The trend of coworking and office sharing has revolutionalised how we do business. This combined with a deep-rooted reliance on the internet has also transformed how we go about finding new workspace and office space. As a result, instead of trawling through property managers and letting agents, more and more people and small companies turn to the internet looking for ‘workspace near me’. There is also a notable rise in users searching for location-specific terms such as ‘coworking Leeds’.
Whether you are looking to share a spare desk in your office space or a spare floor in your office building; taking time to choose a person, company (or companies) that are the ‘right’ fit, can transform your business. There is a common saying that “a house is not a home without those who live in it” and this still applies when it comes to an office. There is an inherent social side of working in an office with both positive and negative connotations.
Let’s face it we all spend a lot of time in an office. The average British employee will work around 35 hours a week. However, business owners and freelancers commonly work over 45 hours a week! With this in mind, ensuring that you have a great workspace that facilitates your needs, fosters your creativity and encourages better productivity is essential. Whether you like it or not the people you work with can have a huge part in your life, especially if you are sharing office space.
Getting The Right Fit
So what makes a company or person the ‘right fit’ for your business when it comes to sharing office space? There are be a range of benefits to sharing office space with another company such as:
- The ability to share industry knowledge and skills
- The opportunity and ability to collaborate on projects
However, it can also come down to something as simple as the ability to share resources.
Long gone are the days of having to use a letting or property management agent, with their associated costs/commissions. Now more and more people are turning to Google and free online resources to find workspace near them. If you are looking to share your office space start by writing down key points, considerations or conditions that you want out of the arrangement. Naturally, this will vary for every company and can be influenced by additional factors. For example:
- Is the space you are sharing part of an open office?
- Is it a private workspace or separate floor in your office building?
- What resources does your company use?
- What industry are you in?
- Would you like the opportunity to collaborate on projects or share skilled staff?
Once you have defined what criteria is important to you; you can then start looking for a company that meets these requirements.
To help give you a kick start; below is a simple flow chart to help you find your perfect office space buddy.
