Co-working membership can boost your career
Co-working spaces have rightly emerged as the centres of collaboration, efficiency and increased productivity. Apart from a significant cost saving for the startups/established businesses alike, coworking spaces have some intangible yet significant benefits to one's career. Improved learning and networking opportunities to better healthcare avenues have made coworking spaces the more feasible option. It is a win-win situation in terms of reduced capital investment and improved career advancement. A deeper analysis would lay bare the benefits of coworking membership in one's career.
Improved efficiency
As coworking spaces are well-designed and all packed with state-of-the-art amenities, they let you focus on the work, and not the logistics. As impressing clients at the first meeting is most crucial- sitting in a coworking space, the soothing ambience plays its part excellently. Calling your clients for a meeting at your dedicated office space solves the purpose and serve as a better alternative than coffee shops. It makes you look more professional to impress prospective clients or organise a job interview.
Coworking spaces have dedicated and well-equipped meeting spaces available for their members. When you are not stressed or relying on substandard amenities, your meetings can be more productive and potentially more profitable for the business.
Personal growth
Your career demands an ongoing upskilling approach. Upskilling in coworking spaces is a significant perk as it provides access to professional development opportunities. Most coworking spaces organise monthly and quarterly events, such as seminars, panel discussions, or workshops. A company having as low as two members will hardly invest in the skill enhancement of the team and pay a hefty amount on training. Such small businesses and startups can benefit through training programmes organised at coworking spaces. It helps discover new ways of working and brush up on the existing skills and knowledge to help drive their member's careers forward.
Networking
Continuous networking and liaisoning are at the core of business expansion and growth. Coworking spaces provide a developed ground for organic networking and team-building exercises. The activities at the coworking spaces are not only a fun way to break up a monotonous schedule for professionals, but also an opportunity to meet new people without forcing connections. By making casual acquaintances with potential customers and investors, one can build up a network of people to call on or collaborate with in the future.
A coworking environment can be an incubator for innovative ideas and applied imaginations. Both the professional career of the employees and the business will flourish if they extend their outreach beyond other members. Also, it is not very common for professionals to rub their shoulders with professionals working at giant companies unless they are in coworking spaces, which work as the melting pot for ideation. Needless to say, coworking spaces help build a better career ahead both as an entrepreneur and as an employee.
Bolsters creativity
Coworking spaces cultivate creativity and let the ideas flow without hindrance. The coworking members cater to all kinds of people from different backgrounds and doing different things. A friendly chat near the coffee machine can provide new perspectives and ideas to enhance each other's vision. Even taking benefit of the professional development opportunities available at coworking spaces and social events can refresh an individual's approach so that he doesn't get stuck in the stale routine.
Better health
Struggling with the hustle-bustle of the metropolis, it can be very challenging to scoop out time for fitness. As most of the coworking spaces are located at prime locations of cities, with easy access to fitness clubs or gyms, coworking spaces can help in improving wellness and health. Fitness oriented professionals can directly hop into the fitness clubs, post their office hours. Not to mention that a healthy body gives rise to a healthy mind and ultimately helps improve one's productivity at the workplace.
Conclusively, hitherto understood to be an alternative to the dedicated office spaces, the coworking spaces have emerged as the den of improved focus, productivity and business profits. If utilised efficiently, they can act as a strong pillar in the growth cycle of businesses, especially startups and small enterprises.
(The author is a Managing Director of Avanta Business Center)