Coworking literally means working with people. Like democracy, the mantra of coworking is of the people, for the people , by the people. People here refer to the community that exists in a particular coworking space. Coworking is technically sharing our space of work with people from different professions, freelancers or entrepreneurs. It is generally member-based, meaning that they emphasize on collaboration and sharing ideas, knowledge and space. It is a better alternative than working from home or working at a café. This is because it lacks discipline that can dwindle the productivity of the individual.
Initially meant for only freelancers and entrepreneurs, now coworking is common among a broader range of professions and most popular among millennials. This is because it is generally seen that people thrive in shared workspaces and their productivity levels are much higher than when compared to traditional offices. Many researches have proved that coworking environments are more conducive and have a positive effect on the work output and capacity of the employee. There are many reasons as to why this happens. But mostly it can be attributed to community and member benefits that a plug and play office supplements one with. They are outlined as follows:
- Healthy competition:- In a traditional office, many people are assigned a single task and they are all aimed at performing the best. This builds competition between the employees or a group of employees. This can sometimes lead to hostility and jealousy towards the competitors and therefore divert the employees from the organizational goals. a lot of competition is related to stress and an unlikeliness towards work, thereby reducing productivity. In a shared office space competition is more or less absent or Is deliberately introduced to motivate individuals to perform better. Moreover, the rewards associated with this competition are intangible rewards. In a coworking space in Mumbai the individuals remain aloof from the melodrama of being chained to a desk and meeting the same people everyday.
- Strong sense of community:- The interaction between the members of the coworking space is based on their personal interests and experiences. When people interact out of their professional realms, they tend to bond on a personal level rather than when they have a professional conversation in a formal meeting. Coworking spaces have cafes or restaurants or a special room or place for interaction among its members. This leads to a strong sense of identity among the community and a sense of belongingness and cooperation. This is a community benefit that exists only in a coworking space.
- Platform of showcasing skills:- It is generally seen that people in a profession have various hobbies that have nothing to do with their job. For example, an IT employee is interested in gardening but he can’t do gardening in a conventional office. But in a coworking space you get to do what you love. This gives an outlet for your skills, boosting your self confidence and competence.
- Practising new skills:- When people mingle with others they learn and accumulate their habits and hobbies. This paves way for them to learn many life and soft skills leading to personality development.
- Lack of boredom and monotony:- The same desk, same people, same routine and same tasks creates monotony in work. The flexibility and autonomy that coworking provides curtails boredom thereby boosting productivity of individuals.
- Professional contacts and business networking:- Some associations made during early phase in one’s career are very helpful later on. The more one’s reach is in their respective profession, the more chances they have of progressing at a faster rate than their counterparts.
- Learning and growing together:- Coworking spaces organise personality development programmes and competitions and other co curricular activities to ensure that the members keep on growing and discover their talents. This also builds Feeling of togetherness and cooperation through membership based activities
- Celebration of events and festivals:- Be it friendship day or world suicide prevention day, be it women’s day or the celebration of new year, plug and play offices make sure they celebrate festivals and events to share joy and happiness among the employees.
- Gaming and outdoor activities:- Occasionally, the members of the coworking community are taken out for an outing. This rejuvenises them and draws them closer. This form of recreation is necessary to bring out the feeling of ‘we’ rather than ‘me’.
All in all, the managers of the coworking space take care that they create a work environment more conducive for a person to work in. They take the feedback and insights of their members to improve on how they can provide greater flexibility and extend more support to their tenants. IKeva only aims at providing the best working experience alongside an optimal atmosphere of sharing, interaction and togetherness. Visit iKeva now to access to the best coworking benefits for you and your organisation.
