Having your own office, when you don't earn much, is a great sacrifice that not everyone can afford. In fact, it is normal not to have it if it is not necessary. But that's how coworking spaces were born. However, What is a coworking space? How does it work? Is it suitable for any business?
If you are considering renting a space to work in an office, but you are still not clear about how it works, what we are going to tell you will interest you. And a lot. Go for it?
What is a coworking space?
The first thing of all is to know exactly what we are referring to by coworking space. Or rather, what is coworking.
This term actually refers to a physical space that would be had in a work office. However, that office would not really be for one person, but for several professionals with different profiles who would use the space in a community way.
In other words, Each professional would have their own individual space and a common space with the rest of their colleagues. In this way, you could work by sharing the expenses of that location.
Let's give you an example to make it clearer. Imagine that you rent a place in the center of Madrid and decide to set up offices. However, the expense of monthly rent makes it difficult for you to maintain that office, which is quite large for you.
So, you decide to advertise for office sharing. Or in other words, to do coworking in such a way that expenses are shared with other professionals who use the office to also set up their "headquarters" and serve clients there or to work.
How a coworking works
Now that you know what a coworking space is, let's explain how it works. These They are based on the rental, not of the entire office, but of a workspace. There are parts that are common and others that are private. And that implies that the money for that rent is much less than if you had to rent the entire office.
The private space is mainly made up of a table, chair and some shelves. It is little, just enough to fit all of that (since sometimes it is not usually rented furnished).
Regarding the common space, this can be composed of Internet, printer, 24/7 access, cafeteria or rest area, terraces or green areas... They are common spaces where people can rest from their work and at the same time interact with their loved ones. office colleagues.
Types of coworking spaces
When looking for a coworking space you should keep in mind that There are several modalities that can better adapt to your work. (or not). But for this you need to know them all. And in this sense we must talk to you about:
hot desk
This term that can make you think of something "hotter" actually has its reason. Are work spaces in which the professional does not have a fixed desk, but can occupy one every day.
They are ideal for professionals who do not need to be fixed in a physical location, but only use it sporadically, so permanently occupying a location is not the most appropriate.
Now, many are "routines" in such a way that they would always use the same space.
Shared space in a coworking
Another type of coworking space is this one, where A series of desks are placed so that each professional can choose theirs. In reality, these desks are not usually separated by walls but rather the entrepreneurs each work on their own thing but are able to start a conversation (or work together) with others.
Private coworking
Finally, you would have the private coworking space. That is, it is characterized because each entrepreneur would have their own private office. It would have common areas and services for everyone in that office, but it would have an exclusive space for him that would give him more privacy.
How to choose a good coworking space
When choosing a good coworking space, it is important to take into account some aspects that can help you make the right decision. These are:
The type of coworking you want
As you have seen, there are different types. Depending on your tastes, your way of working, what you are looking for and, above all, the budget you have, you could choose one or the other.
What we do recommend is that you do not choose a type of coworking just because of its price because, if you cannot work properly, that space is of little use to you.
Here you should Weigh the pros and cons of each of the offers that you have to know if they will adapt to you (and not the other way around). Of course, location is also important, especially if you receive clients often or they come to your office to talk to you.
The type of business you have
Imagine that you are a lawyer and you have clients who need confidentiality. An open coworking is not the best. Now, if you are a copywriter you would not have as much problem with your clients, since the main ones would be on the Internet and there would not be as much confidentiality as with other jobs.
Do you understand where we are going? The type of job you have will also influence the coworking space you choose.
Frequency in the office
If you work remotely and only go to this coworking space from time to time, paying a month to use it only a few times is not the best. We understand that Many must have a space where they can meet with clients at any given time, but this sometimes means a waste of money.
However, if you come often, a hot desk may not be the best option because you will want to have your space and be seen in some way as something private and personal to you so that you feel more comfortable (or a private office for yourself).
Is it clear to you what a coworking space is? And what should you look for if you are looking for one? If you have any doubts or questions, you can leave them in the comments so we can try to help you.