Whether you know them as co-working offices or collaborative workspaces, the notion of working in shared spaces is becoming more popular. Even before COVID-19, many businesses were experimenting with working in locations like these, and the results were very interesting.  

Of course, we’re biased. We have great collaborative office spaces in Durban. But there are benefits of working like this, and we wanted to share them with you too:  

 

Protecting your work-life balance  

 

It’s no secret, working from home can be all-encompassing. We can lose track of time easily while sitting in our home office. It’s easy to lose track of time and get sucked into working overtime. As human beings, we can probably manage to work from home to an extent – and, as the pandemic has shown, this can be completely necessary at times. But prolonged periods of working in a place that we normally try to relax in can blur the line between your personal time and work. Our mental health hinges on being able to maintain this balance. Collaborative workspaces like those that we offer are ideal for helping you re-establish a regular working schedule and thereby getting your work-life balance back into check.  

 

Cutting Property Costs 

 

COVID-19 forced many businesses to re-evaluate how they think about property. Having somewhere for your employees to work is critical but owning the building has proven to be more of a liability than anything else. Added to this, maintenance is a hack as well, both in physical and infrastructure. They’re not always the largest bills, but the costs add up, making it quite a big risk to own office space.   

Another benefit of co-working is the flexibility that’s ingrained into the agreements. Gone are the year-long contracts – because who can rightfully predict where we’ll be in a few months, never mind years! This was another prominent feature during COVID-19’s lockdown – though renting has its benefits over owning, it isn’t completely safe either due to the length of agreements we tend to be forced into.  

We pride ourselves on tailoring agreements to our clients’ needs. In this way, we help you cut costs and reduce the risk you’re exposed to through shorter agreements that are tailored to what you need. This benefits individuals too, like freelancers or self-employed professionals. If anything, long term commitments are even riskier – which makes our adaptable offerings even more important.  

 

Connecting and Networking 

 

By working in a building that is home to many different businesses, you never quite know who you’re going to bump into in the hallways. This makes for many interesting conversations and, in time, some intuitive business partnerships. You see, at Connect Space, we think that collaboration is a central pillar of what makes us human. This is why we’re all in on creating workspaces that encourage cross-pollination of ideas and collaboration between our clients.  

 

Professional Meeting Spaces & Amenities 

 

When you work from home, the onus is on you to make sure your internet connection is up to speed, that your office chair is ergonomic, and that your desk is level. Co-working releases you from that pressure! It remains our responsibility to maintain our locations; a job we take very seriously. And if you ever need anything – just ask!   

Without a traditional office space, meeting with clients can be difficult. It’s hard to sign off on a big deal in the middle of a bustling coffee shop. We have much more than just desks and office spaces, we also have meeting rooms available that are perfect for meeting with clients, board meetings, staff meetings, and training sessions. They’re fully kitted out with all the high-tech gear, so you never need to worry about compatibility or equipment failure.  

 

The Buzz of Collaborative Workspaces  

 

It’s normal for a business to go through cycles; where there are more relaxed times, and times where things are pumping. In one office block, that can feel overwhelming – you can sense the tension as you walk in. In a co-working environment, things are quite different. Our clients come from various businesses – sometimes from completely different industries too. This means no one’s “stress cycles” align, but there is always an underlying buzz of energy. This is a critical difference; we like to think of it as a healthy atmosphere of productivity as opposed to a seasonal bout of stress. This can be motivating if you’re in a quiet patch or calming if you’re particularly busy.  

 

 

But don’t just take our word for it, view our Musgrave location – conveniently positioned on Stephen Dlamini Road. We’d love to discuss what you need out of your workspace so that we can structure an agreement that works for you!