From small business startups to remote workers to entrepreneurs, companies across the globe are starting to discover the many benefits of coworking spaces. Here are our top 5:
- Coworking spaces provide secure access to reliable, advanced technology.
Whatever it is that you need to make your work flow better, a coworking space has it (and most likely, an advanced version of it). Whether you’re worried about a spotty Zoom connection disrupting your new product webinar or you need to securely upload a confidential document to send instantly across the globe, a major benefit of joining a coworking space is reliable access to all the technology you need, directly at your fingertips.
No more fighting for bandwidth with the kids when they’re gaming all day at home for the summer or investing hundreds of dollars a month to upgrade your home office just to do the basics of your job. When you work from a space that comes pre-equipped for all of your tech needs, you save both time and money. Plus, you get the priceless assurance that your confidential information will remain secure.
At the minimum, most coworking spaces should offer:
● Fast, reliable, secure internet - both wired and wireless
● Presentation equipment
● Professional printers
● Scanners
● Secure Paper shredding
● Telephones
- Coworking spaces increase your productivity and encourage collaboration.
Work from home doesn't have to mean actually working from home - it can be a chance to escape to the type of environment that allows you to truly thrive. While some enjoy the ability to throw in a load of laundry, mow the front lawn, or catch up on their favorite television shows during a lunch break, others find the option to step away from the desk to take care of “one more little thing” a little too distracting.
When you need to break free from the daily distractions of working at home, a dedicated desk or other coworking space can keep you focused on the task at hand, provide a quiet spot for an important phone call, or furnish a comfortable conference room for brainstorming sessions with your colleagues.
A pre-pandemic study published in the Journal of Facilities Management investigated the effects of coworking spaces on individual output. Researchers discovered that the ability to socialize (between both members of a single team as well as with the other members of the coworking space) was a contributing factor to individual productivity.
Coworking spaces allow you to break out of your comfort zone -resulting in increased creativity and innovation both within-team and through networking and collaboration with other coworking members. Find clients, customers, potential hiring candidates, freelancers, startups, and other associates within a walk down the hall or over a steaming cup of fresh coffee in the kitchen.
- Coworking spaces benefit your work life balance
You’ve probably heard that to get a better night’s rest, you should only use your bedroom for sleeping. Doing other things from your bed, such as working, reading, and watching tv can encourage your mind to associate your bed with stimulation instead of rest.
The same thing is true for your workspace, and coworking spaces can benefit in a big way.
Despite the convenience and cost savings of working from home, working in the same space that you live can actually deteriorate your work-life balance.
Work-life balance is fast becoming a bigger priority in the current job market. In fact, the 2021 edition of the Global Workplace Report noted that a healthy work life balance was one of the most sought after benefits reported by job searchers. It's no wonder, since recent studies have found that a poor work-life balance leads to fatigue, burnout, decreased productivity, insomnia, and poor mental and physical health. In fact, a recent study concluded that in older age, participants who had a poor work-life balance scored lower for “physical functioning, vitality, and general health” than those who had the benefit of a healthy work-life balance.
When your work starts to pile up in the home office, it's easy to find yourself slipping away from the dinner table to finish up that last minute project that “only needs 20 more minutes”, eating up hundreds of hours of your personal time on evenings and weekends.
At a coworking space you can find your flow to get more things done - leaving you to set healthy boundaries and take back control of your personal time.
- Flexible spaces offer flexible solutions that save you money.
Flexibility is a key benefit of coworking spaces, as it allows you to pay for exactly what you need. Consider the process of a traditional office lease, which includes:
● Taking the time and energy to scout appropriate locations
● Proving to the landlord you’ll be financially solvent so that they invest in making the necessary renovations your business needs
● Signing a long-term lease that leaves you stuck in the same location, even if your business model changes
● Designing the initial space and leasing, renting, and/or buying office furniture and basic equipment (plus amenities)
● Spending time stocking and sourcing provisions, supplies, janitorial services, etc
● Paying personal property tax and other “hidden fees” you never anticipated
…in addition to all of the other daily expenses associated with running an office.
A coworking space can shift with your needs, growing as your business grows and allowing you to easily downsize (or shift locations) when needed. Place a project team temporarily near one of your target markets, create satellite offices for new employees as you expand, or establish a “home base” when you travel to the opposite coast - the opportunities are endless.
All of this without the worry of unplanned expenses and other “duties” that tend to materialize when you’re managing your own office space. A huge benefit of coworking spaces is that they take care of all of the non-business tasks for you, leaving your organization to focus on what matters most.
- Coworking spaces help show how you value your company and its staff.
If you want to show a professional side of yourself to a client or colleague, a coworking space is a much more professional environment to invite somebody into.
And because switching costs between coworking spaces is low due to the lack of long-term lease requirements and the availability of many different service providers, members can choose a space that reflects their identity and the identity they want to cultivate for their business.
It's not just about impressing potential clients, though.
When organizations take the time to choose a coworking space that aligns with the image they want to project — about their employees and about their business — workers will experience higher levels of thriving and identify even more strongly with their purpose and values.
Staff with company-subsidized coworking memberships feel that their employers take their needs seriously — regardless of where they are located. As a result, these workers recognize that their employers value them as much as the non-remote workers at their companies.
Plus, most coworking spaces offer your staff (or yourself!) top notch amenities that you wouldn’t otherwise have access to in a traditional office, like 24/7 access, state of the art gym equipment, showers, free parking, secure bike lockups and more.
The bottom line - coworking spaces give members a sense of professionalism and credibility that traditional remote working does not.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking to level-up, CoLab offers an unparalleled coworking space and a variety of flexible coworking memberships and benefits in the Portland, OR area, including:
Secure Plug and Play Model - secure wifi and hardwired connections available throughout the facility and in each office allow you to walk in, sit down, and get started with everything you need to manage your business. Firewall security provided through Fortinet, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions.
Technology Guaranteed Not to Fail - two separate 10 Gb/sec fiber lines and a backup generator provide 100% redundancy so that you can never lose your connectivity, plus WiFi access points fed by dual one-gigabit lines that allow for unbelievably fast, uninterrupted access for all members - limited only by the power of your device
State of the Art Facility with Treetop Canopy Views
Colab offers a professional, secure printing center, conference rooms to meet your every need, 2 kitchens stocked with water, coffee,
Kombucha, and beer, free parking and secure bike storage, Precor workout equipment and men’s and women’s locker rooms, easy access from the highway, and so much more.
Schedule a visit to see CoLab in person or take a virtual tour to learn the benefits of our coworking space