Functional shared office spaces demand the availability of certain amenities for ensuring productivity and seamlessness. Trends in the coworking realm indicate that more members are looking for niche coworking spaces, along with boutique office solutions. Here is a list of must-have amenities for your shared office space:
1.Lightning Fast Wi-Fi
Lightning-fast wifi is a prerequisite in a shared workspace. Individuals might be ready to put up with uncomfortable seating, or mediocre coffee, however, laggy and dysfunctional wifi is a definite deal-breaker. In order to ensure that members have a fast, reliable internet connection and work is carried out in a proper manner, coworking owners should invest in quality IT.
- Ergonomic Seating
As members are going to spend most of their time sitting in chairs, it is essential to ensure that the chairs are comfortable, adjustable, and ergonomically sound. It is also best to provide some kind of variety in the seating options so that members can choose as per their preferences.
- Flexible Workspaces
Flexibility is undoubtedly one of the biggest perks of shared workspaces. Some days might warrant working in isolated cubicles, while at other times, individuals might want to sit at a community table and brainstorm with other members. In order to ensure this kind of flexibility, coworking owners should provide members with a range of workspace options: dedicated desks, shared tables, standing desks, shared cabins, and private cubicles.
- Phone Booths/Call Areas
Phone booths and designated areas for making calls serve a dual purpose: they provide members with a place wherein they can make private calls, without disturbing those around them and members working in an open space do not have to listen to one-sided private conversations while they are busy working.
- Well-Equipped Meeting Rooms
While not every coworking member requires access to meeting rooms, there will always be those who do. Meeting rooms are instrumental in holding client meetings, brainstorming sessions, presentations, events, and interviews. They can also be used for long professional calls in case one is not comfortable speaking in the designated call area.
- An Approachable Community Manager
Community managers hold coworking spaces together and help foster a sense of community. They answer queries, greet people entering the space, provide tours to potential members, plan key community events, and field questions all day long. The best community managers remain abreast with what each member is working on, what issues they are struggling with, and what can be done in order to make the coworking experience better for everyone.
- State-of-the-Art Office Equipment
Fully-functional coworking spaces require state-of-the-art office equipment, such as high-quality printers, scanners, and copiers. Make sure that you always have an IT team at your disposal, as glitches and malfunctions are bound to occur with repeated and consistent use. If you do not have a competent support service in place, work processes are bound to lag and suffer.
- A Functional Kitchen/Eating Area
Every shared workspace should offer free beverages, such as tea and coffee. While this is a basic amenity, endless tea/coffee has become the selling point for coworking spaces. Along with this, a fully-functional kitchen and eating area should be a part of every space, as this will allow members to make quick meals and eat together in one area.
- Mail Service
The most lucrative benefit of working in a coworking space is that small businesses/startups can have a professional mailing address. While some shared workspaces have physical mailboxes, others might have a locking file cabinet or some other kind of mail storage area.
- Recreational Area
Productivity can only be churned out when one is provided with recreational outlets. The best coworking spaces feature a common recreational area that is stocked with amenities such as nap rooms, gaming zones, etc. This will provide coworking professionals with a space to rewind and bonds with their coworkers, thereby bolstering harmony.
Does your coworking space possess these amenities? If yes, there’s nothing more one can ask for!
