Have you ever worked in a co-working space for any length of time? These spaces are ‘love them or hate them’ kind of places.
Some people find them very useful and productive, as well as being the ideal place for networking. Other people find them far too distracting and awkward to work in.
There’s no denying that co-working spaces present a few challenges to the first time user, but they are also very useful spots for a variety of different business functions. If you’re a remote worker, you will find co-working spaces to be a great area for meeting other likeminded people, as well as offering you the chance to network and perhaps find new business opportunities.
Aside from anything else, if you are short on office furniture, perhaps because you’re working at home or you’re working on the go,
co-working spaces will cater to your needs, with a wealth of office desks for you to utilise, as well as computers, printing facilities, conference tables, and a place to sit and concentrate for a few hours.
Let’s explore the main challenges that co-working spaces present, and look at how you can overcome them, paving the way towards productivity.
Challenge #1 – Noise And Distractions
Not every co-working space will have office screens and acoustic solutions in place, or even collaborative zones. This means that the entire space may be a little noisy to some degree. Many spaces have quiet areas, and finding a co-working space with this type of arrangement is best if you really want to get your head down and concentrate on the task at hand. If however you want to collaborate and network, finding a space which has areas for networking and brainstorming is a good option too.
You may also find yourself at the mercy of the ultimate networker; we’ve all met him or her. He or she wants to talk to everyone and see if there are co-working opportunities at hand. You might be simply be using the space for it’s office chairs and not for meeting others, but they have other ideas! In this case, simply making your intentions known is the best way forward, in a firm but friendly way!
Challenge #2 – An Unfamiliar Place
The other challenge is that you’re not used to the set up, so it could make you a little slower in your work than you would normally be. This isn’t something to worry about, as it can easily be overcome.
Most places are quite easy to get used to after ten minutes or so, and provided your laptop is organised with everything you need, and you have a plan for the day, you should find it pretty easy to navigate your way around the printing facilities and other areas you need.
If all else fails, simply ask; there will usually be a receptionist on duty or someone milling around, waiting for questions!
Challenge #3 – Unsupportive Furniture
The problem with co-working spaces is that a wealth of different people use them, and that means that chairs, desks, and other types of furniture need to be adjusted on a regular basis, to ensure that they suit the individual user on that day. This can be annoying, but all you need to do is make sure you adjust those streamlined designer office chairs when you first arrive, and you should be good to go from there. Take a few minutes to make yourself comfortable, and you will avoid aches and strains at the end of the day.
These are the three main challenges that most people find when they first use a co-working space. You might have a few different ones to add, and in that case, let us know how you overcome them!
The bottom line is that co-working spaces and shared offices are a great way to utilise facilities for remote workers, and for start ups businesses, yet to be able to afford a full office of their own, packed with the right types of business furniture.
Whilst there might be challenges to face, the plus points far outweigh the downsides in most cases.