Working from home may increase productivity, but it can also damage workers’ sense of community. Humans aren’t meant to be isolated from others for very long — even introverts need social interaction.
Coworking spaces create community naturally by bringing together different businesses and teams (big and small), entrepreneurs, and solo workers in the same shared workspace.
Working around other professionals fulfills our needs for connection and belonging, and if you’re able to work in person with your team, collaboration improves as well. Coworking spaces can help you bridge the gap between fully remote work and in-person interaction.
Working independently can help reduce interruptions and improve focused work, but there’s more to success at work than simply completing tasks.
A 2021 Microsoft study found that 67 percent of employees want more in-person time with their teams, but 73 percent of employees want flexible work options to continue. That leaves businesses in a difficult position: The benefits of working in person are not insignificant, but employers who force a return to work may see an exodus of talent.
Fortunately, using a coworking space can help individual workers build community and improve their networks in their local area, and it can also help businesses provide a well-stocked professional space for their teams a few days a week without the need to invest in commercial real estate.
A Sense of Belonging
Feeling like we belong — we’re accepted, included, and supported — is a key human need, right at the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. When people are working purely remotely, it can be hard to foster that sense of belonging.
A 2021 Deloitte study found that employees feeling like they belong leads to a 56% increase in job performance, a 75% reduction in sick days, and a 50% reduction in turnover risk.
A strong sense of belonging can be fostered by working around other professionals in a coworking space or by having your team use a coworking space to collaborate a few days a week.
Fewer Organizational Silos
Silos within an organization can lead to communication breakdowns, lower levels of collaboration and innovation, and even a feeling of “us vs. them” within the company. Avoiding silos is challenging but vital.
Unfortunately, the 2021 Microsoft report found that remote work caused people to focus on smaller networks. They work with their immediate teams but don’t reach out or connect with others from the organization. As a result, silos form, there are fewer new ideas, and the risk of damaging groupthink rises.
Working in a coworking space a few days a week can break the trend, especially if different teams can be brought into the same space to work together. Even a single employee in a coworking space benefits from being around other professionals who are in different lines of work and think differently about problems than they do.
The more we’re around different types of people, the less likely we are to silo within our organization.
Building a strong sense of community helps reinforce positive mental health for individual workers and teams.
The sense of belonging mentioned above helps create psychological safety, the feeling that you can speak up with ideas, concerns, or questions without being ridiculed or rejected. It also helps alleviate loneliness, which is a significant concern that the pandemic made worse.
Harvard found that 61% of young adults and 36% of Americans overall feel “serious loneliness.” The report also found that loneliness can lead to serious physical and emotional problems.
When you or your company use coworking spaces to work around other professionals and increase collaboration, mental health is dramatically improved. This not only improves culture but it also reduces healthcare costs.
Better Skill Development and Career Advancement
One of the key arguments supporting hybrid work is that when a team works together or when an individual works around other professionals in a coworking space, there are opportunities for professional growth.
Employees are able to build their professional network by getting to know team members and other professionals, which can lead to opportunities for new projects and new roles. When we work around other people, we also learn different ways of doing things, which can help us be more effective and flexible in our approach to work.
Whether a single employee chooses to work around other professionals in a coworking space or a company schedules coworking for an entire team a few days a week, everyone benefits from the collaboration.
Is a coworking space a good way to foster community among your team members? Absolutely. Coworking spaces are designed to create a professional environment as often as you need it, at a fraction of the cost of traditional commercial real estate.
Shared Spaces
Put simply, shared spaces allow an individual or work team to meet new people and collaborate in new ways.
When an individual or team chooses to rent desk space, a private office, or a suite, they gain the ability to bounce ideas off others, meet people either from their organization or outside it, and find professional support that isn’t possible with purely remote work.
The shared common spaces at a coworking space are, surprisingly, the places where insights are most likely to occur. The casual nature of talking to someone about a business approach or strategy over lunch or on a coffee break can allow your mind to make connections that aren’t as obvious in more focused (and stressful) work periods.
Events
Events hosted at a coworking space can be another great way to bring people together to share ideas and think in new ways. You can reserve a conference room for a training or social event, or you can take advantage of a public event already scheduled at the coworking space.
Many coworking spaces host community events or member events that encourage networking, allow you to learn something new, or introduce you to key members of the business community. Taking advantage of these opportunities is especially helpful for individuals looking to connect, but it’s great for business teams as well.
While not all events are casual, many are, which facilitates building relationships in a laid-back, less stressful environment.
Networking
Coworking communities are diverse, which makes them a great place for individual employees or work teams to meet new people. To build your network at a coworking space, be yourself and chat with others.
Of course, it’s important to be respectful and not interrupt work, but often people are happy to answer questions, learn more about you, and share their experiences. It takes time to get to know people, so be consistent in how often you’re at the space and keep conversations going.
Collaboration
Coworking spaces are designed to make collaboration easy. Individual employees can choose a desk in a common space to maximize interaction. Business teams can get a private office or suite in order to collaborate within the team while also getting ideas from new people in the common spaces during breaks.
This collaboration — and simply being around other professionals during the day — helps create a sense of belonging and improves the mental health of those struggling with loneliness or isolation. It also helps build positive relationships, which also improves mental and emotional health.
For business teams, being able to work face-to-face improves teamwork and can help move projects forward more quickly than working individually and remotely. That’s why using a coworking space a few days a week is a great option for strengthening your organization’s culture and improving productivity.
Curious what community in coworking looks like? Why not take a look at an Industrious coworking space?
We have more than 160 locations in over 65 cities, so there’s likely to be an Industrious space near you. Our coworking spaces have a variety of shared and private work options, community areas, amenities, and more.
Every location features a dedicated team of Member Experience Managers and Associates who cater to your every need with concierge-level hospitality. Additionally, Industrious members gain access to exclusive events and networking opportunities designed to connect you directly with other members and the broader community.
Find out more about our coworking solutions and discover how Industrious can help you or your team benefit from a strong sense of community.