The coworking phenomenon is showing no signs of slowing down.
“Canada’s flexible office market has grown from about 1.5 million square feet in 2014 to over 6.05 million square feet this year, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE Group Inc.” (Bickis, The Canadian Press, 2019).
The Vancouver office space market is one of the most in-demand locations, with more and more companies opting to join a coworking space over investing in a private location. This is in part due to the high price increase in rental office space felt in Vancouver, as well as an increase in the number of freelancers and small businesses. But a lower price tag isn’t the only reason why Vancouver coworking spaces have been in high demand. There is a wide range of benefits experienced by members of these shared spaces such as:
1. Increased Collaboration & Creativity
Coworking spaces offer a completely unique environment. They are an ecosystem consisting of experts in a magnitude of different industries all conducting business out of the same location. The combined knowledge of these shared spaces is extraordinary, with experts in accounting, law, interior design, psychology and more! Simply bumping into someone in the kitchen can turn into an opportunity to learn something new and exciting. The possibilities to learn and develop are endless when you are a member of a coworking space. Exposing yourself to an environment full of talented professionals can boost your own creativity and open you up to opportunities to collaborate on new projects.
2. Discipline
Working from home can be brilliant! You avoid the mundane commute into work every morning, there is no dress code and you can create your own schedule. However, to master working from home, one needs to practice discipline, which can sometimes be challenging when you are surrounded by so many distractions and no one to hold you accountable. Joining a coworking space on a virtual office plan is an effective way to implement some sort of routine into your week. For example, our V2 plans include 8 hours of office time per month which you could use to schedule 2 hours of meetings every Tuesday. The simple act of visiting an office can fill you with a surge of motivation and put you back on track at times when you are feeling lost.
3. Community
How many people have a work bestie? Or even better, multiple work besties? Saying goodbye to your office team can be one of the hardest steps when choosing to go solo. Forbes reported that although 93% of freelancers enjoy their independence, 39% felt they were often lonely (Younger, Forbes, 2019). In a world where most of our interaction is done virtually, it is important to make time for physical interaction to avoid feeling isolated and lonely. Joining a coworking space doesn’t just give you a workspace it gives you a professional community. Most coworking spaces are managed by a friendly and supportive admin team who run cocktail parties, networking events and learning seminars to ensure that members get to know one another and build strong connections.
If you are a freelancer or entrepreneur, joining a coworking space can be incredibly beneficial to the success of your business as well as your emotional health.
Contact us today and feel the benefits of a Vancouver coworking space.
