Coworking, Coliving, Open space - choose your ideal workspace!

Is there something between an office and a home? If you do not enjoy working in the office, because there are too many rules, and from work at home - because there are not enough rules, this material is for you. Job satisfaction begins when you work among like-minded people, in a comfortable environment, and as a result, you achieve cool goals. We want to tell you a little more about such workspaces that combine all of the above.

Coworking

Back in 2005, a young programmer Brad Newberg started a thing that, no worse than social networks, began to change the lifestyle of modern individuals. Newberg combined the freedom and independence of the freelancer with the stability of office work. Simply put, he decided to share the monthly rent for office space with other freelancers. Everyone was doing their job, but in one workspace - so the concept of coworking was born.

In 2020, coworking is still a workplace shared by people of different professions. It can be free or paid, work around the clock or be rented by the hour. Coworking usually has a number of additional features, such as a coffee machine or comfortable sofas where you can take a nap. This model of collective cooperation is most often used by freelancers or outsourcers. Agree, home clothes and the same landscape from a native window, which you contemplate, looking away from the laptop screen, at some point is tiring. And if you are not a fierce introvert, then the lack of direct communication with colleagues is tiring. To solve these problems, there is coworking with all its advantages (but not without disadvantages).

Pros:

• Coworking is primarily about the opportunity to share experiences, about the environment of like-minded people and networking. When communication is lacking on a freelance basis, welcome to coworking on pitch currents! Of course, we do not advise to interfere with chatter at work, but why not make new acquaintances over a cup of coffee? It is possible that the idea of ​​a new startup will be born during such a non-express.
• Changing your homeroom to a coworking office does not mean that you now have to follow corporate rules. You can dress as you please (even come in pajamas), you can take as many coffee breaks with gingerbread as you need to be more productive, you can come "to work" at any time convenient for you. After all, it's all about personal freedom of action.
• Modern coworking looks more stylish and comfortable. There are seating areas, kitchens with everything you need to eat your lunch as if in a restaurant atmosphere, and stylish interiors for every taste. All that remains is to choose one to your liking.
•  If you need to work with a team, then using coworking is much more profitable than renting a separate room. Most coworking spaces have separate areas for group work.

Cons:

• Working from home is still cheaper than buying a paid coworking pass.
• As in any public place, you should take care of your belongings and treat your hands more often with a sanitizer.
• Most coworking spaces are located in the city center. If you live in a remote area, you will have to spend time on the road. Coworking is a public place. You may like to work in silence, but you can't demand the same from others.

Coliving

 If coworking has long been part of everyday life for many people, then coliving in Ukraine is still considered a niche. You might think that living together in the style of coliving is a common analog of a hostel! However, this is not entirely true.

The fashion for coliving came from America, where in the early 2000s young entrepreneurs and startups began to rent mansions in which they could live and work with their team. In the perspective of the money saved, such cohabitation was more than comfortable. Coliwings quickly became popular among millennials who wanted to build a career in big cities but could not find a cheap place to live.

Today, coliving is mostly young people who share common goals, interests, lifestyles or professions. For example, there are colivings purely for creative individuals or for the IT community. It is important to note that such rooms have a special atmosphere and philosophy, and ideas are generated even when you go out for tea in the shared kitchen on the third night.

Pros:

• Ideal for free extroverts. You have a personal space, but at the same time, you are always surrounded by acquaintances, because it is simply impossible not to know your roommate. In addition, all your neighbors have similar views on life and desire to develop. With them, you can brainstorm 24 to 7!
• It is much cheaper than renting an apartment with a similar level of comfort but one. You can find a short-term collive if your life is not tied to one place while renting a regular home is a few months harder and more expensive.
• If you are a freelancer, you do not even have to spend time on the road to coworking. Usually, there is a special work area in the collivings.

 Cons:

• Your coliving room can be much smaller than you would like. You have to learn the art of organizing space.
• In the shared kitchen, you can not hide that you can burn even an ordinary omelet.
• At some point, you will want more space for yourself to build a personal relationship, for example.

 Open space

New and comfortable conditions of interaction and work are not only for freelancers. Offices are also looking for new solutions to make the workflow more productive. The organization of work in companies in the style of open space is not new. It is used by 70-80% of corporations in the United States, including Google and Facebook. The bottom line is that the whole office is a huge area filled with a lot of jobs. They are not separated by walls or doors, at most - by thin partitions between tables.

This style is considered democratic and modern because employees should feel like one team and share ideas without having to get up from their seats. As a result, the level of interaction, motivation and, accordingly, productivity increases. And for companies, the advantage is that the cost of maintaining such offices is cheaper than usual.

Pros:

• You don't have to go far from the workplace to ask, inform or discuss something. Everything is compact.
•  In work where constant team interaction is required, open space is an ideal solution. In such conditions, "brainstorming" is non-stop, the level of trust among colleagues is growing.
• There are no hidden methods of working in the company - all in front of each other, no time to weave intrigue.

 Cons:

• Noise. Well, of course, in a room with so many people, it will be difficult for an untrained employee to concentrate, because even when everyone works relatively quietly, there is noticeable noise in the sum.
•  You will have to forget about watching TV series from your work computer, because at any moment you can be caught by a colleague, or worse - by your boss. The concept of personal space in open space is almost non-existent. Here all your things and actions are available for the view of others.
•  If the company did not think about the air conditioner or it suddenly broke down, you can imagine yourself at a rock concert - sweat drips into your eyes, but you are not up to it, and a long line lined up for water.

The modern style of organization of the working space is about work for pleasure. Productive work occurs when there is an appropriate atmosphere around you, and the people around you are inspiring. Coworking, coliving or open space - it's all about the magic of the environment, which consists of like-minded people, encourages the exchange of experiences and the creation of something new. After all, in such conditions, there really is a chance to create a startup that will conquer the world. So, don't be afraid to try something new - I have tried and enjoyed the result!

More information you can find in the source I have used https://www.sharednc.com/de/magazin/work-smarter/shared-office (in German) and https://www.coworkingconsulting.com/2018/09/29/whats-the-difference-between-coworking-and-shared-office-space/