Unsure if flexible office space is the right choice for your company? We interviewed members of Industrious Fashion Square to find out why they love coming to work — and along the way discovered a few telltale signs that your company may be a good fit for a less traditional office space.
Your job is stressful.
We’ve all been there. But when Emily Soccorsy, the co-founder of branding agency Root and River, had a bad day, the Community Managers at Industrious Fashion Square decided to do something about it. “The next time I came into the office, there was a Lush box and a card just encouraging me and making me feel that I was seen,” says Soccorsy.
You’re looking for inspiration.
“Industrious is very good at building a community of people who are all working towards big goals and are all really excited about what they do,” notes Susie Eddins, the operations manager of Birch River Design Group, a digital marketing agency. Industrious holds events so that you can get to know — and be inspired by — your fellow members.
You never know who you might run into.
Your neighbors can also be a valuable resource. Stephanie Hockridge, vice president of communications for mobile power sharing network Juuice, lucked out where her boss asked for help applying to a grant. “It just so happens that the day before I met the guy in the office next to us — and he is one of the best grant writers in Arizona,” says Hockridge, who immediately tapped him to help her out.
You want a space that provides for everyone.
“We’re an all female team, so we wanted somewhere that felt inclusive,” recalls Erica Knight, president of PR and event-marketing firm Knight Agency. As a mother, Knight particularly appreciates the fact that every Industrious has a Wellness Room designed for nursing. Kept at a slightly warmer temperature than the rest of the office, Wellness Rooms all have a fridge for milk storage, a comfortable chair, and a box of pump wipes and tissues. They’re also well-marked to prevent accidental visitors. “That’s really huge for me, to know that I have a great space to go when I’m going to have privacy,” says Knight.
You can stop sweating the small stuff.
If you’ve run your office or been at a shared workplace before, you may be well aware of all the effort that goes into creating a productive environment. Some providers charge for cleaning services, snacks, printing, and other amenities, but Industrious uses an all-inclusive model so that members don’t feel nickel-and-dimed. “All of those costs are taken away by being here,” says Hockridge. “It’s almost like working at mom’s house since someone’s just taking care of you!”