There is no denying the fact that coworking spaces can bring about a number of financial as well as practical benefits for your business and team. However, one of the most important benefits of running your business from a coworking space is the development of a stronger sense of work identity and healthier work culture amongst employees. For freelancers and small business owners, working from a coworking space can lead to a great sense of pride and professionalism.
Coworking And Shaping Your Work Identity
If you’re like most people, early on in your work life you would have adopted a “work persona” – a version of yourself that comes alive in the office or your work space. It’s not unusual for people to say “I’m like that at work, not at home” or act slightly differently around their work friends to their family or other friendship groups.
Your work persona can be based on your ability to adapt to the other personalities you work with and the workplace environment itself. There are layers of emotional, psychological and egotistical factors that are displayed; a person may be the Alpha at home, and quite submissive at work, or vice versa.
How you identify yourself at your workplace in the ‘chain of command’ also comes into play. And you could find your work persona changes when you move roles or companies.
So how then, does a coworking space help to shape your identity?
Shared workplaces or coworking spaces are a bustling combination of diverse businesses, each with workers possessing their own personalities and work styles. From small businesses to independent entrepreneurs, to even large-scale enterprises, coworking spaces are gaining impetus amongst workplaces of all complexities and diversifications.
Interestingly, one of the most important benefits of using coworking spaces for employees is the development of a stronger sense of identity amongst employees. This is typically seen with groups of coworkers from the same organisation, however it can also be seen with freelancers or soloworkers feeling more professional and productive whilst working from a coworking space.
Importance of Coworking Spaces in Affecting Professional Identities of Employees
Since the concept of coworking first came into existence over 14,000 such spaces have sprung up across the globe. Whilst initially coworking spaces provided solo and independent workers with ample support and resources that were not available at their home office, or other nomadic locations, the coworking industry is evolving.
Modern coworking spaces are now supporting thriving large-scale businesses with remote teams and medium businesses with teams that are growing together in the coworking space.
And there is a great reason for this; using the ample amenities and flexible structure of a coworking space can save expanding and larger businesses money and time.
Another benefit for larger teams working from coworking spaces is that it’s better for their employees.
- Different Coworking Spaces Have Different Vibes
Most coworking spaces offer similar services or amenities – flexible and dedicated hot desks, day passes, Wi-Fi access, printing services, private offices, and so more. However, there are great variations in the spaces themselves and the feelings of those spaces. And it comes down to planning. Coworking spaces tend to differentiate in the location, overall atmosphere and general vibe in the space (as well as the amount of amenities). At JAGA we spare no expense when it comes to our environment and amenities because we know how important it is for our workers! It is a crucial aspect in affirming your employees are happy at work: selecting the right space for the work.
- Workers Will Approach The Space Differently But Still Want To Feel Connected
A person working from a coworking space needs an environment that allows for the work to get done! They want to be productive. There’s a reason they’re choosing to work from a coworking space. Whether they need a space for one day a week or 5 days a week they still want to feel aligned with their coworking space. The space will become an extension of themselves and their identity. So the ‘small’ things that some coworking spaces overlook like the kitchen spaces, the break out spaces and nooks for creative thinking and meeting space, the attention and attitude of the team that runs the coworking space, the cleanliness and overall feel of the space – all these things matter.
- Offering More Credibility to Smaller Businesses and Independent Workers
Coworking spaces can help in providing a sense of credibility and professionalism that most smaller businesses and remote workers (including freelancers) might otherwise lack. At JAGA we also offer the ability to use our address as your professional address, a mail service and phone answering service, which can help a small business appear more professional as they grow into their next stage. The available spaces for meetings and presentations also delivers a great impression to present yourself at a dedicated space to the potential clients.
- Attract Younger, More Dynamic Workers
Changing up your business’s location from a more traditional office space to a more interesting, dynamic coworking space could see you attract a younger, more engaged workforce that value the space in which they work. The younger workforce wants flexibility, the ability to connect with peers, and connect with people outside of their organisation that could present collaboration opportunities.
- Extend Your Brand’s Identity
Eventually, coworking is all about finding the right working space for your team, a space that is an extension of your brand. Can you run a groovy, millennial aligned skincare company from a desk in your bedroom? Probably, but would it work so much better (and probably grow a lot faster) from a coworking space where your team can talk face-to-face to each other, host meetings in the meeting room, create digital assets on the fly and connect with other coworkers that could bring ideas to the table. Businesses based at a dedicated coworking space helps organisations appear more future-focused and energetic.
- Improve Your Team’s Work Culture
Nowadays, most organisations invest significantly in developing a specific work culture while improving creativity amongst the employees. However, how will it function at a coworking space that features multiple organisations and employees with diverse work cultures and identities?
Your team’s work culture can take a start from the culture cultivated at the coworking space. For example; community, collaboration, respect and flexibility are paramount values for our JAGA members.
Typically, employees are known to identify themselves with the organisation they work for, rather than with a coworking space. However, coworking environments are starting to play a vital role in determining the professional identity of an individual. Eventually, it is all about finding a space whose values will align with your work ethics and culture. For freelancers, it is about looking for a space that will help them in developing an identity for the growing business.
Yes – a coworking space provides a physical space for your team to work. However, it also turns out to be helpful in nurturing a sense of belonging, identity, productivity and happiness amongst workers. And that’s what you want. Moreover, choosing a coworking space that reflects your brand identity, helps a team to feel aligned and happy with their coworking space. We urge you to connect with our team at JAGA today, come in and see how we do coworking differently.
