Research has found that employees who work in a coworking environment perform significantly better than those who work in a traditional office environment. This has led millions of individuals to leave their traditional offices, opting for non-traditional workplaces, such as homes, coffee shops, and coworking spaces. Now, with so many different options to produce quality work, professionals can pick and choose which type of setting they work best in. Why do professionals thrive in coworking spaces in particular? Two reasons: flexibility and community.
Flexibility Creates Productivity
One of the drawbacks of a traditional office setting is the hours: you have to be at the office from 8am-5pm. While having a set time to work can be nice, it doesn’t mean that you’re functioning at peak productivity during that 9-hour span. Inc. references a study in which researchers discovered that the average worker is only productive for 2 hours and 23 minutes a day – that’s less than a third of the time you’re at the office! In addition to having a short period when we’re in “the zone”, everyone has a different time of day when they’re able to get the most done. That means that, while you may hit your stride at 10am, your software developer may not hit their peak until 2pm.
By moving into a non-traditional work environment, professionals are able to tailor their schedules to maximize efficiency, working during the hours that they’re the most focused. Not everyone can work for only 3 hours a day, but professionals who have the freedom to create their own schedule have shown to produce more than those who stick to a traditional schedule.
Community Drives Creativity
While non-traditional work environments allow for more flexible schedules, there is a downfall – a decrease in community. Professionals who work at home and in coffee shops may be productive, but the choice of venue can make work feel isolating and could lead to a decrease in employee satisfaction. That’s why many professionals have turned to coworking spaces as their preferred workspace.
What is coworking exactly? Coworking is a membership-based workspace where freelancers, remote workers, and other independent professionals work together in a shared, communal setting. These workspaces give individuals the opportunity to meet with like-minded professionals from different industries, growing their knowledge-base and bringing more diversity to the office than is possible in a traditional setting. Through the coworking community, professionals can gather new ideas from other industries and apply them to their own field. This gives employers an even better product than they receive from those working in a traditional office.
Try Workzones Coworking Space
Do you think that coworking is right for you? Try Workzones! Our coworking space in Santa Barbara is located downtown in the Paseo Nuevo shopping center. Schedule a tour today or call (805) 966-3722!
