the age of of co-working
Gone are the days when office meant an insipid amalgamation of desks, phone lines and bare walls; welcome to the age of of co-working, where teams are increasingly taking to these lively places that are designed to foster a cheerful environment. Apart from the great ambience, co-working places have also inculcated a community, allowing smaller players to hob-knob with industry bigwigs, and at the same time interact and grow from the shared knowledge of the peers.
My tryst with co-working began at CoWorkIn, whose space I used to host regular team meetings, along with conducting training sessions at their space. Amazingly enough, we had all their facilities at our disposal- super-nice staff, a formal yet easy-going atmosphere along with promising collaboration opportunities. It is hardly surprising that I find myself going back to their spaces, present across the city.
Being an avid follower of the startup ecosystem in the country, I have found tremendous networking opportunities at co-working spaces. Every desk is likely to house firebrand teams slogging hard to give wings to their ideas. Topping it all is the free flow of coffee and other beverages, and in some cases a pantry as well! It is quite common for these places to be loaded with graffiti and cool quotes, ensuring a continuous flow of work-time motivation! For a smaller company they provide all the luxuries of a big, fancy office while remaining comparatively light on the pockets. The plans on offer range from single day, weekly, monthly and so on. Technology has empowered an increasingly mobile work-force, and along with the rise of the gig economy and the attached freelancers and independent service providers, co-working spaces are definitely the way forward. From a personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that even though most drop in due to the space, they stay largely for the community that surrounds.
Co writer: Rajshree Sharma
