How to choose the perfect coworking space for your company.
Moving to a new working space is a demanding challenge, especially if you have to move a big team. As a freelancer, you just need to think about yourself and which key elements motivate you, but you need to take into consideration many aspects when moving together with your team.
If you are looking for a private working space, you will have your own tenant agreement and you will have the entire responsibility for the space, but if you are looking for something flexible where you can connect and network, the best option would be to look for a coworking space.
Coworking spaces can provide you with many additional services that you would not have if you decide to own your working space. This will make your job easier, as you can focus on your own business while the community managers make sure you have everything available and ready for you.
As a former community manager in different coworking spaces in Amsterdam, I was able to learn a lot about managing a community, organizing events, developing local partnerships, and negotiating deals for all team sizes: from freelancers to founders, to startups, small companies, and big corporations (+200people). This opportunity allowed me to better understand the importance of coworking spaces in companies' growth.
These are the elements that I believe are key to take into consideration when looking for a new coworking space:
1. Location
One of the most important aspects is location. It means where the space is located and how easy it is to get there.
Sometimes people think that being in the city center is the best option, but it is not always true. Being in the center is more expensive, so depending on your budget, you might have to consider other alternatives. Looking for metro, train, and bus stops will be important to take into consideration as it will facilitate your team to access their new office.
Another thing to observe is the surrounding area where the space is. Do you have restaurants nearby? Do you have gyms or sports centers around? Do you have other service providers close by? These types of questions are very important because they will bring additional value to your team, and they can be seen as a benefit for them.
2. Price
For most people, it is the most important aspect to take into consideration when looking for a coworking space, but as you will see, it does not always mean that by paying more you will be given more.
Of course, as you move towards the city center, the price goes up, but this does not mean that the service is better or that the space is nicer. Working in the city center means that you are within walking distance to everything else and that has a cost.
The way to get the price more attractive to you is to negotiate a term. Negotiating the price for a 6-month contract is not the same for a 1-year or a 2-year contract. When negotiating a longer term, discounts can be applied, but this means that you need to manage well the long-term growth of the team. If the team size increases faster than you have thought, there is no problem, as coworking spaces will facilitate, but if the opposite happens, you might find yourself in a difficult scenario where you will have to try to negotiate the old contract. Flexibility and loyalty play important role in these types of negotiations. During Covid-19, many companies tried to re-negotiate their contract with coworking spaces, and not all were successful.
Therefore, when negotiating with a potential new member I focus on the value instead of the price. Understanding the value that people are looking for in a coworking space and delivering that value (or better) makes the difference and can even make people pay more than what they were thinking about.
3. Space
The look and feel of a coworking space is a key motivational element to me, but practicality is also as important. In addition to the working space (Office or Desk), there are many things that coworking spaces can provide: Company Registration, Postal addresses, Meeting Rooms, Telephone Booths, Printing Services, Reception services, 24/7 access, and many others.
There are also other smaller benefits, that depending on your preferences can play an important role in your decision such as free coffee or if the place is pet friendly.
It is essential to schedule a tour to see the space. In order to avoid multiple tours, try to look for photos and virtual tours. It is crucial to only visit places that you are curious or interested in. This will help you save time and provide relevant insights into your decision.
4. Community
A good work environment is necessary in order for your team to be happy with the working space. The coworking spaces make the house rules, which are the base for a strong community, but the environment is made by people (staff and members). Depending on the industries that work in the space, you might have different types of events and it might be more interesting to you or not in order to network, develop a potential collaboration or partnership, or even get new clients.
The best way to connect with people is to join the events. Depending on the coworking space you go to, you will have different events. There are some standard events, such as Friday Drinks, Yoga Sessions, and International Lunch, but creativity plays a vital role when thinking about the type of events to organize. Ask about it and get interested. Events are the main activity that will differentiate a coworking space from a normal office space.
How to decide?
I suggest you make a list where you prioritize all the elements described above and understand which elements and benefits are more important to your team and yourself. After taking that list into consideration, and defining a budget, focus on understanding the overall value that a new coworking space can provide to you. In case you are in doubt between 2 or more places, even after doing tours to see them, ask another colleague for an opinion. After all, you all need to like the space ;)
