Pros and Cons in The Age of Coworking

Having the freedom to lounge in your pajamas, choose your own working hours, and doing so all from the comfort of your own La-Z-Boy may sound like an arrangement that will attract the envy of your typical 9-to-5-ers, but is this “ideal” setup really beneficial for the average person’s work output?

In an age when the number of people working from home has increased 115% since 2005, it’s no wonder that 542,000 workers sought refuge in coworking spaces during 2017. With that number forecasted to double by the year 2022, coworking is becoming one of the most rapidly growing, and most necessary, services available in the modern world. As the growth of coworking continues to draw in potential clients, more and more remote workers may begin to wonder whether or not coworking could be beneficial for them and their long-term goals.

Coworking is a relatively new movement, coined by Brad Neuberg in 2005, that encourages community and prosperity between various workers of all stripes who come together in a shared office space. Coworking spaces, essentially, are workspaces shared by people who do not work for the same company and often rent the office space at an hourly or monthly rate. Coworking creates a community of independent contractors and remote workers, be they lawyers, entrepreneurs, freelancers, small business owners, or other professionals, and allows these typically homebound workers the chance to break from the isolation and distractions of their own home.

Because coworking spaces have the potential to draw in a wide range of clients with an equally wide range of personalities and preferences, there are bound to be aspects of coworking that can seem both promising and foreboding.

Available resources

Some potential coworking clients may be lured in by the availability of resources and technology that otherwise would be a huge cost undertaking for the average remote worker. Shared office spaces typically offer access to devices such as printers, scanners, high-speed WIFI, and other shared amenities, which would allow one to focus on their work rather than on acquiring expensive equipment. Therefore, visiting a coworking space may be beneficial to a startup or individual who does not yet have the resources or financial backing to invest in a permanent office or the equipment necessary to run their business.

Those who take advantage of the shared workspace would also benefit from working in a fully furnished environment, shedding even more costs off of an already tight office budget. For some, coworking may prove to be a convenient alternative to procuring their own permanent office space and the niceties that come along with said space.

Cost effectiveness

While coworking spaces are surely cost effective, if the only equipment you require is your computer, then you may only find yourself simply paying for WIFI and desk space. Although there are many more benefits to visiting a coworking space than just its amenities, it may not be a wise cost undertaking for someone to spend upwards of $400/month just to warm a seat somewhere outside of their own home or a local coffee shop. Other costs to consider are the costs of commuting and eating outside of the home (for those who don’t religiously keep a lunchbox and a snack pack in tow).

Potential networking

For those who find that they do not benefit from the shared amenities of a coworking space, the money they put toward coworking may be worth it to simply get out of the house and be around people in a professional environment. Coworking spaces may seem very appealing to a freelancer who has grown weary of the isolation of their own home and desires socializing that office workers often take for granted.

Coworking can also be a great opportunity for networking. Being around people with similar interests, work goals, and career paths can spur conversations and opportunities, such as finding connections for your business or being invited to local events.

Possibility of distractions

While the networking and social interaction opportunities that come with coworking are appealing to some, others may find that distractions abound in coworking space. A buzzing office filled with a variety of people with no real professional connection can cause as much of a hindrance to productivity as your recliner and TV at home.

In truth, if you are typically unproductive while working at home, it is likely that you will be just as unproductive if you were to transition to a coworking space. While some people may thrive in an environment surrounded by other people hard at work, others may find the additional noise annoying or distracting.

So, with its pros and cons weighed, is coworking really worth it? If the environment of a typical coworking space seems to fit your job, personality, financial situation, and level of productivity, then it very well may be the path for you. Because it is a service that is expected to grow in the coming years, more and more people will be visiting these shared workspaces, and the service itself has the potential to grow even further beyond how we know it today. If you are easily distracted, coworking space may not provide the professional environment you are looking for. People who have a hard time working at home or in a shared space should consider the value in leasing a private office or temporary office space.