The home office is often regarded as the highlight of most flexible working practices. The lack of commute, office politics, arguments about the AC level and other such distractions are all very valid reasons to work from home.
One-quarter of U.S. workers have worked from home or remotely and there is evidence that your home office does provide a range of benefits, including increased happiness and productivity.
However, working from home on a permanent basis can have downsides. This is where coworking spaces could redress the balance. Here are three key reasons to pick coworking over a home office:
1. You’re lonely
Yes, coworkers can be annoying. But when your only colleague is your dog/cat/goldfish, you could start to miss the camaraderie and feel isolated over time. In fact, research reveals your level of happiness correlates to the number of human interactions you’ve had.
Working from home also means you have no opportunity to take advantage of a psychological phenomenon called Equity Theory, where you gauge your performance compared to the actions of others. This theory suggests that one is usually motivated to work harder to match the efforts of colleagues. You could also be missing out on vital training and career guidance by working from home.
Coworking also brings benefits beyond a chat over the water cooler. Research reveals 74% of coworkers claim to be more productive, 86% have a larger business network, 93% have a bigger social network and one-third report an increase in income. Plus, let’s not forget the free refreshments that are often on offer in a coworking space.
2. You’re growing
About half of U.S. startups choose to run their business from home. However, if you start to expand then you may struggle to house your new employees in your house.
Coworking spaces don’t just provide you with space you need on a flexible basis, they also provide your business with a wealth of professional opportunities. These spaces are networking goldmines and many offer members a range of events, such as courses and lunch and learns to further extend your business acumen.
A coworking space can also provide you with a range of office amenities. For example, most spaces have meeting rooms and conference facilities for you to host clients and customers. Your business will also get a professional address, without the financial commitment of buying or renting a permanent office space.
3. You’re a workaholic and/or procrastinator
When you work from your home, it can be difficult to separate your work and your life. While the commute is often seen as a chore, a short journey to and from work can provide the separation you need and prevent you from working around the clock.
Alternatively, you may struggle to stay motivated in your home environment where there’s no one to scold you for tuning in to daytime television. Coworking spaces don’t just stop you wearing your pijamas 24/7 though – you’ll also be surrounded by like-minded souls who are focused on work.
And, although coworking spaces are often a more cost-effective option compared to a permanent lease, you do have to pay for your time. This can help focus the mind and stop those little distractions.
Would you pick coworking over a home office?
Sometimes, we all need the peace and quiet of the home office. But working from home on a permanent basis could be detrimental to your health, wellbeing and your business.
It all depends on how you prefer to work, your business and your day-to-day activities. The beauty of coworking is that it offers you the flexibility to use a space on an ad hoc basis.
So, you don’t have to be stuck working from home talking to the goldfish, if you don’t want to.
