3 Factors That Make Co-working Spaces Productive for Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of a progressive economy, and they are defined by small teams that run them. As per recent YourStory article on a KPMG survey, India has 51 million small businesses that employ nearly 40% of the workforce and this number is only set to grow.

Small businesses are mostly run by small teams, SME’s that work on new technologies, breakthrough ideas, and new methodologies. Their work is defined by product and service innovations that will impact the future of major industries in the years to come.

Given the fact that so much rests on the performance of small teams and small businesses, it is important to understand the kind of ambiance and workspace they need to ensure maximum productivity with minimum resources.

Productivity is a relative term. For retailers it means selling goods & services regularly and profitably. For businesses, it means ensuring their employees are working to their maximum potential and providing quality in the hours allocated for work.

Besides the regular parameters of great pay, good perks and a conducive work environment, what is also important is the kind of office space employees work in.

When it comes to designing workspaces, many companies in India - especially smaller ones - don’t have the money and resources to do a professional job. Often times, the office space is set up ‘piecemeal’, with features added on to each other, without considering whether it provides a great work environment, whether employees sitting within the four walls for up to 10 hours at a stretch are really happy to spend their time there.

When it comes to enhancing productivity, co-working spaces are extremely conducive. Below are 3 tangible factors in such spaces that help small businesses in their growth.

1. OPTIMAL SOUND

Sound can be a very subtle but severe irritant, especially when it happens in an office space with 10 other people trying to do their own tasks. Thin walls, echoes, stray sounds can hamper productivity significantly. Sound management isn’t just an absence of sound, but in a busy, bustling office space, the ability to keep it at an optimal level so that employees are not disturbed. For small teams, sound management may include adding sound-absorbing panels to keep away noise, playing music to charge up the atmosphere or allowing a minimal amount to permeate the workspace in order to prevent distraction.

While individual office spaces have to undertake this effort under considerable expenditure, co-working spaces like Golden Square have specific rooms designed to cater to individual needs. People are provided private rooms with no disturbance and shared workspaces where selective sound permeates and small cubicles for engagement and collaboration.

2. FUNCTIONAL SEATING

Most employees spend a minimum of five hours at a stretch seated at their desk surrounded by people in close proximity. Some may like this arrangement. However, prolonged hours in such a position without the space to move around and stretch can be stressful for others. Workspaces designed for people around their needs are comfortable, flexible and increase productivity. Small teams that need to connect with each other often, strategize and plan their work, do well when seated around each other. It enhances engagement, collaboration and ensures more gets done.

Golden Square’s co-working spaces are perfect for small businesses since they are tailored around team sizes factoring future needs of growth and expansion. The spaces allow people to choose how they want to engage and collaborate with others, ensuring maximum productivity with minimal distractions in an optimal work environment.

3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Research has continually revealed that business often happens, when people are relaxed, reveal their true selves and are not bound by the stress of their corporate roles. The opposite of this is also seen. To ensure that people engage and communicate in a relaxed, open environment, common areas work perfectly. They allow people to meet and engage freely, there is sharing of hobbies and ideas and out of this grows collaborations and a larger vision.

While it is often difficult for a single company to provide its employees with flexible options, Golden Square’s co-working spaces are equipped with communal areas to facilitate cross-business and casual engagement. Conference rooms, board rooms, small cubicles and even large open networking spaces offer a variety of options depending on the requirement. Knowledge sharing and engagement hasn’t just helped generate business but has made some of these professionals friends for life.

Small businesses, especially those just starting out are driven by a deep passion and hard work. While setting up space for themselves from scratch might be impossible, co-working spaces with the right ambiance and facilities can be very productive and help in their growth.