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Coworking and Collaboration go hand in hand when it comes to igniting innovation and promoting inclusiveness. People from different backgrounds with different professions come together and share spaces.
The concept of coworking is simple. Let the different professionals share spaces and boost the occupancy of that space. While doing that, Coworking also provides a platform for working professionals to form a network of like-minded people.
When the spaces are vibrant and aesthetically rich, with the advantage of meeting and collaborating with professional experts, it automatically gives an upper hand in innovation.
Some managed offices are so well taken care of by the coworking companies, giving the business all the time and energy to focus on their venture.
Avoiding distractions and managing day-to-day operations can also promote Innovation and speedy deliveries.
Ready to move in and fully-furnished office on rent can for the desired capacity of the team to inculcate your dream team and gives a better space to brainstorm ideas and come up with an action plan. By providing several amenities and operations taken care of by the coworking spaces, aesthetically rich offices are the new hub for innovation.
Coworking Spaces: A Novel Technology
Some of us may argue that coworking is a novel technology that originated in 1995 by C Base in Berlin. The fundamental idea was to share space and knowledge, in order to work on coding projects together. Later on, they started conducting seminars and social events to build a platform for people to meet new people and have a chance to collaborate with them.
Coworking technology and collaborating future is not a novel idea. In the 15th Century, many sculptors, painters, architects, and engineers for that matter used to work together in the Bottega. Bottega in Renaissance was a workroom for studying, brainstorming, and mastering art. Bottega workshops would bring different talents and different professionals to come and compete. Hence, it proved to be a good stage for people to collaborate and learn from subject masters.
These Bottega rooms originated in Florence, Italy created a diverse environment to increase the level of discussion among peers and promote creativity. It proved to be successful in pushing an individual to learn new things and convert ideas into actions.
Coworking today works on the same principle of building a workroom for interaction, communication, and collaboration. More face-to-face interactions reduce latency in delivery as well as help in coming up with new and better ideas by talking to experts and peers.
Perks of Coworking and Collaborative Spaces
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Many people prefer working alone or with a selected group, which directly or indirectly limits individual growth. Sometimes it happens that, after trying to solve a problem for the whole day, the solution is not clear but by talking to a peer or a team lead, the solution can be found in mere 5-10 mins. This is the power of working in a collaborative environment.
More the interactions and effective communications, the more chances for new and creative ideas. This ultimately leads to a profitable business or even a successful start-up.
All the new business innovations are a result of hours and hours of interactions and brainstorming between the partners.
Coworking spaces provide a collaborative culture and enormous networking opportunities. They even rent out spaces for workshops or recreational activities which helps in finding like-minded people which ultimately keeps up the motivation.
Many of the coworking rent out spaces to some of the huge companies or emerging unicorns. Working in the same building as great businesses subconsciously impresses the employees and makes them push themselves to work more effectively. They see a goal to reach. Interacting with entrepreneurs casually in a hallway or attending a ted talk, makes a huge difference. Personal interactions stay for a long time and sometimes change the mindset altogether.
Ways for Innovation and Collaboration
The mere presence of peers and experts around can benefit individuals through knowledge sharing. Being a part of the collective innovation process, coworking helps in providing an open platform for innovation and engagement to work seamlessly.
Bringing the employees together in a shared space, helps businesses deliver products on time. The company even profits by involving highly motivated professionals in open discussions and ultimately building creative products.
The other ways of promoting innovation and collaboration via coworking spaces are as listed.
More Engagement and Motivation
According to Statistics, 84% of the people who use coworking spaces are more engaged and highly motivated. They get to interact with peers and subject experts regularly. With access to tech-savvy rooms and necessary infrastructure, a need to come up with something new is obvious.
The casual environment with vibrant colors and innovative interior ideas. Inculcating plants in the offices, all of this helps in maintaining stress levels, and health.
Promoting a healthy lifestyle with an eco-friendly and stress-free environment automatically boosts engagement and productivity.
Opportunities for Freelancers, and Entrepreneurs
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With the age of freelancers and entrepreneurs, where people sit in cafes or similar places and work on their business ideas, they can benefit from the coworking culture to get a push start.
As already discussed, the chances to meet subject professionals can help entrepreneurs build a network of people and enhance social relationships. Coworking helps in building personal contacts and putting young entrepreneurs and freelancers on the map.
It even helps in getting work opportunities. All of these ultimately boost creativity and profits for businesses.
Finding and Focusing on Niche
Some people work best when they work with people in the same niches. Coworking provides a way for people of the same niches to come and collaborate in the same space. For example, coders, hackers, content writers, and digital marketing professionals, irrespective of the firms they are working for, get a better and straightforward overview of their niches and have an opportunity to come niche experts by working with specialized peers side by side.
People working in the same niches are more relatable. They may not have the same ideas but they can prove more productive by interacting with peers and collective thinking.
Learning Platform
Coworking is the best platform for learning and new experiences. More guidance and feedback structure are the backbone of coworking technology. For example, a legal firm working next door to an IT start-up can quickly help the start-up with all the legal complications and lawsuits. They don’t have to travel to find legal help but can quickly pop in next door.
Coworking spaces are all about giving knowledge and receiving it. Professionals give the knowledge they have acquired over years to the newbies or whoever needs it.
Also, coworking helps in learning and acquiring new skills. By conducting regular workshops and group events, they motivate their partners and at the same time ignite innovation and creative work.
Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Well, maintaining a work-life balance is the most effective way of promoting collaboration and innovation. Coworking spaces provide all the necessary infrastructure and a highly motivated environment. It has even been proven to improve the mental and emotional health of the partners, especially after the COVID times.
Working with a team, fewer distractions, and an encouraging environment helps in maintaining the work-life balance which lays a strong foundation for innovation.
An optimistic approach and space for creativity and novel thinking, supplemented with collaborative people around.
Takeaway
With more than 40,000 coworking spaces emerging by 2024 worldwide, a need for collaborative and innovative spaces is well presented. Instead of choosing the traditional set-up with rigid infrastructure and lesser hallway conversations, newer generations are switching to casual environments and collaborative colleagues. Spaces providing field experts and different professionals coexisting help in coming up with newer technologies and creative ideas.
