Cafes might be cheaper, but coworking spaces are smarter

January 4, 2019

We love coffee. We also love coworking spaces. Many of us have worked in coffee shops; but those of us who have progressed to coworking spaces find we work smarter in them.

Why?

It’s simple: cafes aren’t built for businesses and coworking spaces are.

Here’s why you should ditch Costa for a coworking space this year…

Coffee’s included

Anyone who’s been a self-employed person with a laptop at some point in their lives will understand the awkwardness of working in a cafe for the first time.

In an attempt to disguise the fact that you’re only really there for the free WiFi (and heating if it happens to be winter), you end up buying way too many lattes for one person to consume.

The result? A guilt-induced caffeine high at 11am and very little work done thereafter.

Fast forward to day three.

You now know the barista knows you’re only there for the facilities. So, with very little spare change left, you buy one coffee and drink it as slowly as possible.

An insipid, lukewarm experience that’s enough to put you off coffee for life!

In a coworking space, you can guzzle as much or as little coffee (other beverages are available) as you like with a clear conscience. In fact, it’s encouraged!

At Halkin in Southwark, we’ve got our very own coffee shop, De Santis. Here’s our barista working his magic first thing in the morning.

We even partnered with Nescafe to provide our members with their early morning fix.

You’ll make meaningful connections

Working in a coffee shop can be incredibly isolating, even when you’re surrounded by people.

It’s more than likely that the only person you’ll actually end up speaking to is the barista – unless of course you want to be ‘that person’ who strikes up conversations with strangers.

Networking is incredibly important for businesses, no matter what stage they’re at. It’s enriching in so many ways, providing opportunities for learning, skills sharing and ultimately, growth.

As the gig economy expands, the demand for coworking is increasing. According to Statistica, approximately 1.27 million people worked in coworking spaces in 2017, and this was predicted to rise by around 33% in 2018.

One of the main purposes of a coworking space is to connect like-minded people. They are physically designed to enable members to communicate and collaborate.

In other words, you’re more likely to meet that project manager you’ve been looking for in a coworking space than you are in a coffee shop.

They’re actually cheaper than you think

Once you factor in everything else you get with a coworking membership, they work out to be very cost-effective indeed. When you become a member of a coworking space, you’re not just signing up for a desk, you’re investing in a culture that supports business growth.

You get access to:

Free networking events
IT & infrastructure support
Meeting rooms
Kitchen facilities
Unlimited hot and cold beverages
Lounge areas
Other locations around London
Life long workspace solutions

People sometimes assume that you have to look to the City Fringe and beyond to find cost-effective coworking options, but that’s not the case. Halkin’s coworking memberships start from just £350 per month.

Let’s face it, you’d probably spend that much a month on coffee alone!

You can grow within the space

One of the great things about flexible workspace is that there’s something for everyone. As soon as you require a more permanent space, you can upgrade to a Smart Fixed Desk membership.

And when you finally outgrow the coworking area altogether, you can easily upgrade to a private office within the same building.

Convinced?

‘Okay, but what about working from home’, I hear you cry. ‘It’s free and I can pop a wash on while I wait for those pesky files to download!’

Before you start, two things need unpicking.

The reason your pesky files are taking an age to download is because of your rubbish internet connection.

While working from home might not be a drain on your finances, it’ll leave you in arrears when it comes to ideas!

…Sorry.
For a coworking space or just a coffee and a chat, get in touch with Halkin Offices.

‍