November 8, 2018
Open offices have become very popular of late. Part of their appeal is the fact that it is very cost effective and efficient to work in one of them. You can readily access business equipment, have a professional place to meet clients and your ability to network is paramount. Money savings come from the fact that you pay one low rental fee per month and your furniture, housekeeping, WiFi, utilities and upkeep costs are all included. No more worrying about a leaky pipe or the printer being out of commission, as someone else takes care of that.
Make the Most of an Open Office
Some folks have felt that open office spaces lack privacy and have some noisy users. Some have felt that distractions and keeping conversations confidential can be problematic. It is true that at times these issues can rear their heads. You need to remember that all in all everyone at the shared office is there to be productive and to grow their businesses. They look forward to the opportunity to engage with others. You can help by taking loud conversations to a more secluded area or using the phone booth for these calls.
Tips for Surviving an Open Office / Coworking
Combat Distractions: Noise is a common complaint here. Using noise cancelling headphones is the most commonly used solution to this problem. If you get distracted by people walking past your desk, you can ask to be moved to a quieter spot away from traffic patterns. Using a tall partition may allow you to be less distracted. Check with your office provider to see if they would allow you to bring one in.
Plan Your Day Around the Times when It is Busy: If you know that you need quiet time to do certain tasks try to plan your work day around this. Maybe do this kind of work when others are out on lunch breaks or do this work first thing in the morning when you are the most alert and able to concentrate.
Look for Quiet Spaces: Most open office configurations have some places where users can go to have some private quiet time. Maybe you could block out a time in the conference room, use the phone room or sit in a quiet corner for a time each day.
Speak Up: It’s important to have open communication with those who are in the office. If the person next to you is not aware that they make loud phone calls you might ask nicely if they could use a more private space for those calls. If someone is a chatterbox and constantly is interrupting your work time just nicely ask them to look for you when you take your lunch break to discuss things that are not work related. Be sure to be self-aware too. Think about how your habits affect those who work near you. Carefully explain to others what you need in order to get your work done effectively.
The positives for coworking far outweigh the negatives. They facilitate collaboration and make it easy to network with other professionals. They foster a creative and productive vibe. They are cost efficient and allow workers who at one time would be alone to enjoy the benefits of working close to others.
Looking for a great open office environment in Manchester, NH? Let us help. Contact Red Oak. We are open at 66 Hanover Street in the heart of downtown.