During the coronavirus pandemic, individuals and small businesses made the shift from working in offices to working from home. It can now be seen as more of a norm. One benefit is that they can be seen as more efficient than using offices, which can be expensive to lease and can sometimes be felt to not be encouraging environments.
However, this does not factor in the benefits of using communal workspaces. Unlike traditional offices, communal spaces are actually very cost effective for those who don’t require a private space to carry out their work – this includes small businesses, individual entrepreneurs, freelancers, gig workers, consultants, and others. Moreover, it is especially helpful for start-up companies which do not utilise their workspace to the same extent or in the same manner as traditional companies. There is a certain freedom found in communal working spaces that doesn’t exist in the rigidity of traditional office spaces; you’re still working in a professional environment but can take breaks and work in a manner that best suits you.
Communal spaces allow for face-to-face communication and collaboration in various industries that help to get businesses up and running. Although modern technology has permitted us to have online meetings, having an actual workplace makes it much easier to communicate, which is why it is so important to have a physical space where meetings can be held.
Businesses in similar sectors sharing communal spaces can also lead to great cross-collaboration, bouncing of ideas, and an increase of knowledge and skills all-round. One of the significant differences between traditional office spaces and communal spaces is that the latter is filled with people who actually want to be there. It is heartening and motivating to be immersed in an environment full of other ambitious people with similar mindsets. Even if these people have different goals and talents, they are tied together by their work ethic and desire to create something to improve the world around them. This idea is supported by research which shows those working in communal spaces report levels of thriving that approach an average of 6 on a 7-point- scale, which is a higher figure than the average employee in a traditional office. Leicester Startups CIC is a social enterprise that believes heavily in this value. Having a space at the Phoenix Yard allows like-minded business people to collaborate and inspire ideas in each other.
For more on the Phoenix Yard, follow this link here:
https://lseconsortium.co.uk/phoenix-yardFor more on Leicester Start-ups, follow this link here:
https://www.leicesterstartups.com