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Julie Tucker
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How coworking can help with networking

One thing you can be sure of when you rent a coworking space; you’ll always have plenty of opportunities for networking!

Networking is incredibly useful for small businesses, sole traders, start-ups, freelancers and entrepreneurs to form new business relationships. The more co-workers there are around you, the more opportunities there will be to recognise and pursue opportunities, share information and collaborate with potential partners for new ventures.

Career benefits
The career benefits are immense, as networking in a coworking environment gives you the best chance of developing relationships. When you compare coworking with remote, freelance or home working, it’s easy to see what an ideal opportunity it presents to integrate with other people – you can develop your businesses together.

It sounds too good to be true that you can improve your networking circle just by going to work, but this is exactly what coworking offers. There’s the chance to meet someone from a different profession or company over a quick coffee break, or you might bump into someone from your own industry simply by popping over to the water cooler.

Coworking means being surrounded by like-minded people who have great ideas, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial skills. This provides the most creative environment possible and is likely to improve your engagement and productivity, as there will always be someone around to bounce ideas off.

Distractions of home working
When working at home, there are often too many things to distract you, such as the fridge, the television, or browsing social media sites. It’s also terribly lonely, as the recent cohort of home workers have discovered this last six months.

If you’re working in a public place, such as a café, the distractions are likely to be other customers who are there just to socialise, people continually walking past your table and the general hustle and bustle of being in a place where customers are ordering food and drink and chatting.

When you opt for coworking, you’re surrounded by a community, with people who are dedicated to work and running their business. Everybody you meet and speak to will potentially be valuable as a professional contact. There are plenty of opportunities to meet people, form bonds and develop great working relationships, as well as the potential for creating new business opportunities.

Networking made easy
In a world where it can be hard to meet people in a professional sense, you will usually have to actively seek them out when you’re trying to build your business. Coworking spaces enable you to access numerous people who could either help you grow your company in terms of partnerships, or who could become new clients.

Networking with fellow co-workers also helps you to gain useful knowledge. Starting conversations could lead to soaking up valued advice from someone more experienced and knowledgeable. Getting some tips for your new business can help you grow quicker.

Home workers “lack motivation” – survey
Coworking puts you in the right mindset for networking, as opposed to working from home, where you’re more likely to lack motivation.

According to a new report, Homeworking in the UK, compiled by Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research after the first Covid-19 lockdown this year, only 40% of people working from home felt the same level of motivation as when they worked alongside other people. Almost one-third of homeworkers said they had got considerably less work done than when they were in the office. Motivation and engagement were the biggest challenges cited by respondents.

Lacking the motivation to work can also lead to a similar lack of interest in socialising. As you become used to your own company, you might start networking less without even realising it. By using a coworking space, you’ll find yourself in the thick of it, with the chance to speak to everyone around you and even make new friends.

There’s also the diversity factor of coworking – you’ll be integrating with people from many different walks of life and professions, so the ideal environment to flourish and make the most of networking!

Prime city locations
Finding a flexible and affordable workspace in prime city locations is an added bonus of coworking.

For a great deal on an even better location, contact Headspace Group today!

 

© dragonstock / Adobe Stock

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