Co-working is getting a lot of attention right now, and it’s easy to understand why. If you’ve never heard of this type of office before, a co-working space is simply a dedicated office space where companies can rent a desk or five on a per-week or per-month basis. The office has facilities including computers, meeting rooms – and if you’re lucky – a kitchen.
If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner or startup who primarily works from home, then co-working offers a range of benefits – a professional environment to host clients, a chance to escape the home office and still use a comfortable chair, and a built-in network to help your business grow.
But co-working can have it’s downsides. It’s been accused of being trendy, gimmicky, fostering competitiveness and negativity, and of being the most unproductive environments business owners could find themselves in. If you’re thinking of using a co-working space, here are some tips to help you get the most out of the experience:
1. Look for the right space
Different co-working spaces attract different types of businesses. As with any other business activity, think carefully about your needs and goals are before you choose your space. Tour lots of different spaces and look for one that fits in well with your business goals.