“Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you inspire others to do.” 

The concept of shared workspaces is to give people and members of the shared space a place where they can meet, collaborate and share ideas. The intention (or at least the hope), is that at some point, this sharing will inspire new businesses and inspire people to grow their existing businesses. It may also just lift up someone when they are feeling unmotivated and just in need of some assurance.

So What Are Physical Shared Workspaces?

Shared workspaces are based in a physical location where people can usually book online and basically book a seat in a relatively quiet open office type environment. The key to a really good shared working space is that it should be easy to access, with no long-term financial risk associated, so a customer should be able to go online, book, make their payment and then there are no further financial obligations. 

You shouldn’t feel like you have to buy coffee and food just for the privilege of using the “free” WiFi. In shared working spaces, you are paying for the workspace as well as the services that come with using the space. In most cases, this will include business-class fibre connectivity, uninterrupted power such as a backup generator, cleaning services and comfortable space to work. There are other services that are usually on a Pay-Per-Use basis, such as printing, boardroom services, and in most cases, there are catering services available such as an on-site barista. Some workspaces include private offices that are taken for a slightly longer period. The concept for the offices is the same – shorter-term leases and less risk to the tenants, and the setup costs are a lot less, as furniture, telephone lines, and other resources are included in the bundle.

Why do You Need a Shared Workspace?

Why should you consider a shared space to get your work done? Here are some of the biggest reasons.

• Sometimes you just need to get out of the house, separate work and home life and get away from the distractions you have at home. We have found an increasing number of “Work from Home” people using our shared workspaces. This doesn’t necessarily mean these customers don’t have home WiFi. The biggest reason people want to use our space is just to get away from sitting at home 24/7. Being in our space facilitates interaction between other people if you require some interaction. But, because you are paying to be in the space, the feedback we have received is that people are more productive when they are sitting in a physical space for work. What is really convenient, is you can pre-book the date and time that you want to use the space, and then this allows you to plan what you are wanting to achieve in this time, with no distractions.

• You get all the great features of an office, at a fraction of the cost. You can structure how much time you spend in the space to fit in with your budget. Because most spaces are on a pay per use basis, you decide how much you can afford, and then book and pay accordingly It is really just that simple.

• Businesses grow and your network has a much better chance of growing when you are sharing a physical space with other like-minded people. Some feedback we have had from our customers is that when they were working in coffee shops as the primary get-out-of-home venue, often it’s the same people in the coffee shop. Most the people are not in the coffee shop to work – they are socialising, making it difficult to discuss any form of business seriously. It is also not often that you will get up and introduce yourself to the guy at the table next to you and find out what business they are in when you are sitting at a coffee shop. When you are in a shared working space, the introduction and conversation can be easier because there is a common reason why you are in working in a communal workspace.

• Feeding off the energy of other people. People you meet in this type of space might be more creative in certain tasks, or learning from the knowledge other business-minded people might have. This is exactly why you want to be in a shared work environment. There is so much to be said for just getting out and networking. Most workspaces will offer events of interest or some form of social gathering so this makes networking simple between like-minded people. Shared working spaces by their very nature give support to members, just through interaction with the other members.

Be inspired and inspire others, share your ideas, knowledge and skills and you never know what you will get in return. If you keep doing the same thing over and over, you will keep getting the same results. By getting into an environment, where you can meet new and different people, you can certainly expect to see different results-so come along and be a part of the shared working space community.

If you’re looking to meet like-minded people and enjoy all of the benefits that shared workspaces in Hermanus have to offer, contact Co.Unity today or pop in for a visit.