By Tian DuBelko
Whether you’re a part-time freelancer, a fledgling startup, or an experienced business, you can find many benefits to working in a shared office space. In the right tech workspace, you’ll find the ideal environment to expand your operation and grow your business.
Adaptable to the ever-changing needs of all kinds of clients, shared offices offer their members an existing IT support system and an infrastructural facility. For tech companies especially, a shared office is the best place to hire talent and meet investors. You’ll also have easy access to services in different areas such as marketing and engineering, saving yourself a whole lot of time and stress in the process.
Other benefits of shared offices include a scalable, flexible lease, along with office supplies and utilities. And, perhaps most importantly, a shared office space offers you great networking opportunities with other professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors. In this article, we’ve put together an ultimate, comprehensive guide to the 31 benefits of working in a shared office geared for tech companies.
1. Access to Professional Services
Members in a shared office space generally have similar needs when it comes to services such as design, development, legal, and accounting. As a member of a shared tech space, you have access to a professional network of services and a tech ecosystem filled with the people who provide growth.
2. Potential For Company Growth
In the right shared office, you can quickly identify talent and future investors for your startup. Not only will you be able to expand your personal and professional networks, your company will thrive in this collaborative environment as well.
3. Expanded Networks
You’ll naturally increase your network simply by working in a shared office. You can also connect with the influencers and decision makers in the field. Between potential clients, business partners, and potential team members, you are bound to make connections with other talented and driven professionals.
4. New Clients
A shared office is a like-minded, collaborative environment for you to find and meet new clients. When you have identified a potential client, you can also impress them in the conference rooms that come with the shared office membership.
5. A Flexible Lease
Since your office needs may fluctuate monthly or even weekly, a shared office allows you to choose the right set up for you and your company. Whether that’s temporary hot desks or private offices, you’ll have an array of different options to choose from that will suit your day-to-day operation.
6. Better Internet Connection
An unspoken perk of shared office spaces is the insanely fast WiFi. As more and more businesses move over to the digital media, it’s become more important than ever to have a good Internet connection. While in a shared office, you won’t ever have to deal with slow Internet or have to fix it yourself.
7. No Utility Bills
Many freelancers and tech startups have turned to shared offices in recent years, in part due to the included utility bills. When you don’t have to deal with nagging service providers and repairs, you can focus on what is truly important: your business.
Even if you’re an independent worker, you don’t have to work alone in a shared office space.
8. Independent Work, Not Lonely Work
Even if you prefer to fly solo on projects, you can still work independently in a supportive space and not feel alone. We’re naturally social creatures, and being around others satisfies our need to communicate and socialize. You can still have watercooler conversations in a shared office, and bounce ideas off your peers.
9. Scalability
With flexible membership plans, you can easily scale your operation up or down. Also, when you’re ready to scale up and add new members to your team, there’s no better place to look for talented professionals than in the community around you.
10. Improve Your Life/Work Balance
There’s no beating working in pajamas, but working in a professional environment will get you out of your home. But most importantly, it will make you feel like a professional. Not to mention, you’ll be free of distractions like TV and your fridge.
11. Fully Furnished Offices
Nearly all shared offices come fully furnished with tables, hot desks, and working areas. Most membership packages include access to essential services like WiFi, professional printing, phone services, and a modern IT facility.
12. Amenities / Perks
With shared offices, utilities such as water and the Internet are included, as are other amenities including coffee and kitchen supplies. It might not seem like much, but saving a couple Starbuck’s cups worth of coffees daily will add up quickly in the long run.
13. Team Building
Growing as a company typically involves bringing other members onboard your company. If you’re starting small, there will come a time when you will need to scale up. When you’re ready to take that next step and hire someone to help you, there’s no better place to do it than in the supportive environment of a shared office.
14. A Diverse Community
Due to the nature of a shared office space, you’ll likely be a part of a diverse community of freelancers, startups, and entrepreneurs. Even if they’re not in your field, being exposed to a wide range of developers, programmers, and other technologists can allow you to make some great connections and meet like-minded people.
15. More Productivity
Studies have shown that being in the same office as other hard-working and driven professionals lead to greater motivation and increased productivity. Who knew being away from the distractions of home and in a professional work setting leads to more productive work?
16. Unlimited Networking Opportunities
Thanks to an open floor and many events for mingling, shared offices allow for easy and frequent networking. It’s likely that you’ll meet someone new every week, if not more frequently. Through a shared office, you can easy find work or employees for your company.
17. Access to Expert Help
Being in a shared office space gives you access to the knowledgeable staff. You’ll also be surrounded by some of the best minds in their respective industries. Once you get to know your peers, you’ll have expert friends in areas from digital marketing to programming and design.
18. Community Events
Most shared office spaces also organize events and social functions to build rapport and educate the local community. As a member of a shared office space, you will be in the know of interesting events and education opportunities from workshops to lectures about startups and entrepreneurship.
An open area allows for a relaxed, calming work environment.
19. Open Areas
A shared office space means an open office space which means no walls. When there are literally no barriers stopping you, it fosters a collaborative work environment where you’re encouraged to frequently interact with your colleagues and peers.
20. Easy Communication
Because of a lack of dividers and walls, you can easily communicate with the professional community around you. You can ask for their help, get their advice, or simply pick their brains for knowledge on a subject you don’t know. You’re bound to meet experts of all kinds of different industries in a shared office, so don’t hesitate to introduce yourself.
21. An Existing IT Structure
It’s nearly impossible to conduct business in the modern age without reliable technology. For startups on a shoestring budget, there is simply not enough funding for dedicated, on-site IT support. Most shared offices, however, have dedicated support on-location, meaning you can focus on your work instead of on IT problems.
22. Accessibility / Convenience
Most shared offices are open 24/7, meaning freelancers and businesses don’t have to abide by normal business hours. And so, for the entrepreneur on the go, you can set your schedule according to your preferences. And whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, a shared office space can cater to your needs at any time of the day.
23. Security
For many people, working in a shared office brings about a peace of mind. Most shared offices operate using keycards or 24/7 desk security, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your business is operating out of a secure place.
24. Different Office Options
Every company has different office needs. However, in a shared office space, you have a variety of working models to choose from, whether that’s in a private office, from a hot desk, or in a conference room. No matter what your working needs are, a shared office will help you choose the best fit for your style.
25. Increased Motivation
A shared office space has its own culture. That culture is usually made up of other like-minded, ambitious people. Working while surrounded by other dynamite thinkers can be very motivating, which means a greater work rate and getting more done.
26. Cost Effectiveness
Being a member of a shared office space makes a lot more sense than renting your own office for financially-prudent entrepreneurs. Not only can you save on utilities, but you also don’t have to stress over installing an office infrastructure and maintaining it. The shared office staff will take care of that for everyone.
27. Exposure to (Inter)National Business Opportunities
Since shared office memberships are so flexible, you don’t have to worry about being tied down to one place should your company gain national exposure. If you’re looking for national or international exposure, a shared office space can be an excellent way to make your business known to a region and access a wide network of business professionals and connections.
28. Learn New Skills
If you’re a tech company in need of IT training for your employees, then a modern, tech-focused shared office is exactly what you need. With a career school for students who want to work in IT, some shared offices can help you or your employees quickly learn the important IT skills and qualifications.
A shared office space can help you network and form meaningful relationships.
29. Forge Meaningful Relationships
So, working alongside other professionals will allow you to gradually develop genuine, meaningful relationships with your peers. Even if these aren’t business relationships, you can come away with meaningful, personal relationships while working in a shared office.
30. Personal Growth
There’s no denying it: there’s more human interaction in a shared office space than working from your bedroom or Starbucks. That’s an avenue for personal growth that is unmatched in other work environments. Take advantage of the collaborative space and work on not only your company but also on yourself.
31. Comfortable Working Conditions
Perhaps the most important feature of a shared office space is that it offers entrepreneurs and companies a safe zone to operate their business. Surrounded by other dynamic individuals, you can work comfortably knowing that you have the support of an entire tech community.
Ready to Jump Right In?
Choosing the right shared tech office space can jumpstart your tech business and accelerate your company’s growth. In the right ecosystem, you’ll have an easier time hiring top talent, expanding your network, and even securing the next round of funding.
Think your Seattle tech company might be a good fit for ExtraSlice’s community of trendsetters and innovators? Then book a tour of our tech campus or visit our website to learn more about The Place for Tech!
