Few people realize how profoundly coworking spaces can help small businesses and freelancers not just to save money, but also to get a headstart in their industry. For a coworking space, its community and amenities define its popularity and success, both of which startups, freelancers, and small business employees need the most to stay motivated and focused on their work. If you trace the history of how coworking became a norm, you’d realize that it stemmed from the notion of a hangout where people came to brainstorm, discuss, and weigh in on business ideas. Today, it has become a hotspot for beginners and professionals from different industries and backgrounds to learn, collaborate, and network.
Today, the perception of work has evolved in terms of affordability and flexibility. Amidst the scare of fresh, ongoing, waves of new strains of the COVID-19 virus, when individuals are mostly working from the safety of their homes, the feelings of isolation and lack of motivation can be a setback. Until 2020, businesses have always counted on rented office space contracts for carrying out their everyday operation, but after the heavy blow from year-long lockdowns, it goes without saying that these contracts are not relevant to the new normal. For small businesses, it can even add to their major problems since these contracts are expensive and hard to negotiate. Shared office spaces provide you with a unique setting where you can have your office, while still keeping your expenses to the minimum, and complete freedom to scale with time.
Credits: CompareCamp
As per Coworker, the cost of coworking spaces for 2018-2021 has shown a gradual decrease worldwide, because of the growing demand by freelancers, startups, and small businesses. Similarly, there are several other situations where shared spaces come in and save the day, in terms of cost-saving and value of services for businesses big and small. Let’s break down how small businesses can make the best of such provisions:
Invest in Amenities, Not Just Rented Space
Unlike everything you’ve known before, as business owners, you shouldn’t just pay for an empty space, when you can pay for all value-added services that come with it. Commercial workspaces are institutions where you can spend carefully on modern and high-end essential solutions that facilitate your business operations. Additionally, you can choose from a variety of workspaces, with unique purposes and utilities, and weigh up your options.
Hybrid and Flexibility
Unlike rented spaces where you’re stuck within the dimensions of your workspace and limited in your options to carry out remote-working, subscribing to coworking spaces doesn’t come with any of these prerequisites. In fact, these spaces have several areas with flexible seating options so that your employees are not limited to their dedicated seats and can move around while they work, as per their preferences. The best part is the flexibility to host a digital nomad or hybrid work setting under any circumstances, within the same membership package that also extends to the virtual workspaces of many coworking space operators.
Bring Down Per-Head Costs and Standby Time
Only a startup owner or a freelancer understands how it all comes down to the last dollar saved, especially in the initial days of your business. There are a lot of additional costs involved with operating your daily business, like cleaning, carrying out equipment repairs, power, water, stationery, and many other administrative surcharges. Then there’s the loss of time in the operations which occur sometimes as issues get resolved, away from the desk.
Be Part of a Community
Small business owners often spend a majority of their time and efforts on networking. Nothing speaks to them better than tapping into the largest community of professionals, business owners, and industry experts from their domain. When you have to spend your savings and time to grow your own networking channels, signing up to a coworking space means such opportunities are guaranteed. In a coworking space, you can learn, participate, and grow with the community; being at the heart of it.
Operate From an Upmarket Location
For a small business looking to make its way into the big league, operating from a prime location can give you the best of chances. However, with its enormous pricing, many business owners have to give up on the idea until their big break. However, signing up with a coworking space can be a turning point in terms of reaping the benefits of being located right where the action is. It not only builds your brand visibility, but also increases the chances of hiring the best assets and optimized facilities.
Final Words
Ultimately operating from a shared space can save a lot of your valuable time and money, and lift off your shoulders the huge burden of looking after every little thing involved with day-to-day operations. For any small business owner, it’s a win-win, to keep you focused on your products, solutions, and services, while not breaking the bank. Irrespective of any future threats of lockdowns or uncertainty, subscribing to these workspaces leaves you with complete control over your decisions without any effects on productivity and yield. If you’re one such small business owner or freelancer looking for a collaborative, modern space to work in, here are a few operators you may find useful:
- CorporateEdge, Gurgaon
These premium offices are known for their fully functional, dynamic, work settings for professionals across different industries. They’re located across Gurgaon and in the cities of New Delhi and Bangalore.
- Zioks, Kolkata
Their shared office space in Kolkata is a hub for entrepreneurs, startup owners, employees, freelancers, and many more industry experts, with tech-enabled amenities and value-based services. Situated in Sector-V, Salt Lake, they’re in the middle of the corporate and industrial zone, well-connected to all areas in and around Kolkata.
