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Simple Ways of Implementing Co-working
The corporate buzzword of the moment, you’ve probably heard the phrase “co-working” discussed over the water cooler or during your latest business meeting. Larger corporations have gradually started to take notice of co-working and the many advantages it offers. There are plenty of lessons to be learnt here, for large and small business alike.
So, what is co-working? Basically, it’s the shared use of a working space by self-employed individuals, freelancers or any lone business person without their own permanent office space.
The establishment of collective spaces for working, exchanging ideas and collaborating is a concept already used to great success by the creative industries. And although corporate and commercial industries are a little behind on the trend, they’re starting to see the benefits of this convenient working arrangement.
People who partake in co-working supposedly view their jobs as more meaningful. They feel more confident and less competitive, leading to a happier and more productive workforce.
All in all, co-working is a fairly simple concept based on openness, collaboration and community. Feel the benefits yourself by following our simple guide to incorporating its key principles into your office.
Establishing a Collective Space
Key to the whole idea of co-working is a shared space, this is something you can build into your current work environment with relatively little difficulty. Often a little reshuffling of your office layout is all that’s needed to set aside a specific space for co-working.
Of course, this is much easier said than done for most of us, with space running low and at a premium. So why not add value to your property alongside creating extra floor space that can be dedicated solely to co-working? Mezzanine floor levels are an easy way to do this, and you can hire experts to take care of all the planning permission and building work necessary.
Setting the Tone
The main reason co-working is so established in creative industries is that it both inspires and thrives upon creativity. It works by giving its users a space they can develop a familiarity with and grow to feel comfortable in.
Avoid cluttering your company’s co-working space with overly clinical office furnishing. Encourage staff to make the space their own so that they feel comfortable enough to work there.
You don’t want it to become just another more relaxed meeting room, but somewhere for employees to escape the monotony of a lonely computer desk, engaging with each other and their work. Consider implementing more of a flexi-time approach to working in this space, allowing your staff to choose when, and how often or little they use it.
Do you pride yourself on providing a safe and happy workplace? Then leave a comment below and share your successes with us.
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