other members at your coworking space are also a key element in your productivity.
What do we mean by that?
A Stanford study found that working around others fuels instrinc—or a deeper, inner—motivation. And it makes you 50% more effective at completing tasks.
So, by being in this shared yet focused environment, you can gain inspiration from others at work and increase your focus.
By investing in a coworking space that puts you near other professionals, you can help yourself achieve your goals through the power of a supportive community.
Coworking Benefit #4: Flexible Memberships
Coworking spaces offer flexible, all-inclusive memberships. You can choose the option that fits you right now and upgrade or downgrade anytime your work needs change.
This flexibility is a hallmark benefit of coworking spaces and accommodates a variety of professional needs:
- If you’re a remote professional or solopreneur, month-to-month memberships allow you to easily upgrade or downgrade your membership should your needs change.
- Suppose you’re a small business owner or a solopreneur planning to hire staff. In that case, having various options—coworking, dedicated desks, private offices, team suites— allows you to upscale or downscale your space so it’s the right size for your business.
- If you own a remote or satellite enterprise, bookable on-demand meeting rooms allow teams to come together in person for important collaboration.
- Day passes offer the ultimate flexibility for professionals who just need a temporary workspace.
- Access to any Launch Workplace allows you to travel and work with ease.
Coworking Benefit #5: Comfortable and Aesthetic Design
The layout and design of your workspace affect productivity, motivation, and overall enjoyment. In addition to maximizing design for productivity, coworking spaces like Launch prioritize comfort and aesthetics so you can enjoy working.
Many of our Launch Workplaces locations have amazing features like floor-to-ceiling windows with tons of natural light, contemporary modern design with pops of color, city views, and state-of-the-art facilities. They’re beautiful spaces that make you truly excited to come in and get to work for the day.
Coworking Benefit #6: Improved Work-Life Balance
Many working professionals identify work-life balance as a priority, and helping you maintain this balance is a key benefit of coworking spaces.
Why?
One way to help achieve this balance is to create a physical separation between your workspace and your personal life.
When you work from home, you can’t leave your work at the office, and this can make it feel like it’s never really off.
With a coworking space, you can ensure that you or your team have dedicated spaces for both work and personal time as well as physical separation between the two.
Coworking spaces also provide you with opportunities to socialize, spaces to take a much-needed break, and a focused environment—all increasing the enjoyment in your workday and, therefore, promoting that work-life balance.
Coworking Benefit #7: Lower Costs
Whether you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, coworking spaces are budget-friendly alternatives to traditional office spaces.
Coworking spaces save you money in a number of ways, including:
- Offering all-inclusive memberships where the costs of your essential amenities and services are shared between multiple tenants, offering economies of scale
- Sparing you the costs of setting up and maintaining your office space
- Providing you with the ability to scale in place if your business grows or contracts without the costs, fees, and hassle of breaking a traditional office lease
Coworking Benefit #8: Accountability Support
Working independently as a solopreneur, freelancer, remote worker, or business owner requires a lot of internal motivation. When motivation is low, having some accountability support can help you stay on track through the workday.
Coworking spaces can be a great way to introduce accountability. Simply working side-by-side with other motivated professionals can motivate you to get things done and offer a much-needed sense of accountability.
Coworking Benefit #9: Networking Opportunities
Small business owners and entrepreneurs are particularly drawn to coworking spaces because of the many networking opportunities they offer.
Coworking spaces like Launch are dedicated to helping your professional network grow. That’s why we offer regular networking events and professional development seminars.
Our staff also regularly makes introductions to help you build genuine, mutually beneficial professional connections.
Traditional office spaces do not offer community-building events, which can be a major con for many small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Coworking Benefit #10: Stronger Sense of Community and Connection
While some are excited about professional networking, others are simply looking for professional connections that help build their sense of community.
Working independently can be isolating, but belonging to a coworking space means you’re part of a community.
Whether you actively seek out connections or just enjoy being in the same space as other people, you’ll feel a stronger sense of community, where everyone is rooting for you to succeed.
Coworking Benefit #11: More Creativity
Staring at the same four walls of your home office is unlikely to inspire much creativity. In contrast, a vibrant, lively, and spatially diverse coworking space with lots of natural light can boost brain function and fuel those creative ideas.
The spatial diversity can prevent your brain from feeling “stale” by allowing you to switch up your work environment.
How to Choose Your Ideal Coworking Space
There are many benefits to a coworking space, but each professional or business needs to find one that suits their needs and goals. Here are some factors that can help you choose the right coworking space for you:
- Flexibility: Do you have the option to upgrade or downgrade your membership easily?
- Design and environment: Imagine your ideal workspace—what does it feel like? What kinds of spaces help you feel productive, focused, and creative? Take a tour of coworking spaces and pay attention to the design and environment to determine if it’d help you work optimally.
- Perks and amenities: What’s included in your monthly membership? Make sure it checks all the boxes you need.
- Price: What is your current budget? What options include must-have perks within that budget?
- Community: Does the coworking space offer events and other opportunities to connect? Consider how the coworking space is set up to encourage community and connection.
Choosing the right coworking space can help you boost productivity, scale your business, and find community.
If you’re looking for a professional and inspiring environment to reap these benefits, you’ll find it at Launch. Book a tour of your local Launch Workplace today and see what we’re all about.