Five Essential Factors Entrepreneurs Should Look For In A Co-Working Space If you are an extrovert who likes to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, and gather motivation from them while working in a busy environment, here's what you need to look for in your next co-working space.
By May Rostom
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With the rise of freelancers, location-independent professionals, and burgeoning startup communities, entrepreneurs around the world are looking for plug-and-play setups that don't require huge upfront investments and endless admin hassles- and that's why we have co-working spaces. If you are an extrovert who likes to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, and gather motivation from them while working in a busy environment, here's what you need to look for in your next co-working space:
1. ERGONOMICS Often overlooked, ergonomic office setup is essential to amp your productivity. Being seated comfortably with an ergonomic mouse in hand will help you push through eight-hour work shifts, easily. For some added oomph, make sure you look for a space that offers standing desks too.
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE Nothing kills the mood at work more than an unstable internet connection, or a printer that is always out of ink. Maintenance emergencies often lead to frustrations, and that can easily ruin your psyche, which will in turn reflecting on your work. If you're paying for a co-working space, make sure you're getting the service you deserve.
3. STYLE Match your co-working space to your style. Don't go to a dressy office in your Converse. Office culture can often be picked up as soon as you walk into the door, so if a place feels too preppy for your style, it'll probably end up making you isolated or socially frustrated. Pick a place that speaks to you on a personal and professional level.
4. NETWORKING One of the major advantages of co-working spaces is the diverse networking opportunities they offer. Being surrounded by people from all walks of life, who share similar interests or work ethics, increases the chances of business development, collaborations, and professional opportunities. While working spaces offer great networking opportunities, just make sure you're not the dreaded officemate who interrupts their colleague while they're trying to compile an important report.
5. PRIVATE MEETING AND EVENT SPACES A highly-desired feature in any workspace is private rooms for events, meetings, and social networking meetups. While this feature might seem like a luxury to most, a private meeting and event space is crucial for co-working members to hold panel discussions, networking events, conferences and more. Added benefits to look out for would include private phone booths, closed-out rooms, and audio-conferencing solutions to host either company-wide or one-on-one private meetings.
Related: A New Way To Work: Designing Spaces That Better Support Leaders
