Setting your business up in a co-working space provides many benefits. When used correctly, it can give you the chance to network and promote team productivity.
Now that you’re in the process of establishing your company, you may be wondering what kind of work environment will be best for your employees.
Renting your own office space is a good option, but budget constraints and overhead costs may prevent you from getting one. While giving your employees an option to work from home has its monetary advantages, the nature of your work and the necessity of face-to-face interactions can prevent you from doing so.
Establishing your startup in a coworking space is a budget-friendly option that can bring many individual and company-wide benefits. When utilized correctly, it can give your team members an ideal work environment while enhancing the development of your business.
If you’ve just invested in one, here’s how you can promote team productivity in your coworking space.
- Manage Noise Disruptions
Even though co-working spaces encourage collaboration, this setup may be a challenge for employees that have trouble focusing amidst loud noises. To prevent any issues from occurring, encourage your employees to use noise-canceling earphones and constantly remind them to respect the boundaries of others.
- Use Collaborative Digital tools
Giving your employees the necessary tools for collaboration will optimize their productivity. Whether it’s for communication, data management, or any other process, take some time to assess your needs and search for digital platforms that can fill the gaps in your operations.
- Assign Office Zones Properly
Your office structure will define the way your team interacts. Scattered seating arrangements can be a source of misunderstandings so make sure that the workstations of your team members that require constant communication are right next to each other.
- Build Spaces for Collaboration
If you have an area in your space that can occupy a large table, consider making this as your team’s multipurpose room. When the time comes that your team needs to gather for a big project, having a space for discussion will serve as an avenue for collaboration.
- Fun Zones
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
When your employees are dealing with complicated client demands and hectic deadlines, stress can get the best of them. As team leaders, maintaining your team’s emotional wellbeing is one of your biggest responsibilities. Help your employees recover by giving them a space to play around and socialize with others.
- Quiet Zones
Quiet zones can help your team members recover or allow them to work without any distractions.
If working with headphones isn’t enough to keep your employees focused, a quiet room should minimize distractions further and help them concentrate. At the same time, if an employee is tired and isn’t in the mood to interact having a quiet room to unwind can help decompress.
- Organize Team Activities
Employees that have good relationships with their colleagues tend to perform better at work.
Instilling camaraderie among your team members is a must if you want you to have a smooth work dynamic. Especially if your company has a work from home policy, your team members may find it difficult to get to know one another. Give them a reason to come back to the office through quiz night, bingo, and other kinds of company-wide activities.
- Encourage networking
Gaining the opportunity to meet like-minded entrepreneurs is the biggest opportunity you can get from a co-working space. Big companies such as Apple have been able to acquire new ideas and establish partnerships by setting their teams up in a co-working space.
Encourage your employees to establish connections with employees from neighboring companies. Your next big project or business partner may just be one conversation away.
- Allow employees to set up their workstations
Giving your employees the chance to personalize their workstation will boost their mood and cognition.
Posting pictures of friends and family, adding toys on their desks, and even letting them bring pillows and blankets can greatly change the atmosphere of their area. By letting them be in control of their own space, they’ll be able to perform better by working in an area they feel comfortable in.
- Promote workplace wellness
Healthy employees are one of your biggest assets. Reminding your employees to hydrate, move around, and make use of the designated zones for stretching are simple things you can do to help them minimize the risk of acquiring any health complications.
Here are more tips on how you can help your employees stay fit in the workplace.
Continuously improve your processes
As your business grows, your processes will need to adapt and improve as well. Find the time to conduct weekly team meetings to make it easier for you and your employees to point out and address areas for improvement. Be sure to continuously find ways to optimize your coworking space according to the needs of your business and your employees.
