Current State of Coworking & Flex Space in NJ
The coronavirus pandemic is coming to an end. However, the standard “nine-to-five” will never be the same. While businesses are opening offices, it seems that everyone has learned that a remote work lifestyle will proceed for years to come. As a result, coworking spaces across the nation are gearing up for a busy remainder of 2021. Here in New Jersey, the (co)working space locations in North Brunswick and South River have expanded service capabilities. This coworking space provider is ready to lead the way for coworking in suburbia by bringing a hardworking, fun-loving community together.
What to Expect When Returning to the (co)working space
Booking a space is still just as easy as it has always been. Coworking is built upon customer experience, with online booking options aplenty! Specifically, for the (co)working space, the website is a one-stop hub for space reservations. However, members have voiced a need for human interaction. When questions come up, coworking spaces are the go-to option to receive answers. The (co)working space locations in North Brunswick and South River have real people that answer questions when customers call.
Lately, people at coworking spaces ask, “What can I book? Are day passes available?” For a while, coworking spaces had to limit their services to a smaller group of individuals (members only). Today, most spaces are bringing back options like flex space, day passes, temporary space, and closed-door offices.
The (co)working space locations have recently brought back the range of booking options:
- Drop-In / Day Passes
- Punch Passes (Sold 10 at a time)
- Dedicated Desk Memberships
- Private Office Memberships
- Virtual Office / Mailbox Memberships
- Flex Space Options (Conference Room & Training Room)
For the last year, coworking spaces had to turn away brand-new clientele due to indoor space limitations. Now, coworking offices are ready to help each and every individual in a way that works for the customer!
For Coworking, the Time is Now
Coworking was first seen in big cities and metro areas. However, during the pandemic, many individuals moved away from cities like New York and into smaller towns and suburban areas. Coworking in suburbia has been on the rise for the last five years. Today, the suburban coworking setting will reach new heights in terms of adoption.
Every coworking space has become more competitive in terms of amenities, ease of access, and space design. Today, the consumer wants a space that’s in close proximity to their home—that’s the number one factor.
Furthermore, professionals have finally realized the drawbacks of working in solitude. For very long, nobody wanted to admit that there were certain things that were harder to do while working from home. Now, businesses and individuals have seen the positives and negatives from both in-office work and remote work. One of the main positives of working in an office or coworking space is collaboration and human interaction.
According to Parkinson’s Law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
In other words, it’s too easy to allow work to get pushed later into the day when working individually. Sometimes there’s just too many distractions at home. Coworking is effective because one can limit their workday to a specific timeframe in a distraction-free environment that’s full of other people doing the same thing.
Oftentimes, human interaction can inspire and educate as well.
“A lot of the work is individual. But being creative, it is nice to draw inspiration from other people, especially if they’re doing similar work,” said Courtney Bott, a graphic designer with StriVectin. “I mean there’s not much inspiration to draw just sitting in my room at home.”
Businesses are Behind the Curve; Coworking Spaces are Not
For years, businesses have had very similar workspaces across the board. However, coworking spaces have had incentives to constantly modify workspaces due to customer feedback and market trends.
To put it simply, businesses don’t have to change anything because they hire employees to come in. Coworking spaces aren’t paying members to come in. If a competitor coworking space offers something better, then members will leave unless a change is made.
Coworking spaces are built for professionals by professionals in every field. For this reason, coworking spaces are the swiss army knife of modern offices and have been operating ahead of the curve for years. As a result, offices like the (co)working space have returned to leading their industry and offering consumer-driven amenities.
One recent coworking industry news article featured a quote that will wrap this up nicely…
“I have a favorite saying that drives me forward: It was told to me by someone who I have respected and leant a lot over the years from, Steve Pette from Department X,
‘If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got.’
This saying is true for the future of work; we can’t apply the same rules that we once knew to now, one of the most disrupting moments undoubtedly of our generation.”