Users of Coworking Spaces Face a Variety of Challenges

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Users of Coworking Spaces Face a Variety of Challenges - The most prevalent issues experienced by coworking space users were revealed in a recent poll. While many professionals continue to prefer coworking spaces, only 77 percent of coworking members are currently satisfied with their current location.

As coworking space operators face increased competition from other operators and property owners, resolving members' primary issues is critical to retaining a solid membership base and keeping the space open in the long run.

Noise and distraction

Since the beginning, annoyance and noise have been common complaints about coworking spaces. Increased noise levels are distracting, resulting in lower productivity and, in certain situations, higher levels of stress.

Fortunately, coworking space managers (and members) can employ a range of techniques to overcome this issue.

Noise-canceling headphones are an effective choice for coworking members, especially while they are working on tasks that need focus.

If a chatty coworker is the main source of annoyance for coworking members, there are several options for dealing with this annoyance, including scheduling a meeting (if they are chatting about work-related issues), asking them to take the conversation to the social area rather than the work area, or simply being honest. and express your dissatisfaction with their conversation.

Invasion of privacy

Lack of privacy, like noise disturbance, has been one of the most common concerns among coworking space members since the concept gained traction.

People still value and require privacy to accomplish their best job, even though today's work is increasingly collaborative. More crucially, for those who handle sensitive information regularly in coworking spaces where members do not work for the same company, privacy is a major concern.

Install panels and dividers, employ translucent walls, and strike a balance between private and shared workplaces.

When it comes to connectivity, online security, data analytics, and, in some situations, biometrics, privacy is a big worry in today's technology-driven business world.

There are only a few spots available.

Members of coworking spaces face space constraints. This is more likely to occur among coworking members who have memberships in coworking spaces rather than private offices. This isn't surprising, given that studies have shown that coworking spaces have less square footage per person than corporate offices.

Access to extra work areas and surroundings, such as lounges, kitchens, and break rooms, is a one-way coworking space that counteracts the reduction in square footage per worker.

Coworking space managers are recommended to encourage all members to use the common spaces, as well as meeting rooms, to ensure that coworking members do not feel confined by their physical environment.

Consider adding personal storage options, such as lockers and shelves, to assist members to feel like they have more space.

Insufficient equipment

Many coworking space operators are overly focused on perks and incentives and have forgotten what coworking members require from their workspace. A third of coworkers stated their coworking space lacked adequate technology.

Consider doing a poll or contacting the coworking space you intend to employ to ensure that members have access to the resources they require.

Inability to customize one's space

This has become one of the key issues for coworking space operators as the number of coworking spaces has grown.

While a coworking space must keep its identity and branding as a coworking space, members should also feel like the space is their own; this is especially true if you operate a client-facing business and meet with clients frequently.

To solve this issue, most coworking spaces have specific restrictions about how dedicated desks and private office members can personalize their workstations (i.e. add pictures, plants, decorative items, or even their business logo).