Harvard Business Review found shared workspaces like VIDA Coworking can contribute to thriving careers.
Happy employees lead to higher levels of production, better-quality products, increased sales and much more, according to financial publication Forbes. So, how do you keep your employees happy and engaged? Companies such as Entrepreneur and American Express offer top tips to ensure your employees are satisfied, and Harvard Business Review recently found a new research-backed recommendation to add to that hot-tip list.
Authors Gretchen Spreitzer, Peter Bacevice and Lyndon Garrett surveyed coworking space founders and community managers, and workers from coworking office spaces around the nation. They found coworking spaces, which the article defines as “membership-based workspaces where diverse groups of freelancers, remote workers, and other independent professionals work together in a shared, communal setting,” lead to thriving employees. Here are three evidence-based reasons coworking spaces influence success.
Shared Office Space Users Find Work Meaningful
Everyone wants their profession to have meaning and positively contribute to their life. People who utilize shared office space derive additional career meaning from the cooperative, multi-skilled environment. Unlike traditional offices, coworking spaces enable employees to fully be themselves, freeing them from work personas, competitive personalities and internal politics. The Harvard Business Review also reports shared office space workers gain meaning from “the social mission inherent in the Coworking Manifesto, an online document signed by members of more than 1,700 working spaces,” which describes the values to which the coworking movement aspires.
Shared Workspaces Provide Greater Job Control
Most dream of working a job with flexibility, including the ability to control their work day and free time. Coworking spaces offer just that. Because many coworking spaces are open 24/7, according to the Harvard Business Review, people can determine the amount of hours they put in each day, and whether they start at 8 a.m. or, say, 11 a.m.
Shared workspaces also provide workers with options: They can go to the gym in the middle of the day, take a long lunch, or work from home for several days. In a shared workplace structure, the workers control their day’s routine – or even lack thereof!
Community Workspaces Lead to Connections
Although traditional office spaces provide a feeling of community, community office spaces create a higher level of connection. In a community workspace, workers enjoy the ability to connect and socialize with others without the forced environment. At a traditional office, employees typically feel compelled to make small talk with all of their coworkers, but in community workspaces, people often start conversations because they want to.
Why Companies Should Rent a Coworking Space for Employees
The Harvard Business Review authors urged companies to rent a coworking space for employees to take advantage of the benefits it provides. Coworking spaces can be used as an alternative place for employees to work – especially those who are tired of working from home but can’t make it to the office. They create an innovative atmosphere that leads to new ideas and products. Coworking communities are also great places to look for guidance.
Overall, shared office spaces teach companies that employees work best in flexible and supportive environments. To help ensure you have a productive and successful workday everyday, become a Member of VIDA Coworking in Portland, OR. Contact us today to schedule a tour!