At a time when coworking is increasingly gaining interest, being aware and understanding what really is a shared workspace about, is an important mission.
Coworking in few words :
Basically, a coworking is a shared workspace also known as « coworking space » or « shared desk ».Although his recent expansion, the concept is not new, it has recently increased due to two main reasons : the rise of self-employment and their increasing need for social exchanges and interactions.Coworkings are places that stimulate exchanges and where freelancers, self-employed and unaffiliated can receive advice and take advantage of an incredible synergy that encourages creativity and productivity.
Coworking at WAO
Inaugurated in 2019, We Are Open Coworking is a creative shared workspace in the centre of Brussels, in each of his offers and services, you will always find their three main values :Ecology – Cooperativity – SustainabilityThe instigators were dreaming of a collaborative workspace in which friendliness, cooperation and mutual aid would be primordial, and that is exactly what happened !
Benefits of Coworking
The sphere
There are lots of advantages to attend coworking spaces. Firstly, they offer you a work structure that considerably enhance your productivity and help you to manage your time. Basically, you do the same amount of work but in a shorter time.
On top of that, greater than just finding a professional environment, you can attend a place where the general working atmosphere is friendly and where both are wisely mixed.
Flexibility
Coworking are flexible in two main aspects.
- The freedom concerning the management of your schedule. Indeed, you are free to decide whether you want to work in the morning, the afternoon or throughout the day. You can start whenever you want and without any external pressure or stress linked to your schedule or deadlines.
- A huge flexibility that avoids concrete engagement. For instance, not having to conclude leases, etc. This flexibility offers you a significant time saving and reduce of cost which is essential, especially in the beginning of an activity.
Diversity of services
Working in shared workspaces, enlarges the field of possibilities. Thanks to this advantage, you can enjoy « all in one » offers. In addition, a good coworking provides you well equipped spaces with furnitures and devices. The more polyvalent is the offer, the more useful will the diversity of services be (according to your need!). That way, your cost is drastically reduced and you enjoy the fun of a great community.
Work life and private life balance
When you start an activity, it’s not always easy to make the difference between professional and private life, especially when you are home working. Working in a shared workspace helps you to settle the contrast between those two distinct lifestyles. Away of your daily worries (groceries, laundry…), you can now easily settle this difference you are less distracted, can concentrate and manage your task in better conditions.
Networking
Networking is an important way to evolve as a company. That way, your workspace will become a meeting ground and will give you the opportunity to meet people helpful for your business without having to do researches (thanks to all the source of information that you have easily got from the person that is interesting for your activity).
Improve your social life
It can maybe seem strange but working out of your daily environment can help you to keep in touch with other people and improve your social life which is really important, especially nowadays when the cases of burnout and depression are sadly increasing. Working in a shared workspace will save you from isolation and loneliness. Of course, it is still nice to homework but loneliness can quickly take place. That is why getting out of your comfort zone and keeping in touch with the world is absolutely necessary.
The Community
By working in shared workspaces you will naturally develop a sense of community. That stimulates a working synergy which is really helpful to promote cooperation and daily discovers in a coworking. In few words, this community sense in a must !
Be careful about those points :
Before starting this incredible adventure. You should be aware that working in shared workspaces doesn’t fit everyone. Here are the main points you should be aware of before registering in a coworking space.
- Firstly, if you have an innovative project and need to keep it confidential, an open space environment may not be the best idea.
- Secondly, organising yourself before attending shared workspaces is essential. In order to work at ease, it is important to have your own materials (computers, tablets, alimentation wires, etc.). Although coworkings are often at the cutting edge of technology, having your own devices will definitely make your life easier!
- Moreover, if you think about registering in a coworking, do not expect to work in total silence. You will surely have to deal with some noise, between the discussions of other coworkers, the break of others… Luckily, there is always a way to avoid this inconvenience (silent rooms, earphones, earplugs…).
- Finally, when your project is developing and you realise that you need specific material, workforce, etc. Open spaces are maybe no longer the best solution than it was at the beginning of your business.
Small trick, to enhance a coworking experience !
In Brussels, in order to support self-employed in the beginning of their activities, and to encourage work in open spaces, a 450 euro bonus is available for each companies. To make this advantage available for his clients, WAO Coworking add to meet several conditions that you can read in this article
In order to benefit from this offer, you either have to be :
- A self-employed resident of the Brussels-Capital Region, having a business or a company project corresponding to a specific sector of activity,
- A micro-company located in Brussels-Capital Region subscribed since at least 3 years at the BCE (Carrefour Bank of Entreprise) and relate to those specific sectors of activity.
If you fit one of those conditions, you only have to subscribe on the Brussels Environment and Jobs website and choose WAO – We Are Open – Coworking Brussels.
Concluding Remarks
As you surely noticed, unlike all the disadvantages connected to shared workspaces or coworkings, all the advantages are linked. A great proof that to each of those disadvantages a solution is easily suitable.Now that you are aware of all the pros and cons linked to WAO Coworking Brussels and about coworking in general, don’t hesitate to contact us.If you recognise yourself in the philosophy and value of WAO Coworking, we would be really happy to welcome you in our spaces! Don’t hesitate to go and check our offers and find the one that fits you the best !
