7 Tips to Get the Most Out of Our Coworking Space
The pandemic brought on a new wave of remote working (turns out, it’s easier than we realized for employees to work from anywhere), and with that more people found themselves carving out space for their home office. That may seem ideal for many, but constantly switching laundry loads, having kids at home for e-learning, and letting the dog in and out can make it harder to create boundaries for your work and personal life. Surveys show that employees who work in coworking spaces, however, consistently rate their experiences as being a six on a seven-point scale. Whether you own your own business, work for a larger organization, or you’re a creative entrepreneur, here are some tips on how to get the most out of a coworking space.
Know Your Options
One of the greatest things about a coworking space is its flexibility. The membership types are created to accommodate the versatility of the workers within it. Learn about the different memberships and make your decision based on the way you will use the space to your advantage. We have a membership for students, individuals, teams, creatives, and one that covers the business basics. You can view them here.
Ask About Amenities
Many coworking spaces have unique offerings based on their culture and the partnerships they form within the community. It’s important to see what amenities the space offers, like access to a conference room, a suitable break room or kitchen, access to audio-visual equipment or copying and faxing services. One key to finding the right location is to utilize a daily or weekly membership before signing up for one long term.
The Root offers members 24 hour access, free use of our conference rooms, and discounts on event space that are widely advertised, but we also have member benefits that the general public might not know about, like a free guest pass a month, a free monthly yoga class, a one-on-one business coaching session, and more!
Attend Networking Events
Networking events at The Root can include ambassador meetings, artist mixers, guest speakers, workshops, holiday parties or other types of events. Not only do these events present a great opportunity to get to know your coworkers better, but they can also help broaden and expand your network. As a CPA, you may not often have an opportunity to attend many film/video workshops, but in a coworking space, you just might – and you never know what you might learn. You can see what events we have coming up here.
Introduce Yourself To Other Members And Guests
Socializing at work has been shown to have a number of significant advantages, and engaging with other people in a coworking space may prove to have even more. When you socialize in a traditional office environment, you are generally socializing with people privy to all of the same information you are about the same type of business. In a coworking space, however, you may end up having conversations with individuals that work in entirely different spheres that may provide inspiration or an entirely new way of looking at your own industry.
Know the Management
Most coworking spaces have a community manager who keeps their finger on the pulse of the community and knows the membership base better than anyone else. Remember, the coworking community does not just consist of the individuals or businesses currently in residence, it also includes all those who have passed through. Not only can Mark or Brigid help you get the most from all the space has to offer, they can also help point you to outside resources as well.
Get the Right Equipment
Open office plans certainly offer a number of advantages, but one of the biggest disadvantages tends to be noise. If you are easily distracted by noise, you may want to invest in some good noise-cancelling headphones. We have a culture code that if you see someone with headphones on, they want to be left alone. We’ve accumulated necessary equipment, like HDMI cables and iPhone chargers, but you may also want to invest in a spare set of whatever cables or cords you need for your electronics and make sure you have a comfortable place to sit and work (we also provide some extra seat cushions). Not everyone wants or needs to sit at a desk, but if that is what you need, make sure you have one where you can work comfortably.
Take Advantage of Meeting Rooms
Most coworking spaces offer a variety of meeting rooms, from conference rooms to training rooms. One caveat to this is that there is often competition for these rooms, so be sure and book one as soon as you know you will need one. There may be nothing more frustrating than setting up a meeting only to discover you have no place to meet. We have two conference rooms that members can use for free, but nonmembers can use them too! We also have a recording and post production studio for creative projects, but that can also be used to meet if the other rooms are booked.