Co-working: New-age Concept of Networking

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The term ‘co-working’ was coined by Brad Neuberg when he started the space sharing movement in San Francisco in 2005. His vision was to combine the independence of working with the structural community of an office space and he wanted the term to reflect the feel of the workspace. Hence, the verbal twist ‘coworking’ with no hyphen was invented.

Everything around us is changing and the place where we spend the better part of the day is no exception.

Multinational giants like Google and Facebook were the first to realise the importance of open spaces and its correlation to productivity. They took the plunge and eliminated their status–based, single workstation areas by embracing open work spaces to encourage the flow of ideas and creativity.

The bet paid off and it is now a well-known fact that these unique work environments are actually creating greater productivity.

Following the trend, coworking spaces are replicating the same for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and work-at-home employees. For the uninitiated, coworking is an open, communicative and no-barrier office culture where you share work space with several individuals and in effect, several organisations.

Coworking Spaces Offer the Following Benefits:

  1. It is an extremely cost-effective and hassle-free proposition for many companies and individuals, saving them time, effort and money involved in finding and setting up traditional office spaces.
  2. . The open, harmonious and internally connected work area fosters a better interaction with like-minded as well as different individuals. It is an opportunity to interact with people from varying professional backgrounds, who would likely be a  useful connection and this in turn can be converted into generating leads and partnership opportunities.
  3. A non-hierarchical coworking space has a favorable influence on the decision making of employees, which is the strength of any entrepreneurial startup.
  4. Being surrounded by committed, enthusiastic workers is highly motivating. Your co-workers give you new perspectives on projects you may have never considered. These collaborations often lead to business expansions.
  5. The interactive dealings with others throughout the day is healthier for the mind and body and results in a happier you.

The Trends

The interest in coworking spaces probably stems from multiple factors, like the economic downturn breaking apart companies and the need for flexible freelancing. But the revolution rests largely on a changing workforce which demands:

Flexible Spaces

Millennial's love to achieve a work-life balance. A flexible work schedule offers people the perfect opportunity to create an optimal balance. With this, the need for fixed spaces has become obsolete. Shared spaces give you the option of choosing the kind of office you want, at a time that is convenient for you.

Value-added Benefits

Human nature is addicted to fun. Even at work. Today, the biggest challenge for organisations across the globe is to truly understand how to motivate people to enjoy their work.

Most of this understanding comes from what we ourselves find enjoyable about our jobs. Openness, transparency, freedom of expression, friendlier low-stress environments — all make fun work spaces for employees.

The world over, companies are experiencing better autonomy, increased efficiency and therefore increased turnover with opting for coworking spaces that prod people to think out of the box; better still, stop seeing the box at all.

The coworking industry is growing everyday as more and more people strike out on their own to freelance or open their own businesses. As talented individuals choose to be freelancers, multinationals are willing to bear the cost of the shared office space for them, thereby dispelling the myth that co-working is only beneficial for start-ups and small teams.

Interested in setting up your own micro coworking space. AirRentalz allows you to list your home, place or space for rent for coworking short term office space.

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