As we forge ahead into the roaring 2020s and continue to dance around an evolving pandemic* that refuses to quit, we also continue to adapt the way(s) in which we work. Many employers have adopted a hybrid work model, a term that’s been tossed around quite a bit over the last year and essentially means you spend half of the workweek in the office and half at home, or a coffee shop, or a brewery (no judgment). Or … a coworking space. If you’re tinkering with the idea of joining one, this is your sign to give it a whirl. Here are are five reason why.
1. Corporations Have Caught On
One of the biggest trend predictions for 2022 is that more traditional corporations will embrace the coworking workstyle. Why? After having no choice but to adapt to a pandemic way of life—AKA embracing remote or hybrid models—corporations have seen the plus side of things in terms of cost savings due to ditching the big box office space. Plus, coworking offers short- and long-term leases, always appealing to the one paying rent. Due to a more flexible work-life balance that comes with coworking, many companies have also witnessed increased employee satisfaction, which—not surprisingly—has led to greater productivity. Which means happier bosses. Which means happier you. It’s one big happy feedback loop. If you find yourself in a hybrid or remote situation for longer than intended (ahem, Omicron), consider coworking at ALX Community as a solution, where it’s easier to Zoom in a phone booth versus Starbucks (our Wifi is better too. Just sayin.’)
2. Community-building Events
Community has been at the heart of ALX Community ever since we opened our doors more than three years ago. Since then, we’ve watched our members go from strangers to friends to business partners more times than we can count, and every time is as rewarding as the last.
One unique way we’ve built community amongst our members is through our TALX speaker series. Here we invite industry experts of all kinds to speak about their speciality, whether it be an author’s book launch or a realtor getting real about the real estate industry.
In September 2021 we debuted a new speaker series, Founders TALX, which gives local entrepreneurs and leaders direct access to in-person deep dives with notable local business “Founders.” The series kicked off in September with a talk from Bo Davis, Founder and CEO of hospitality tech startup MarginEdge. We’re stoked to launch the 2022 series with a talk from Amir Mostafavi, Founder and CEO of South Block and Fruitful Planet, and hear how he built company culture through community connection (join us here!).
3. For Your Health
We all know that a new year means resolutions, many of which center on improving one’s health. We’re also *still* in a pandemic. And while you can’t control 100 percent of any environment you choose to be in, ALX Community is doing its best to not only maintain a clean workspace, but to exceed the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workplace cleaning and disinfecting. Our cleaning team cleans nightly during the week, and our community team cleans high traffic areas frequently during business hours.
Pandemics aside, we also offer amenities and features that can give your health a boost. Every one of our offices comes with a standing desk, which can improve posture and circulation over the long haul. Both of our locations—the Waterfront and Atrium—offer private wellness rooms that can be used for nursing, meditation, prayer, or whenever you need a moment to step away from your desk and zen out. We also feature a Health & Wellness series in our TALX, covering everything from practicing mindfulness in the workplace to emotional eating to how happiness drives success.
4. An Expanded Networking Network
We all know that coworking and networking are best friends, but a lesser-talked about bonus of coworking is the ability for HR to hire top talent from overseas, thanks to the rise in teleconferencing and its ease of use. While the pandemic has created pockets of isolation, teleconferencing allows us to connect with coworkers in far-flung corners of the world with little more than a stable WiFi connection and time zone cheat sheet.
Casting a wider international net, in turn, broadens your own horizon in terms of potential career advancement, which basically sums up the goal of networking. (Fun fact: The word “networking” was first used in the 1550s to refer to “anything formed in the manner of or presenting the appearance of a net or netting.”) Tap into newfound connections with coworkers across the pond with a Zoom happy hour using the elevated teleconferencing features at ALX Community. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, right?
5. Enhanced Productivity Through Proximity
We’ve talked a lot on the blog about coworking’s effect on productivity, which has been well-documented since pre-pandemic times (remember then?). When household distractions are stripped away and replaced with the more controlled environment of a coworking office, productivity naturally increases. It’s also highly motivating to be surrounded by those doing committed work every day, whether it’s related to your field or not. This can be explained in part by research conducted at Harvard University, which showed that 10 percent of an average worker’s performance spills over to his or her neighboring coworker. This means that regardless of where you inherently fall on the subjective scale of productivity, just being in proximity to another worker is enough to drive your performance up by 10 percent. So, just having an office across the hall from another member, or sitting at a Flex Desk with others nearby, can improve your productivity without you so much as noticing.
The Harvard researchers also estimated that strategic seating could bring in $1 million in annual profit for an organization of 2,000 workers from this small bump in productivity alone. We can’t guarantee a million-dollar edge, but we can promise you delicious free coffee and endless nuzzles from our executive squad:
*Because we are experiencing a post-holiday increase of breakthrough COVID-19 cases, we strongly urge testing for anyone experiencing symptoms. We are committed to the safety of our Members and staff; this is and will remain our top priority. We will contact any Members and guests who meet the contact tracing requirements put forth by the CDC, and we will continue to communicate known positive tests of a person on ALX property.
As activities move indoors for the winter season, we ask you all to remain mindful that COVID-19 is still with us and if you are not feeling well, please stay home.
In order to conduct effective contact tracing, we ask that you bring all guests and non-members who visit ALX to the front desk so that they can sign in.
Ready to join? Click here to tour our locations either virtually or in-person.