6 Signs It’s Time to Find a Coworking Space Near You

Over the past several years, there have been two large-scale experiments in how people work: participating in ‘a coworking space near me’ and remote work. Freelancers, small business owners, and office branches across every industry were using new crowdsourcing and service models to find convenient and amenities-full locations to work or hold meetings before 2020. Then, we saw a tremendous shift to remote work, where people worked from home offices, kitchen tables, and the occasional coffee to get things done outside of an office. 

Now, in 2023, companies can take a step back and determine the right fit for their team’s needs. The results of these two experiments provided two key findings: 69% of employees work more productively when they can work in different settings throughout the day, whether that’s a work stint at home, a meeting in a local office, and some afternoon project management in a tea shop. At the same time, 83% of workers report less loneliness after signing up for a coworking space.

So whether you want to make sure everyone on your team has the right variety of locations to thrive and be productive or company culture and social engagement are your priorities, a coworking space near you is an essential tool for any approach. Keep reading to see what coworking spaces offer for businesses ranging from solopreneur companies to big regional branches and some common signs that it’s time to find a coworking space.

What Does a Coworking Space Near You Bring to the Table in 2023?

A coworking space is more than the empty office space it used to be at the beginning of the trend. Instead, today’s spaces are full of on-site amenities for productive work, creative and inspiring spaces that foster deep thinking, and relaxed areas for formal and informal meetings. 

Related: The Real Effects of Inspiring Office Space on Work

Managed and furnished correctly, coworking spaces encourage all types of work and communication for individuals, groups, and teams. As a result of this transformation, occupants are happier and more productive. Even a simple style shift to include more greenery can unleash more relaxed thinking, better mindsets and moods, and increased attention span.

Because every detail matters, the ideal coworking spaces will provide these features and benefits:

• Location: A short drive, easy access to mass transit, and walkable access are essential, so tailor your search to ‘coworking spaces near me.’
• Lots of lighting: Modern spaces can offer much more light, particularly natural light, through large windows. This boosts attention, energy, and focus.
• Outdoor spaces: Less formal or traditional workspaces can create deeper connections during meetings or be perfect for a quick reset between deep work sessions.
• Variety of spaces: Good coworking centers offer individual workspaces for calls or secure work, conference rooms, small meeting rooms, open environments, and everything in between. Coworking spaces may offer dedicated desks, rentable private offices, and other fixed work spots.
• Additional amenities: Virtual membership, dedicated mailboxes, and lockers can also benefit your work preferences.

Whether you’ve tried older coworking models or had a vision of cubicles and small offices, today’s coworking spaces prioritize more vibrant and creative options. Now that you know what a modern coworking space can and should offer, you can more easily picture the value it might provide your business. 

6 Signs You Need to Find a Coworking Space Near You

Are you feeling a slump at work or looking for ways to keep your team connected? Is there a mandated return to work from an out-of-state headquarters, or do you feel that working from home destabilizes your work-life balance? There are many ways to address these and other work challenges, and moving to a new space might be the perfect fit. Here are six signs it’s time to find a coworking space near you.

1. You or your team are less productive than anticipated.

Work-from-home models aren’t inherently unproductive. In fact, working from home just a few times a month results in more productivity for approximately 77% of workers, and long-term, flexible work arrangements can increase productivity by 13%. However, utterly remote work isn’t necessarily the best fit for all companies at all times, and you may notice productivity slumps. Some situations that make fully remote models a bad fit include:

• Training periods for large groups of new hires, especially in collaboration-heavy roles
• When frequent communication and collaboration are needed on non-standard projects
• In preparation for peak activity seasons

In these circumstances, teams can benefit from coworking spaces as a seasonal alternative to remote work or an option for hybrid work cycles. If you work alone, you may also notice that your productivity and motivation are slipping when you work at home. Testing out a coworking membership can more clearly delineate work cycles, separate work from home life, and give you a more productive space.

2. You need a professional space to meet clients and business partners.

There are many times when virtual meetings simply aren’t a good fit. Your startup may be making a presentation to potential investors. Leadership representatives from your out-of-state headquarters may be coming to town to meet the team. You may even want an in-person space for meeting clients, whether you’re an accountant, an architect, or a caterer. 

Coworking spaces can provide beautifully furnished conference rooms with the technology for hybrid meetings, presentations, recordings, and more.

3. Information security is a top priority for your business and is at risk.

Professionals who want to step away from home to do their work can encounter problems if they make frequent calls or need to work with private documents. A library or coffee shop simply isn’t sufficient for doing work and protecting information. 

Related: The Benefits of Coworking Spaces for Startups: 6 Reasons to Make the Move

Instead, coworking spaces offer a range of dedicated desks or closed private offices where you can work in privacy without staying trapped at home. Depending on the coworking space, they might even have security measures so you can leave your work there without worry.

4. You have specific amenities you need to do business.

Every business is different. For example, you may need:

• Just a mailbox, so you aren’t using your home address (but a PO box won’t do). 
• A conference room once a month for meetups with the whole team.
• A workspace separate from your family.
• Different locations keep you focused on different aspects of work, such as an outdoor table for brainstorming, a window view of the city for writing and deep work, and a fun, informal atmosphere as you work through emails.
• Short-term or intermittent space for your company or team without the long-term arrangements of conventional office real estate.

Coworking spaces are built to be flexible and versatile, so you can always find what you’re looking for.

5. Your (or your team’s) work-life balance is suffering.

While remote work can boost productivity and fit the needs of busy employees, it also has its drawbacks. Some of the negative impacts remote work can have on work-life balance include:

• Not having clear lines of when the work day begins and ends
• Being unable to disconnect fully because of BYOD policies or unclear boundaries leads 41% of remote workers to feel stress (compared to 25% of in-office workers)
• Distraction, especially when other people are at home
• Social isolation
• Disconnecting from coworkers, which can fuel general dissatisfaction at work to misunderstandings about roles and specific tasks

If you notice an uptick in these problems, implement a hybrid work schedule with a coworking space.

6. Your current office or workspace is too expensive or too small.

Of course, you may already have a separate workspace for yourself or your team. But if that space no longer fits your needs, consider moving to a new one. For example, your current space may be inconveniently far away, too small for the size of your existing team, or not offer the amenities and features of other coworking spaces. When your current place comes up short, compile a list of what you need, such as more workspace options, a conference room, or mailboxes and lockers. Then see what local options can be a much better fit.

Make the Switch to a New Coworking Space Near You

Trying to make do when a poor-fit workspace isn’t a tenable situation. Working just from home can be isolating or distracting. Public venues like coffee shops might not offer the quiet or security you need, and conventional office spaces may be out of reach or out of touch.

Instead, consider a shift to a modern coworking space near you like Vuka. At our two Austin locations, we offer unique and beautifully designed workspaces, outdoor environments for work, high-speed internet and office resources, a kitchen with bottomless beverages, and more. Contact us today to schedule a tour or sign up for our Try-it Tuesdays to see how our perks and work environments suit your style.