5 Mistakes And How To Avoid Them When Designing A Coworking Space
Coworking spaces are taking today’s corporate world by storm and for good reason. Coworking spaces offer an exciting break from the monotony of traditional office life with things like invigorating design, fun perks, and the ability to forge new friendships at work. However, designing a successful coworking space is not a simple task; it takes careful consideration and planning.
Coworking spaces are taking today’s corporate world by storm and for good reason. Coworking spaces offer an exciting break from the monotony of traditional office life with things like invigorating design, fun perks, and the ability to forge new friendships at work.
However, designing a successful coworking space is not a simple task; it takes careful consideration and planning. Flying in blind is a good way to ensure your coworking dreams crumble before you ever get started.
Here are five common mistakes made when designing a coworking space and how you can avoid them:
1. Keep Things Flexible
Your tenants will stay in flux over the years, both in personality and in numbers, so your floor plan should stay flexible to change. Different people have different needs for workspaces, but first and foremost, your space needs to be accessible to everyone.
You may need to do some minor renovations to ensure workers with disabilities are safe and happy as well. Additionally, some tenants may thrive in communal spaces with lots of background buzz, while others may need some quiet time away from the fray. Ensure your design has a healthy mix of community and quiet areas.
2. Provide Some Perks
One of the highlights of co working Sydney is the innovative perks that you can’t get in a traditional office. These perks are not only fun but essential to how well a coworking space functions. Focus on perks that will bring your tenants together and encourage conversation.
For example, you may have a killer snack bar or kitchen area where people hang out and have coffee together. Another route is to include a game room. When stocking your game room, choose games that are group play, such as board games, table tennis or even some video games.
3. Keep It Cosy
Temperature and lighting have a huge effect on not only your tenant’s comfort but also their productivity. Accommodating everyone’s needs can become difficult if you have tenants who prefer different temperature settings.
When finalizing your design put thermostats away from common areas to avoid thermostat wars, and do your best to find a happy medium. Individual thermostats might be included in more private areas such as meeting rooms. If your space is large and open, consider hiring an engineer to cut down on your heating and cooling costs.
4. Consider All Costs
Coworking spaces don’t just differ from traditional offices in their work style; they also have additional expenses you should be aware of before heading in. For example, some of those perks are going to cost you to keep up.
Take the kitchen or snack bar, for instance; keeping that stocked with the snacks and beverages your tenants love is going to take a bite out of your budget. Take these expenses into consideration when choosing perks for your design, or they can quickly send your business under.
5. Build a Coworking Community
While it may seem strange to work with competitors, working with other coworking spaces actually benefits both of you. When you work together, you can pool your resources to get things done more efficiently. For example, perhaps you have a great meeting room but don’t have the tech you need to print up some banners.
You could work out an exchange with another coworking space that has that tech; you print, and they get to use your conference room occasionally. Coworking is all about community, so networking within your own is vital to success.
Whether your goal is to break away from beige carpet and cubicles, work more flexibly or meet new people at work, coworking offers an exciting new way to work in today’s world.
Although designing a coworking space is not easy, if you heed this advice, you’ll be able to craft an innovative space that your tenants love; and if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.