The last few years have shown how many significant changes can take place on the labor market. More and more positions not offered in remote or hybrid mode. Along with this trend, many different ways to organize work have emerged – one of them is coworking, i.e. creating a new work space. What exactly is coworking, what is it about, what solutions does it offer and why is it worth using it? Find out some information about it.
Coworking – definition
We hear a lot about coworking spaces, which are usually created in large cities. It is a way of office work in which people working in different industries share one office space. Such a place is usually a universally equipped office space with desks, armchairs, and sometimes computers for the common use of users. Often in such places we will also find, for example, conference rooms, as well as standard kitchens and toilets. This type of space is most often used by self-employed people, freelancers and company employees who want to work outside their company’s office, and for whom working from home is not always a comfortable solution.
Coworking – what does it mean in practice and what are its advantages?
In practice, coworking is nothing more than a space adapted to work for people who are not related to each other, e.g. with one employing company. Anyone who needs an office space, but works remotely, but at the same time does not want to rent an office or perform his duties from his place of residence. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the financial benefits of using coworking – compared to renting a traditional office, using coworking is much cheaper and allows you to save money. In addition, these types of offices are often equipped with specialized technical infrastructure, e.g. for high-speed internet or printers.
Working in such a place is a great opportunity to meet new people – when working remotely, we often complain about the lack of contact with people. It is also a great opportunity to exchange experiences and new ideas, which may result in establishing new business contacts. One of the main advantages of using this type of space is flexibility, which allows you to adjust work to individual needs and preferences. Coworking users can use the office space when they want and as much as they want.
A coworking office is arranged primarily in a universal way – after all, it can be used by people with completely different needs. Due to widespread noise pollution, an increasingly common solution in this type of space is the use of acoustic cabins, which are mainly used to ensure privacy and silence in the workplace. Often in coworking offices there are many people working in one room, which can lead to unnecessary noise and work disruption.
Acoustic booths help minimize these problems by isolating sound and allowing you to work in a calm and quiet environment. Thanks to them, it is possible to work in a calm and creative environment, which can improve the quality of their work and efficiency. The acoustics in the office is a very important issue. Apart from the cabins or telephone booths, the entire room should be well soundproofed so that the sounds coming from outside do not create unnecessary noise and do not disturb the order of work. Speaking of order – when using a coworking space, you don’t have to worry about everyday challenges, such as cleaning the office or ensuring the appropriate technical infrastructure.
Discover the history of coworking!
Although coworking seems like a modern invention, the word was first used in 1999 by Brian DeKove, who described a method to facilitate business meetings and collaboration, coordinated and supported by computers. He wanted people to work on their projects as equals, regardless of the hierarchy in their enterprises, gathering them in one space. The idea of coworking began to develop rapidly with the development of technology and changes in the way people work. In the 2000s, the first coworking offices appeared, e.g. in New York or San Francisco. In Europe, the first coworking office started its activity in Vienna in 2002.
In Poland, we are seeing an increasing number of coworking spaces, especially in larger cities, but not only. Its faster development can be observed during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when coworking became even more popular when many companies had to switch to remote work, and coworking offices provided employees with flexibility and a safe place to work away from home. Coworking is a modern approach to the organization of office work. For people working remotely, it is an excellent solution that creates an infrastructure conducive to working outside the company’s office. Using this type of space gives a lot of possibilities and makes the “home office” work gain a new dimension.
