The hot desk is the new coffee house. At your hot desk, you can get all the social interaction that you want, and you can get that at your local coffee house. Your hot desk has Wi-Fi and plays some of the coolest music when the office is quiet and your favourite friends surround you, but so does your local coffee house.
Your coworking space can connect you to the larger business community simply by promoting the types of business relationships that create the foundation of collaboration. While your coffee house might make a mean scone, it is not going to deliver on making these same kinds of business connections. The interesting thing is that the relationships you find in coworking spaces begin with small interactions in the space much like the types you would find in a coffee house. The difference is the coworking space provides your business with more networking leverage in the workspace.
Let’s take a closer look at how to make the most of your coworking space and how to best use networking to your business’s advantage.
Introducing The Hot Desk
The hot desk is probably the most sought-after tool in the coworking space simply because it is really one of the first contact points in the space itself. The hot desk promotes social interaction because just by virtue of their proximity professionals are encouraged to converse with each other.
For newbie coworking professionals, do not hesitate to strike up a conversation regarding any topic. Moreover, jump right in and talk up your business and any ideas related to the venture. Engaging the people who work in your vicinity can in many cases be the jumpstart to forming any relationships in the coworking space. In fact, you can manage to make a lot of friends from a diverse array of industries and simply by conversing at the hot desk.
Participating In Your Community
For many who open businesses in America, getting connected to the larger business district can seem daunting, especially if your business is in one of the larger urban centres. However, the coworking community is a place where those intimidated by larger business communities can make connections in a nurturing environment. Moreover, your coworking community usually focuses on hosting the types of activities that pull the community together.
In the workspace, you have a very easy way to connect with each other by participating in community events. The social events can range from activities like movie nights and barbecues to more business-like events such as conferences and networking events. While all of these events are important, the more social ones provide you with the chance to get to know the people you work with in a more relaxed environment. For this reason, take as many opportunities to engage the community to build your network.
Introducing Yourself To The Community
One of the best ways to get to others in the community is to formally introduce yourself to them. This type of public relations is uncomplicated and can be done when you feel more comfortable with the coworking community itself. Consider hosting an event that showcases your products and services to the community or volunteer to organise a conference or workshop on a subject that conveys your expertise in an area. Whether your business provides legal advice or designs company logos, use your expertise to make relationships happen because most business people are open to learning new things about other industries, and you might get a referral or two.
Making The Most Of Coworking
Coworking affords businesses so many more opportunities than just reducing expenses. In fact, the reward of coworking can be seen in the relationships that are formed. More importantly, the relationships that develop in the space most often lead to really great collaboration opportunities.
