10 Benefits Coworking Spaces Can Offer to Remote Workers
How to make your coworking space remote worker friendly
By Guest Contributor
September 20, 2022
Summary
Remote workers are driving the growth of coworking spaces across North America
They can provide networking opportunities, focus and routine, and an inspiring environment for those looking for a change of scenery
Tailor your space to the needs of remote workers by highlighting these benefits in your marketing materials and making your space safe for hybrid and remote employees
This is a guest post written by Jessica Day, Senior Director for Marketing Strategy at Dialpad.
The coworking space business model is gaining popularity around the globe. Worldwide, there were 2 million people working in over 19,000 coworking spaces in 2020 alone. Why? Coworking spaces are a great alternative to work-from-home or a traditional office setting.
Coworking spaces let remote employees work and socialize in a shared creative environment. Plus, they’re a good option for small startups who can’t afford to rent office space. There are also virtual coworking spaces that provide the same benefits in an online setting.
In this article, we’ll share with you 10 benefits of coworking for remote workers that you can use to promote your space and target this highly sought after audience!
Benefits of coworking spaces
There are many benefits to coworking that you can use to promote your space to remote workers, including:
1. Better mental health
47% of remote workers say isolation and loneliness are their top challenges. Feelings of isolation increase anxiety and stress, which in turn can affect their work. A coworking space can help by giving workers a chance to socialize and be around like-minded people. After all, on average, there are 83 people per coworking space worldwide.
Also, 45% of coworkers say their coworking space offers networking and social events with an emphasis on well-being. For instance, some spaces organize group lunches, yoga sessions, and other informal gatherings. This builds a sense of community and boosts mental health.
Tip for operators: Introduce events in your coworking space to foster a sense of community and set you apart from the competition. You can :
Introduce regular coffee breaks everyday to encourage workers to adopt a better work/life balance.
ake your event outside and schedule a 20 minute stroll around a nearby park.
Schedule talks or workshops with a focus on mental health. These could include anything from workshops in meditation and nutrition to talks on how to better manage stress and anxiety.
Workers will see you prioritize their mental health and have a genuine interest in their wellbeing, which can in turn drive member retention.
2. Networking opportunities
Networking is important for employees and freelancers alike. It can provide new work opportunities or clients, and allow workers to learn from their peers.
Coworking spaces offer an excellent opportunity for workers to grow their professional network. For example, 55% of coworkers have networked with other people and businesses in their coworking space. These events are the perfect opportunity for remote workers to make new connections and forge lasting relationships. They are invaluable for startup founders and entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses.
Tip for operators: Host regular networking events in your space to build a sense of connection amongst workers. Holding a weekly or monthly networking event is also a great way to grow your coworking space.
You could collaborate with other coworking spaces in the area or invite local businesses to bring together a broader and more diverse group of professionals. Also, consider tailoring networking events to specific industries to provide real value to the attendees.
3. Better work/life balance
Overworking is a top challenge for 47% of remote workers. At home it can be difficult to switch off and make time to unwind. This increases the risk of burnout and can make workers less productive in the long run.
Coworking spaces offer an opportunity to create better work/life balance for remote workers. This could mean having a dedicated area for workers to relax away from their computers.
Providing access to tea and coffee supplies and basic kitchen facilities, so workers can take time to disconnect. Introducing a schedule of regular breaks to give workers the chance to take some time away from their laptops and also helps them to build a routine to create a better work/life balance.
Tip for operators: Draw attention to how you go above and beyond for remote workers in your promotional material and to workers who are considering joining your coworking space. They’ll appreciate that you’re going the extra mile to address this issue and might be more likely to sign up as a result.
4. Greater flexibility
Flexibility is a key benefit of coworking spaces for 53% of coworkers. Unlike a traditional office, a coworking space lets remote workers work at their own pace. If they do their best work early in the morning or late at night, they can do that too.
Another good way to offer greater flexibility is to introduce zones, such as:
Quiet areas for deep concentration
Private offices or booths where you can make phone or video calls
Communal areas where you can socialize or grab a cup of coffee
Conference rooms for team meetings
Offering this level of flexibility might make all the difference to an individual weighing up different spaces. Make sure you’re catering to this need and providing a range of different options for your members.
5. Provide focus and routine
When you’re working from home, it’s easy to get distracted by family, housework, or the TV. In fact, 56% of remote workers say avoiding distractions at home is a challenge of remote working. Coworking spaces can help remote workers avoid these distractions and increase their focus.
35% of remote workers also find maintaining motivation a challenge. Your coworking space can help here too by enabling workers to set a routine. Being around other people who are productive can help them stay motivated to get their work done.
This is where those zoned areas come in again. Having a mix of different working environments can really help a remote worker stay focused and motivated.
Tip for operators: You could consider offering a service that sends workers who have signed up a notification when they should take a short breather activity. This could be great for maintaining productivity and concentration.
This helps workers stay focused, productive, and create that all important routine mentioned earlier.
Coworking spaces are also designed to be inspiring. Ensure yours is open-plan and airy with comfortable seating alongside desks and coffee-making facilities. Have artwork and plants dotted around to make it aesthetically pleasing.
Coworking spaces may also have facilities like a meditation room, gym, kitchen, or outdoor seating. 30% of coworkers say their coworking space offers “fun” elements like games, and 26% say it has gym and exercise facilities. All this helps to unlock creativity and boost mental health.
f your space offers these facilities, make sure you’re advertising them. And, if you don’t, think about what changes you could make. Many remote workers are looking for an environment that sparks new ideas so make sure your coworking space fits the bill.
7. Ability to travel
Coworking spaces are also ideal for digital nomads and other remote workers who want to travel. For some operators, they can fulfill this need by opening new locations and offering multi-city memberships.
You don’t need to own a huge network of coworking spaces to be able offer these benefits however. You could look to build relationships with other coworking spaces in different cities. And provide a discount to their members if they spend some time working in your space and vice versa.
You can also introduce a broad range of membership types, including an option to pay by the day to encourage remote workers who are passing through to choose you over another location.
Tip for operators: Remember to highlight the benefits your space has over a local cafe or B&B. You’re providing a comfortable and flexible place to work that is hard to find outside a coworking environment.
Workers will have consistent WiFi and they’ll be around like-minded people, so they can make new connections while they travel.
Joining a coworking space means workers always have people around who can support them. For instance, over 50% of coworkers say coworking spaces give them a sense of community. If they need to ask a question, bounce ideas off someone, or just need to talk, there are people around who can help.
Because coworking spaces bring together people from a range of industries and backgrounds, it’s a great way to gain knowledge. It’s also an excellent opportunity to brainstorm new ideas. Virtual coworking spaces offer the same benefits and more, as remote workers can share a coworking space with people from around the globe.
Provide communal areas where different workers can collaborate and share ideas to help foster this environment. Those networking events we mentioned earlier are also a great way for workers to build their community and find people who can support them in their work.
Tip for operators: Why not take this to the next level and hold regular skill building sessions. This could be an attractive feature to prospective members considering joining your coworking space. Ask your current members to suggest areas and topics they would like to learn more about and also see if anyone would be interested in leading a session.
By doing this you’re providing your members with the change to both develop professionally as well as network with other remote workers. These are benefits that could really give your coworking space an edge over the competition.
9. Welcoming community manager
A coworking community manager is a bridge between the coworking space provider and the community. The community manager is a remote worker’s first point of contact both on- or offline. They have a range of responsibilities, such as:
Welcoming new members
Interacting with the community
Tracking and ordering inventory
Maintaining desks and other areas
Responding to queries
Handling phone calls and emails
Organizing and hosting events
Creating blog posts and articles to promote the space
Sending out newsletters
It’s the job of your community manager to ensure the experience you offer is the best it can be. So, make sure they are easily contactable via email, phone, and instant messenger. Incorporating a chatbot could also be beneficial here as it can deal with queries when your community manager isn’t available.
Remote workers will appreciate the combination of a friendly, welcoming face when they enter your space and the flexibility of being able to ask questions when and how they want.
10. More affordable
A coworking space offers all the perks of a regular office without the extra cost. Workers expect the cost of membership to include amenities like WiFi, printers, and tea and coffee-making facilities. They also expect optional extras like their own phone extension, meaning customers can reach them at work if they don’t have a virtual phone number that would allow customers to contact their cell phone.
The average price per coworking desk dropped globally by 2.14% from $187 per month in 2019 to $183 per month in 2020. This makes coworking spaces more affordable than a traditional office. As a benefit, this is a pretty attractive one and something that you can really use to promote your space.
Offer different membership levels to appeal to those on different budgets. These could include offering access to extras or events for a higher price. Consider offering a discount for those who are willing to pay for an annual membership. But, don’t forget a daily rate for those digital nomads we mentioned earlier.
Many remote workers are looking for a flexible as well as economical option so make sure your payment methods reflect this.
Coworking spaces are a flexible, inspirational, and affordable option for remote workers. Most coworking spaces let remote workers visit in person for a day to get a feel for the space and whether it’s right for them.
There are lots of benefits you can offer remote workers and by taking these into consideration you can create an ideal space where they can thrive.
Author Bio: Jessica Day is the Senior Director for Marketing Strategy at Dialpad, Dialpad contact center software platform that takes every kind of conversation to the next level. Jessica is an expert in collaborating with multifunctional teams to execute and optimize marketing efforts, for both company and client campaigns. Jessica Day also published articles for domains such as Women Love Tech and HeyCarson. Here is her LinkedIn.
