The advent of coworking spaces has changed the way a lot of people work, but is it for the better? Let’s explore the pros and cons of coworking and discover a bit of the psychology behind working among others.
Pros of Coworking
The way we get work done is unique to each and every one of us. One person may thrive in a quiet, isolated environment, and another may find that to be the least comfortable way to work. Coworking spaces are certainly not isolated environments, and that can be difficult for some folks to wrap their heads around. But in reality, most coworking spaces are not too different from a traditional cubicle-based work environment. That’s not to say they feel like stuffy old offices. On the contrary, most coworking spaces are much more dynamic places to get work done, and that really reflects well on productivity in many studies. Many people find that the social, open nature of a coworking space breeds collaboration and healthy competition, driving people to get more done and think outside of the box.
Among the benefits of coworking spaces is the reclaiming of your personal space. Having a dedicated place to work outside of your home or apartment can provide you with a better feeling of structure and separate work from home life, even if you still work remotely. Plenty of people can set up a home office and still be productive and enjoy the flexibility of working at home, but it’s not for everyone. If you find that working at home is too distracting, negatively impacts your productivity, or actually makes you work more than you should, blurring the line between work and home, you may benefit from getting out of the house. Having an office to go to can establish a work routine that you may have enjoyed in the past. Since thousands of jobs went remote after the pandemic and never returned to the office, many folks have found that they miss the collaborative environment of a traditional office. A coworking space can provide that for you if it’s something you’re missing, and you may find that working outside of the home improves your time at work (and away from it).
Coworking is also an excellent solution for startups and small business owners who need to have all their people in the same place but can’t afford to rent an office. This can be a great temporary solution to give you a shared location to collaborate while your business establishes itself. And if you are at a Nashville coworking space like Center 615, you can always shift to private office space on the same campus when you do decide to grow.
Cons of Coworking
Since we’ve highlighted the many benefits of coworking, it’s only fair to consider some of the primary concerns people have about it. What are the disadvantages of coworking spaces that we often hear?
One issue some folks have with coworking is background noise. While most people are respectful of others’ comfort in a coworking environment, even the quiet din of a bustling coworking space can make taking calls challenging. For other people, general noise can be distracting enough to hamper their productivity. If you are sensitive to noise, there are usually quieter locations and nooks you can get into, or you can use headphones to drown out any sound that could distract. There are ways around this issue, including a solution you’ll find at Center 615. We’re well aware that taking private calls is a part of business for many of our clients, and we’ve created phone booths specifically designed to cut out the noise and allow you to take a video or audio call without distraction (and without distracting others).
Distraction from work when you may need a break is not always negative, but the overall environment of a coworking space certainly can be difficult for some to adjust to. This is especially true if you’re a social person. Coworking spaces are great at building community and fostering friendships, both in business and otherwise. For some people, though, it may be that you’re too interested in socializing. We’re not telling anyone how to work, but some social butterflies have definitely opined that they found themselves sidetracked by a great conversation. If this is happening regularly throughout the day, you can see how this could become a problem and harm your productivity.
Coworking is an excellent way to make friends and business connections, but it does add some difficulty to your routine if you’re not used to a commute. While Center 615 is very accessible via public and private transportation, we understand that some may have difficulty getting to a central location, especially if you’ve worked at home for years. Building up a routine around a commute can be a shock to people returning to work or new to it, but we do try to make it as painless as possible. There’s no way to avoid paying money to travel to work, whether it’s a bus fare or gas money. If you’re especially budget-conscious, this can be a big downside to setting up in a coworking space. The campus has free on-site parking and accessibility standards that make getting here and getting around easy for everyone.
Coworking Spaces: The Bottom Line
There are a lot of benefits to coworking, and we believe they far outweigh the few downsides to it. Ultimately, there are some situations that can make coworking impossible for people, especially those who are looking to save money on commuting and renting space. At the end of the day, a coworking space is a highly productive environment for people from any and all business segments. The collaborative, social nature of coworking can give you unique boosts to productivity and business growth, and many of the disadvantages to coworking are more growing pains than permanent issues.
C615 has options. If you’re not sure whether coworking is right for you, you can always try it out with a day pass. Come find out for yourself whether a coworking space is distracting or empowering, and book a tour today at Center 615.
