In a practical sense, we know how coworking actually works. People from all walks of life come together in a shared space and they work. That’s how it works where we co-work anyway. But there are probably some of you who would like to know how coworking works in a psychological sense.
Good question.
Sit back and relax as we attempt to give you some sort of sensible answer. In our experience, the psychology of coworking, and how our members make it work for them, can be broken down into four areas.
They are less stressed: What we try and create is an environment where everyone is welcomed, and where they are
comfortable. We’re not control freaks, micro managers, or bullying bosses. Instead, we’re providers of a coworking space where people are able to be themselves, and where our members work to their own pace and agenda. In this less stressful environment, our members do their best work.
They have more control: Working in a conventional office can seem like being back in school with everyone sitting at their designated desks and under a state of constant supervision. In this authoritarian setting, they’re expected to perform yet having someone looking over your shoulder is actually counter-productive. On the other hand, our members achieve so much more in a co-working environment because it is communal and democratic, and feels more like home than school, or an office.
They’re part of a community: We see our coworking spaces as small communities. That’s very important to us, and to our members. Corporate work environments can be competitive places, and the interactions can seem forced, yet co-
working spaces allow our members to meet like-minded people who have the same attitudes, interests, and struggles. This is a fantastic way to grow personal or professional networks while having other people around them that are actually working is a great motivator.
They work when they’re feeling productive: Productivity doesn’t keep office hours, and neither do we. Our memberships are designed to be flexible and we offer access outside traditional office hours by prior arrangement. This fits in with the needs of our members who work at their best while others are taking it easy. Hey, we’re a community and we’re all different in how we work. The psychology of coworking works for us. It makes perfect sense and explains why our members are a productive and happy lot. We’re thrilled we can create an environment where they can do their best work, at a time and pace that suits them.
