With the rise of freelancers, the need for working spaces appropriate for them has also increased. As much as some of them may work from home, others might want to hold meetings with their clients in formal settings. Thus the development of coworking spaces.
What are coworking spaces? These are essentially shared workspaces where those who use them are typically not under the same employer. They offer affordable office space for those looking to escape the isolation of a home office or coffee shop. These shared workspaces offer amenities such as hot-desks, private meeting rooms, kitchenettes, coffee and more.
They are great for freelancers, startups since they offer formal settings for a fraction of the cost. When renting a coworking space you only pay for what you need, for instance a desk and a chair. There are options for daily fees or monthly fees. Membership costs also differ based on whether you use a shared desk or want a dedicated one.
Such working spaces allow for innovation by allowing different people with unique skills and talents to connect and collaborate, due to the culture of flexibility. The collaborations are organic since they are not dictated by necessity for instance in an office project, where people work together because they have to.
As great as they are, these spaces come with disadvantages. One being distractions. If you have an important project you’re focusing on while another group is loudly engaging in banter, it can be tricky to concentrate. And since it’s a shared space you really can’t tell them off.
The other is not being allowed to customize your space unlike when renting a whole office. Decor is dictated by the leasing company since the space isn’t really yours.
Working in a shared space might put you in proximity to your competitors. This puts you at risk of them overhearing your ideas, or seeing what project you’re working on as they pass by your desk. You’re never fully at ease.
