How can coworking improve productivity?
Coworking spaces in general are becoming an increasingly popular place of work post-pandemic, especially amongst the younger generations. One reason for this is that they provide the specific environment required to maximise productivity . Productivity is especially important for businesses as essentially is how efficiently employees work. So, how does coworking improve productivity?
Firstly, let’s get into why productivity is so important. Simply put, a business will achieve more in the same amount of time if its employees are productive. Sometimes working shorter hours, rather than the old-fashioned attitude of working longer hours, allows you to get more done even though less hours have been worked. If you are a business owner, productivity is the name of the game. It allows you to accomplish more using existing resources at your disposal, rather than having to acquire new ones.
In this article we will show you why a coworking space is a perfect way to start to improve your business’ productivity, especially compared to working from home.
Working from home leads to poor productivity
During and after the pandemic, many of us got used to remote working from home. At first, many appreciated the convenience of a non-existent commute, but as time went on, problems started to arise. Most notably, this was a general decrease in work quality and productivity – this may have been down to a variety of reasons.
Firstly, those living with family would have been in their presence all day, and as such distractions could easily arise. Second, since home has always been a relaxing space, those working from home are surrounded by lots of home recreational activities, such as the television, gaming consoles and the like. Third, communication is much less efficient with colleagues; instead of asking someone in person and getting an instant reply, you have to arrange a call or wait for them to reply to your message. Fourth, there is no mental separation between places for home and work, and as a result – since you mentally associate your home with relaxation – this attitude spills over into your work.
A study from workanywhere.org showed a great increase in the number of respondents who said they work from home in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic (up to 67.6% from only 24.5%). The same study also showed a clear correlation between working from home and increased loneliness. Loneliness is not only a major mental health issue but can itself negatively impact productivity.
Why coworking spaces are the solution to low productivity
Now to answer the original question – how can coworking improve productivity? Put simply, coworking spaces solve many of the problems concerning poor productivity that arise from working at home. You aren’t surrounded by the people you live with, there’s that physical separation from work, and you are able to communicate in person like in a traditional office. However, unlike traditional office spaces, coworking provides some other benefits.
Coworking takes a modern approach to work life. In our shared spaces, there is a large variety of businesses working in proximity to one another. It’s the perfect environment to approach other business professionals and have conversations. A great deal of coworking members in general report an increase in the size of their networks as a result of the environment in which they work.
On top of this, our coworking spaces in London at Venture X offer many dedicated events for networking, which further increases the number of opportunities to gain clients. In fact, according to a survey by business.com, one in two coworking members reported an increase in their income after joining… pretty good, right?
There’s more?
Our Venture X offices also incorporate other features which help the productivity of our members. For example, our modern, aesthetically pleasing workplaces incorporate lots of natural light and plant life, as the physical work environment has been shown to affect worker morale and therefore productivity. Our White City location boasts large outdoor terraces, whilst our Chiswick Park location is surrounded by greenery, outdoor seating areas and even a lake.
Furthermore, there is a less rigid workstyle associated with coworking spaces compared to the strict 9-5 nature found in traditional office spaces. Different people are productive at different times, and the flexibility found at coworking offices allows for people to work in a way that suits them best. This even includes the ability to customise where you work, such as hotdesking amongst other members or having your own private space within the building. The ability to personalise how you work allows you to work closer to your full abilities.
As a result, it’s no surprise that in the same study by workanywhere.org, coworking offices are voted as by far the most fulfilling place of work out of all the ‘third spaces’. Third spaces themselves rank as the most socially fulfilling compared to working from home or at a traditional office. So, coworking really is the best thing you can do, both for happiness and the productivity of your business.
If you would like to take the step to making this a reality, have a look at more specific things Venture X can offer you…