Nomadic workers are a new trend in the world of business, as more and more individuals reject the premise of strict ‘9-5.30 sat at a desk all day with just an hour and a sad sandwich for lunch’ sort of work and set out to make their mark on world with their freelance projects, solopreneur work and contracting jobs.
However, for many of these people, they miss the social interaction that comes with working in an office, the comradery day to day and the ability to bounce ideas off other people when struggling with a concept.
Enter co-working
That’s where co-working comes in, allowing these types of business people somewhere to work alongside similar businesses, while still enjoying the flexibility and freedom but also having a small space to call their own and treat like an office.
These spaces are where creativity thrives, where the illustrator designing greetings cards can gain inspiration from the freelance sports journalist writing about the Euros and can offer a new way of thinking about a design.
The great thing about co working is that you meet new people every time you enter the space, which makes them perfect hubs for creative minds. Those who co-work feel like the projects they are working on are valuable, important and therefore take great pride in what they are doing.
Research into the trend discovered that 71% of those co-working reported feeling more creative, 90% felt more confident in their work and 70% felt healthier than they did ‘in a traditional office setting’, suggesting that it’s not something that’s going to go out of style anytime soon.
How to get started
But how does co-working work logistically? Well, one usually begins the search by looking towards sites that cater specifically for individuals looking for such a space. There are even apps out there to help with this which show you which spaces are available nearby that you can then select and rent for a day at a time.
It might sound like a logistical nightmare but it’s essentially a first come first served system much like booking a table at a restaurant or at that class in the gym. If you find a place you like you can block book for weeks at a time – however, this depends on the service and the venue.
Here are some worth-reading articles to help you out:
Takeaway
When it comes to logistics, look for a space that is managed by a company, this means it is cleaned regularly and renovated when needed. Even if it’s just the promise of a lick of paint or to fix the office chairs with cheap castors online, the social interaction is still more important than the aesthetics but an attractive workspace will also encourage creativity and productivity – plus you’re paying for the privilege of using it.
Click here to discover some of the best co-working spaces in the UK.