Coworking spaces have become increasingly popular in the last number of years and have changed the dynamic when it comes to office solutions. Fluid space has replaced sterile offices where professionals are separated by either partitions or a single room. In past incarnations, your co-workers belonged to the same organisation, and while they might have performed different tasks, you all had a common supervisor. However, with a coworking solution, your co-workers are now professionals from diverse industries.
In a common setup, professionals lease shared coworking spaces in some of the more exclusive parts of Australia. Businesses can avail of offices in some of the more prestigious locations in the country’s premier business districts. The obvious benefit to this office style, though, is that it drastically reduces monthly overhead for entrepreneurs.
Continue reading below to learn more about the way in which a premium coworking space can benefit your business.
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The Setup
Coworking has been at the helm of changing how professionals network with one another because the office organisational style forces them to engage each other. The style places professionals from diverse industries in the same space. Typically, an office will have shared space where no one has a permanent place to work, and dedicated spaces (permanent desks) that can be leased at a higher rate.
Networking
The hot desks that make up the shared space are a source of much of the informal networking. In addition to everyday interactions, many of the more popular coworking spaces hold events that encourage and promote entrepreneurship. You might see professionals from any number of industries being invited to be keynote speakers on any number of topics.
Coworking has changed the way Australians network because proximity primes the opportunity for access to information, as your coworking neighbors become sources for referrals. Even more importantly, these networking opportunities not only open doors to finding mentors in your industry, but also open doors to collaborations with other professionals. Whether chatting at your hot desk or talking over coffee in the morning, you have more chances of networking while at work because of the numerous points of contact.
Collaboration
Like networking, collaboration is a large part of the coworking scene. Because of the diverse industries that occupy these spaces, you might find yourself partnering with people to achieve your business goals. These collaborations have allowed professionals to partner in a way that is fluid enough to allow the flexibility in creating lucrative business opportunities without being bound to traditional agreements.
Business Atmosphere
Coworking has changed the atmosphere more than in any other facet of business. More than the coffee house style of some of setups or the cosy spaces that comprise the more trendy spots, coworking has brought a new warmth to the office that almost promotes cooperation instead of competition. Not only is coworking a kinder alternative to the traditional business office, it also is attractive to start-ups and the self-employed because it’s an inexpensive option to conventional leasing.
Coworking gives you the chance to develop your business in a cocoon that nurtures the professional and his/her business concept. Furthermore, entrepreneurs have formal opportunities to participate in incubator programs that show them how to grow their business and the atmosphere encourages entrepreneurial pursuit at all stages.
The Catalyst of an Evolving Landscape
While coworking has existed for a while, its popularity is the result of an overall paradigm shift in business. With many more people looking to get their business idea off the ground, coworking is the most likely choice in reasonable office space. More than just comfortable office space, though, this style has transformed itself from a simple way to work into a business culture.
