Coworking is certainly becoming more popular, especially in Hong Kong, to the point where everyone would have heard of it. It is now a common way to do business from entrepreneurs to start-ups to small businesses, working in a shared workspace is often the most economical thing to do.
1) Friends to have lunch with.
Many individuals who work out of coworking spaces otherwise work alone. These could have been the people who used to hole up in coffee shops nursing a cup of tea and praying the WiFi wouldn’t disappear or lag. For many entrepreneurs and small business owners, coworking allows them time to socialize and network with other professionals and have someone to talk to occasionally throughout the workweek. Creating contacts is a plus, making friends is even better.
2) Learning what all the companies in the office do.
Networking is a major perk of coworking spaces but sometimes it goes a step further. Many small business owners find that the “stranger” at the desk next to them actually provides a service their own company can benefit from. Wandering around the shared workspace and striking up conversations from time to time allows you to learn about all the other businesses in the room. This can be useful from a professional standpoint or simply help you get to know your neighbors. At Centre O Business Centre, we have the option of our host professional business services which can provide support. And who knows, there may be some collaborative partnership or project that could blossom.
3) Watching new professional connections and friendships form.
It’s not always all about you and your business. Working in a shared space every day means you get to watch other business partnerships thrive. A start-up that originally has just one or two employees, might grow over time, hire freelancers from within the coworking space full time and move to a serviced/team office. This is typical of coworking spaces. They have some of the brightest most industrious minds in the field all working together. That frequently leads to success! There will sure to be experts in each field that can play a major part in a business.
4) Perks like free coffee/beer/massage chairs and 24/7 access.
Of course, everyone benefits from the office amenities. Coworking spaces here at Centre O Connect Business Centre in Hong Kong offer free coffee and tea. We also host happy hour meetups and create more perks out of office as well as in.
5) Low or no overhead.
For many startups, hiring space and furnishing an office is simply out of their price range. This is especially the case if the company grows quickly (as many startups do) and the business is forced to upgrade to a larger space just a few months in. Coworking space allows for low overhead and a variety of different office sizes so as a company grows they can stay onsite for optimal collaboration. Especially if there are options of private and larger serviced rooms which can cater teams.
Coworking isn’t for everyone, but for those who are self-employed, freelancing, or starting a business, the benefits are enormous and can lead to a happier, healthier work/life balance and plenty of professional development opportunities.
Here at Centre O Business Centre, we always aim to create positive and healthy social and work factors for everyone. After all, we can all grow together!