Today’s economy has forced small business owners to be smarter with their money. Most have been forced to do more with less and have sacrificed the comforts of a private office and heavy overhead to make ends meet. Because of these adjustments, coworking has grown to be a popular option for self employed professionals and small businesses looking to pay for exactly what they need-no more and no less.
Although coworking has many benefits, people often times have a hard time understanding exactly what it is. Wikipedia defines “coworking” as a style of work which involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office, yet independent activity. This is most closely related to purchasing a membership at the local gym: you have a pass for the plan you purchased and use the facility according to your plan terms and needs. People workout side by side, but not necessarily with each other…it’s the same scenario for those in a coworking environment.
Coworking is unlike leasing a space in an executive office suit for the main reason that it offers far more flexibility. In a coworking space, you are typically able to pay for the exact amount of desk time you require. Need just a few hours a week? There is a plan for that. Looking for an open desk space to work at three times a week? There’s a plan for that, too. No need to worry about furniture, internet and phone service, reception and all of those other expensive details. In an effective coworking space, everything is ready for you to do two things: show up and plug in.
Reasons vary for why small business owners are gravitating towards this type of working environment. It isn’t just the flexibility and reduced expense, but it is also the creative synergy that is created as a result of the environment. Open floor plans are typical of coworking spaces, and the purpose is for this very reason. By getting out of the home office and into a space that is conducive to collaboration and brainstorming, professionals often find themselves more productive and performing at a higher level.
Another reason coworking is a growing trend in the small business community is because of the meeting rooms it offers, usually on an “as-needed” or hourly basis. “As a self-employed individual, I’m always trying to find a local coffee house or someplace comfortable to go over all of the documents with my clients,” says mortgage broker Adam Ruiz, “but now that I’ve joined a coworking community, I set appointments for my clients to meet me in a professional conference room. I only pay for the amount of time I use the room, and I can’t tell you how much of a benefit this has been to my business.”
It’s easy to see the benefits of coworking as it relates to budget issues, but it’s also interesting to observe the true communal relationships that are formed by those actually coworking in the same space. If you are interested in learning more about coworking in the TemeculaValley, visit www.coworkingconnection.com.