Last year, the first quarter came to an end and so did life, as we knew it. How we work and play changed forever. We could no longer inhabit the spaces in which we made a living and sort refuge, at least not in the same way. Covid 19 was here! With the closure of numerous businesses, young people, the majority of the active work force, had to adjust. The most affected, those in entertainment and hospitality centered industries had to seek alternative sources of income as those in other more “stable” sectors had to adjust to working from home. With social distance and remote working virtual meetings were the preferred mode of communication among teams. Thus came zoom! There are numerous virtual meeting platforms but zoom emerged as the most popular whether for its user-friendly nature or just a case of perfect timing. Flexible working was lauded as a great, less strenuous alternative however it had disadvantages in some cases, such as even longer working hours (due to ease to access to employees), distractions in homes, lack of motivation and feelings of isolation because of reduced interaction that is a central part of work for many. This saw more and more younger people herd to cafes/eateries for the food, coffee, Internet and more so to just get out of the house!
This was a welcome but unsustainable alternative mostly due to the cost of eating out everyday and the distractions in any café/restaurant. So how can one get the benefits of amenities, socialization and change of scenery without the associated hurdles of figuring out the situation at their favourite joint? Our answer? Co working!
Co working/shared offices have been in existence for a long time but are now even more relevant with the currently working realities; many businesses have down sized and/or can’t afford to run an entire space/building independently. Many more people are either working remotely for employers or for themselves as freelancers, they require a separate area dedicated and focused on productivity. It therefore makes sense to pay a negligible daily/weekly/fee with various benefits attached such as fast Wi-Fi, coffee and tea, boardrooms, dedicated work spaces, admin and reception services, business address etc. without having to hire or purchase the services or equipment. An increasing number of businesses and individuals are taking up these opportunities in key business districts a good example being the Workshop Serviced offices in Westlands that houses 24 mid size business and several freelancers on flexible packages with plans to expand! Would you be willing to take up space in a shared office? What are some of your requirements/concerns? Lets us know in the comments!
