There are aspects of a coworking space that you just don’t get in a traditional office. If you work in one, it’s probably these aspects that attracted you there in the first place – the connectivity, the freedom, the community, the flexibility. However, running a business can get hectic at times, and it’s easy to get lost in your work and stuck to your desk. What can you do to make the most of your space for the benefit of both your personal work ethic and your business at large?

Uncommon are professionals in the art of the coworking space. We know how to build them, and we know how to use them to their fullest. Here we’ll be exploring some of the ways that you can stretch beyond the confines of your desk and excel in your coworking space – after all, there’s so much more to coworking than just work alone.

Here we explore the 3 C’s of Coworking: Community, Conditions and Collaboration and why they’re important.

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Community

Community is the lifeblood of any coworking space. The term ‘coworker’ doesn’t just apply to those in your office when the whole building is filled with like-minded people and businesses, each interacting and sharing ideas with one another. You should be taking advantage of this sense of community – something unique to coworking spaces – by doing your fair share of socialising and networking. Indeed, networking is a great way of making connections that would not be possible when you are working from home and in cafés, or from a more traditional office. In a coworking space, not only is everyone in the same place, but they are also much more forthcoming with one another, more keen to collaborate and make things happen.

Most coworking spaces will host regular networking events in your building, allowing for the cross-pollination of businesses within the space. This not only benefits companies and workers, but also the vitality and diversity of the coworking space as a whole. On top of your networking, businesses should make the most of communal spaces as a means of mingling with the wider coworking community – whether holding meetings in the café or doing quiet work in the lobby, getting out of the office and surrounding yourself with creative minds is great for your work.

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Conditions

This last point touches on something else great about coworking: the space itself. And we’re not talking about desk space, but rather the space beyond the desk – the facilities, the resources, the amenities, and all those features that make a coworking space different to a regular office. Exploring the full range of these features will benefit your business, helping to break out of the usual routine of working in the same place every day. Monotony can often hamper innovation, and simply taking your practice up to the roof terrace or moving between different hot desks can switch things up and invigorate your mind. If your space is geared towards creative industries, you could also make the most of communal workshops and production tools.

The way in which such spaces create work environments will also benefit you socially speaking. Most coworking spaces actively promote the social lives of their members by incorporating designated social areas and hosting private events. Games rooms, communal work areas, cafés and bars are just some of the spaces that coworkers can use to get to know one another – but ultimately, quirky amenities aside, it’s all about fostering a sociable and friendly atmosphere. One in which businesses can thrive both at and away from their desks.

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Collaboration

In a coworking space, you will experience a dynamic with your colleagues unlike any other – people won’t just be checking in, keeping themselves to themselves, and then going home. Rather, the environment is built to encourage collaboration, helping not just individuals but also businesses work together. There are a few ways that coworking spaces promote collaboration:

• Since they will often be posted up in the same room, freelancers will find it easier to collaborate with other freelancers and pitch their services to businesses in the space.
• Events organised by management teams are held with the purpose of introducing coworkers to one another and encouraging them to form working relationships.
• Given the proximity of businesses and freelancers to one another, they will be more inclined to share advice, ideas, and opportunities when sharing the space.
• Put two entrepreneurs in the same room and they will talk business eventually. Indeed, many businesses at Uncommon started life as a conversation between two strangers!
• Those simple conversations while eating meals, washing dishes, printing papers, and making coffee can quickly develop into something with business potential.

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Uncommon takes pride in helping businesses thrive. Our workspaces are designed with your wellbeing in mind. Every single detail helps create an environment in which you can feel good about where and how you work. Visit our locations in Borough, Highbury & Islington, Fulham, and Liverpool Street to experience our unique vision of working life across London.

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