You’ve seen the glossy photos on social media: the nice interiors, the luscious plants, the happy clusters of people chatting over their laptops. Coworking looks fun, you think. But are you willing to take the leap and give it a try?
For many freelancers, small businesses, and hybrid/remote workers, the answer is a resounding yes. Coworking is on the rise in the UK. For one, freelancing is booming. And for another, companies are increasingly allowing hybrid and remote work. That means there’s more Brits seeking spaces to rest their laptops that aren’t their kitchen table.
Will you be one of them? We’re here to help you decide.
Contents
Coworking: the pros
Networking
Community
Get stuff done
Separation between work and home
Boost creativity
Flexibility
The cons of coworking
Cost
Travel
Coworking: the pros
First, a confession: as a coworking space ourselves, we’re slightly biased here. We believe coworking is a brilliant way to build your city community: we see people connect in our building every day.
And we can back this up. There are plenty of good, solid reasons why coworking is a great choice.
Networking
When you work on your own, it’s harder to build a professional community of colleagues. It doesn’t come automatically from being in the office together every day. But joining a coworking space, especially one that hosts regular social events, can help you out here. It puts you alongside others working in the same way as you.
Plus, as one study notes: because you can choose who you connect with as a coworker (rather than being forced to interact with office colleagues), you can focus on the good bits of meeting new people without worrying about office politics. It’s a more relaxed way to expand your circle.
Community
And then there’s community building in a more general sense. Having a community simply means being a part of something. Working alongside others creates a shared experience and the chance to connect. There’s the friendly chats you have around the coffee machine, the “hi, how was your weekend?” to someone you recognise, or even a friendly smile given to a stranger. All of it is good for the soul.
At Kindred, we take community building seriously. Every day at 11am, we run a coffee social (coffees are on us) for our coworkers to connect and shoot the breeze. Sometimes we talk about what we’re working on, but often we just chat. It’s a great way for folks to connect without any pressure.
Get stuff done
This one might seem counterintuitive, since you’re sharing a workspace with other people. Which means it may be noisier than if you were to work from home.
But there is research showing that compared to working from home, coworking spaces can improve productivity. One reason for this is that they provide a professional environment that’s set up for working, compared to say, your sofa. This can make it easier to settle in and focus. Plus, you don’t have all your creature comforts present, waiting to distract you.
In another study, 71.9% of people surveyed agreed that it’s easier to concentrate at their coworking space compared to their home. And 89.1% said that they’re more productive when coworking vs WFH.
Separation between work and home
Something we hear a lot at the front desk at Kindred: “It’s lovely to get out the house”. There’s plenty of perks to working from home, but there can certainly be too much of a good thing.
Working on your own, day-in, day-out, and then also relaxing and sleeping in that same space, can wear on you after a while. It can make a real difference to do something different on some days; to head outside and be in a new environment.
And, again, there’s some research to back this up. One study suggests that when people set clear boundaries between their work and home lives, they’re able to balance the two better. For some, having another place to go and work when they need to can be a real help on that front.
Boost creativity
Working in a nice space can do more than boost your mood. It can inspire you and spark creativity.
Take Kindred for example. We’re a Grade II listed Baroque mansion, whose interiors blend modern and heritage styles. You could sit in our airy Hall, beneath high arched windows, and feel relaxed; ready to explore new ideas. Or you might tuck yourself away into a quiet corner of our Library, an elegant space with wall-to-wall bookshelves, for a cosy session of deep work.
Our environment affects our mindset and mood. And if you’re in a space that’s inspiring, that’s designed well, and is beautiful to look at, this will no doubt have a knock-on impact.
Come and see Kindred for yourself. Take a 3D tour of our building or contact our team to pop in for a visit.
Flexibility
With a coworking space, you can come in whenever you like and leave when you please. While some spaces may lock you into monthly contracts, there’s plenty that simply let you buy a day pass as and when. You could even decide the morning of that you fancy coming in.
Our coworkers tell us that this flexibility is something they value most about their working lives. Which is why we don’t do contracts: day passes are £18, whenever you want them.
The cons of coworking
But, for some people, there may be drawbacks to coworking.
Cost
Coworking spaces are providing a service and do have to charge something to keep their lights on. There are some spaces that offer “free” coworking, but these are rarely dedicated providers. They might be cafes or hotel lobbies where there’s an implicit understanding that you can stick around if you buy a drink, for instance. But actual coworking providers, who offer amenities like free coffee and bookable meeting rooms, will generally charge you something.
Depending on the package, you could pay £20-50 for a day pass or over £1,000 for a private office. We’ve covered how much coworking costs in London in another article.
Only you can say whether you think coworking is worth paying for. Kindred offers day passes for just £18, which is below the London average. You’ll get access to all three floors of our building plus unlimited hot drinks all day.
There may be a commute
Perhaps one of the best things about the hybrid/remote work revolution is that it’s cut commuting time for a lot of us. If you opt to work from a coworking space, this reintroduces travel time into your schedule.
But the good news is that in London, there’s so many spaces to choose from that you would probably be able to find something close by.
Most of our coworkers here at Kindred are our neighbours, in Hammersmith and the surrounding areas. We’re just a few minutes’ walk from Hammersmith tube.
Find your ideal coworking space
Looking for a space to call your own in West London? Kindred is a much-loved coworking and events venue right in the heart of Hammersmith.
What sets us apart is how seriously we take community. We run daily events for our coworkers to connect, where the hot drinks are on us. There’s also monthly after-work socials, plus a rota of other events to explore.
And then there’s our interiors. Bradmore House is a striking Baroque mansion that’s been designed with a modern touch. Think wood-panelled walls, plush speakeasy-style sofas, and high ceilings.
Learn more about coworking at Kindred or buy a day pass
