Coworking or Traditional – What Type of Office Space Do You Need?

• Chapter 1: History of Coworking
• Chapter 2: Biggest Myths About Coworking Spaces
• Chapter 3: The Pros and Cons of Coworking Spaces
• Chapter 4: 6 Key Variants of Co-working Spaces that may be Suitable for Your Business
• Chapter 5: You are here: Coworking or Traditional – What Type of Office Space Do You Need?
• Chapter 6: 10 Coolest Facilities in Coworking Spaces
• Chapter 7: A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing Coworking Space for Your Startup
• Chapter 8: 5 Reasons Why a Co-working Space Would be Ideal for your Startup
• Chapter 9: 4 Futuristic Trends of Coworking Spaces
• Chapter 10: 10 Awesome Facts About Co-working Spaces
• Chapter 11: How Co-Working Spaces Can Be Profitable for Your Business
• Coworking Space Comprehensive Guide

Coworking or Traditional – What Type of Office Space Do You Need?

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, work from home became the ‘new normal’. But how many of us actually prefer that? Don’t you miss being in an office? Don’t you miss being surrounded by your colleagues – your work family?

I’m sure you would want that office setting to get you into the right headspace which fits your business.

When deciding about the physical setup for your business, you can choose between a traditional workspace or a coworking space. However, the decision will determine the type of business that you have, your goals, and what you want your client to think about you.

Coworking Spaces

These are open spaces, shared among colleagues, free from the boundaries set by cubicles. They promote networking and communication among the employees, facilitate teamwork and collaboration. You’ll often find comfortable furniture, vibrant colours, and patterns; and shared technology (wi-fi, printer, and coffee machines) in such spaces.

To decide whether it is a suitable fit for your business needs, we have compiled a list of pros and cons for you to consider.

Pros

• • Varied Workspace – When you have an open layout, the employees are free to move around and can change their surroundings when they feel like while working. This may even enhance their productivity.
  • Collaboration and networking – With the walls put down, everyone is free to meet with everyone, be it within the department or cross-department: reduced boundaries = more coordination.
  • No miscellaneous expenses – It is quite affordable in terms of time, effort, and money. The furniture is included within the fee. There are no high up-front costs or advance commitments for such a space. Also, you have built-in facilities, including but not limited to having the coffee pot always full!

Also Read : How coworking space can be a big cost saviour

• Built-in management – Your employees will become synchronized with each other, and the entire office will then be able to manage itself, almost always.

Cons

• • Less expensive options available – Though cheaper than traditional office spaces, these workspaces are still expensive than other alternatives like working at a coffee shop or work from home.
  • Crowding – Though we see as having people around may be great for team building, it may sometimes become distracting.
  • Lack of personal branding – Open spaces don’t provide much in the name of privacy. So, if you want to show professionalism to a client, it may not work out and may even tarnish your brand.
  • Asset-sharing challenge – When sharing resources like printers, coffee-machines, etc., they may not be accessible whenever you want them. You’ll have to wait for your turn.

Also Read : Biggest Myths About Coworking Spaces

Traditional Spaces

These spaces are similar to what you will see in a movie – cubicles for each person and larger offices for senior employees. Such areas are built primarily for productivity and to help employees focus, with individual technology equipment for all. There are even separate rooms for client meetings, group meetings, etc. It is centered around the idea of personal space for one.

Pros

• • Privacy – Since each employee has their individual space, there is no chance that the encroachment of personal space or invasion of privacy happens. There are walls in between!
  • Individual work promoted – Now, there’s no concept of shared space, resources, or work. Every employee will work only on his/her task. This will encourage individual work among people.
  • Professional client-facing environment – Separate spaces for clients will enable them to trust the business better in terms of confidentiality and privacy. This will also represent your business as a more professional one.
  • Personal brand – The professional feel and look will ultimately add privilege to your brand and may instill more trust among your clients and prospects.

Also Read : Choosing a Furnished or Unfurnished Office Space – Which one is best?

Cons

• Less networking – The traditional office space binds a person within the cubicle or office, reducing the opportunity to network with the other employees. One will only go out of their space if they have to – when they have to work with another employee, etc.
• Separation – Since all the employees now work in separate spaces, there is very little space left for collaboration and mingling.
• Office management tasks – Not everyone may be available in this setting. Also, individual work requires more management than group work. So, expect running around, to handle work better
• Long-term commitment – Compared to coworking office spaces, traditional office spaces have a longer lease, committing the business to the workspace for longer than they may want to.

So, which is better?

Having seen the advantages of the traditional office and coworking office spaces, compared to their disadvantages, which is the best fit for your business?

If you have a small business, you want to reduce costs, have a collaborative culture, dabble in creative work, or all of the above, then coworking spaces are for you. Here, you have a chance to lower costs, where people share resources, ideas, work, and effort. You will find it the most suitable for all your needs.

However, if you have a larger enterprise, where you may want your clients to see you as professional and to trust their confidential details with you, then traditional offices are the way to go. They may be a bit more expensive, but you will be perceived as professional and reliable by your customers.

So, what will you choose – A traditional or a Coworking office space?