What Makes a Good Shared Office Space?
In today’s fast-paced business environment, shared office spaces have become increasingly popular among startups, freelancers, and small businesses. These spaces offer flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and networking opportunities for their members. But with many options available, how do you determine what makes a good shared office space? In this blog post, we will explore the essential factors to consider when choosing the perfect shared workspace for your needs.
Location, Location, Location
The location of a shared office space is crucial for several reasons. First, a prime location that is easily accessible and surrounded by various amenities, such as restaurants, cafes, and public transport, can improve productivity and convenience for you and your team.
Flexibility and Scalability
The office space options should offer flexible membership plans and workspaces that fit your changing business needs. This flexibility allows your business to grow and adapt within the space without the hassle of moving to a new location.
Strong Infrastructure
Reliable and fast internet connectivity is a must for any modern business, and a good shared office space will provide high-speed Wi-Fi and other essential infrastructure like printing and scanning facilities, meeting rooms, and IT support. These amenities can help ensure smooth day-to-day operations and boost productivity.
Design and Ergonomics
A well-designed and ergonomic workspace can significantly impact your comfort, well-being, and overall productivity. Look for shared office solutions that prioritize natural light, have comfortable seating, and maintain a clean and clutter-free environment. Additionally, a mix of private and communal spaces can cater to different working styles and promote collaboration among members.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
One of the main benefits of shared office space is the opportunity to network and collaborate with other like-minded professionals. A good environment will foster a sense of community by organizing regular events, workshops, or social gatherings to help members connect and learn from one another.
Security and Privacy
While shared office spaces are designed for collaboration, it’s also essential to have a secure environment that respects the privacy of its members. Look for spaces with secured access systems, CCTV surveillance, and policies to protect your sensitive information and belongings.
Customer Support and Community Management
A dedicated and responsive support team can make all the difference in your shared office experience. For example, a shared office space should have a community manager available to address your concerns, ensure the smooth functioning of the space, and help create a positive work environment.
If you’re looking for a shared office space that checks all the boxes mentioned above in the Daytona Beach, Florida, area, look no further than Work Webb. Our establishment offers an unbeatable location, flexible and scalable workspace options, reliable infrastructure, ample networking opportunities, security, and, most importantly, unparalleled customer support. Join our community of innovative professionals and let Work Webb provide the perfect foundation for your business to grow and succeed. Schedule a tour today.
Organize your Work Environment for Improved Productivity
How you organize your work environment affects how your team behaves in that space, so strategically managing your office will help you create the company culture your team needs to hit their goals. Having a cluttered desk is not a sight that inspires one to have a productive day, much like waking up to a dirty kitchen. The appearance of clutter signals to your brain that there’s extra work to do before you can even start your daily tasks. When your brain feels overwhelmed by all this work, it triggers a stress response. Organizing your workspace reduces the frequency of that stress response, gives you a feeling of control and makes you more efficient.
You can take some easy organizational steps to quickly get ready for your day and not take up valuable work time.
Hide the Wires
Let’s face it; the wires can get out of control with all of the monitors, computer towers, mice, laptops, phones, and chargers that adorn the typical office desk. Because reducing visual clutter helps minimize stress, hiding all these messy wires is essential. Roll up the slack in each cord and slap on a binder clip. This tip will quickly organize the cord maze under your desk.
Use Wall Space to Your Advantage
Do you have free wall space near your desk? Don’t waste this valuable real estate. Instead, free up space on your desk by installing pegboards or wall shelves to sort mail, electronics, or office supplies. These times will still be handy and out of your way.
Organize your In-box
Email consumes a lot of our time and can get overwhelming quickly. Think of your email as your digital desk and keep it organized as your physical workspace. Create folders in your email to sort your emails into easily digestible information like to-do lists and even prioritize them. Taking the time to unsubscribe to various marketing emails like newsletters that you no longer want to receive will also be a worthwhile spend of your time instead of deleting them because this will ultimately reduce the number of emails you have to deal with daily.
Declutter
First, look at your desk and throw away things you no longer need. That old grocery list, office depo receipt, or phone message should not be taking up space. Instead, get rid of the unnecessary paper from your workstation. Next, tackle the loose documents by using file folders. Bundle them according to topics that make sense to you and stack them. A pile of folders that look organized on a desk will look more pleasing than a pile of paper.
Implement a Workflow System
Pick a place on your desk as the “Things to Do” area and the file folder there. For example, folders with action items that must get done that day go on the right of your keyboard, and completed tasks go on the left. At the end of the day, the items on the left are removed from your workstation. This system will give you a sense of accomplishment, keep you on track to reduce the clutter on your desk, and organize your work environment.
A Shared Office Solution is an Excellent Idea for your Startup
Most startups choose to run their business from home, but this arrangement may not be suitable. It can also be challenging to stay focused. There is a better option: using a shared office solution. A shared office solution space brings together remote workers, small business owners and staff, and freelancers in a shared work environment. The key benefit to these spaces is flexibility. Each space has a different layout, like an open office with lines of desks and breakout areas or a more enclosed setup (with private offices and meeting rooms). Shared office solution spaces are flexible in their pricing structure and commitment level. The majority will let you rent a space on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. If you don’t mind sharing a few office amenities with others, a shared office solution space could be a solid option for your business, and here are a few reasons why:
Improved Facilities
A coffee shop or your home office can present some challenges to professionalism—namely noise and non-business interruptions. Using a shared office solution will provide the space needed to concentrate with fewer distractions.
A Cost-Effective Solution
A traditional office space rental can be the solution your startup needs, but they generally require a long-term financial commitment. However, a shared office solution frees your startup to be flexible as it grows and changes. You can use the space as and when you need to on a day-to-day or month-to-month basis. You can also rent meeting rooms when you need to.
Options to Grow
Another benefit of a shared office solution space is that you can scale up as and when you need to.
Work Webb has two locations (Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Florida) with many options to choose from and meet most individuals’ needs looking for a shared office solution. Visit our website to see what our clients have to say, follow us on Facebook, and call us today to schedule a tour. We look forward to hearing from you and having you join the directory at one of our locations.
Working with Distractions From Home
Working from home is interesting. The distractions can be overwhelming, and while some people just are not cut out to work remotely because of the COVID pandemic, that option may have been taken away from you. But how can you maintain your best productivity?
If you’re used to working in an office full of that noisy buzz working from home may feel a little quiet — too quiet, and if we are honest…a little depressing! Music and Podcasts to stay focused when you work may be an answer. If you are working at home with a significant other in the same situation or children who are remote learning, you may need a pair of headphones to ensure your concentration stays on your work.
To get a little scientific, studies have concluded that people who listen to music while working on repetitive tasks can perform the task faster while making fewer mistakes. This is because listening to music triggers the release of certain neurotransmitters that make you feel relaxed and happy: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This may be the answer to keep your spirits up and your attention focused because the feel-good neurotransmitters improve your overall mood and give you more patience making for a better workday. This is also true when these tasks are challenging. If you are comfortable in motion, but the stakes are high, then music can help relieve additional pressures that might compromise the performance at hand. (Think, surgeons in surgery.)
One of the great things of controlling your at-home environment is that you have the power to put in place of what makes you happy in your space. So light that candle or turn on the diffuser, put on your favorite Pandora station in your headphones, and see your work life from home improve, maybe even thrive! The small things can make a big difference.
Sanitary Measures for Extraordinary Times.
As many are starting to return physically to work, here are some guidelines and rules of thumb for your workplace sanitary measures.
Don’t wait.
Workplaces and spaces should be taking extra precautions now, not when illness strikes. The CDC recommends that employers implement sanitary measures and start doing these things now, as these measures can reduce working days lost due to sickness and stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 if it arrives at one of your workplaces.
Establish a cleaning routine.
Regularly, make sure to clean all frequently touched surfaces. This includes keyboards, remote controls, desks, countertops, and doorknobs. Using a disinfectant by its instructions will be the easiest way to ensure that the surface is cleaned effectively. See EPA’s 6 steps for Safe and Effective Disinfectant Use.
Be incredibly clear of the expectations of your employees and customers.
Transparency of your expectations when it comes to safety and sanitation is going to be imperative when you are back in some sort of open capacity. Make sure signage is prevalent of what you expect…masks? No masks? Six feet spacing signs are being sold everywhere; they can also be custom designed. Be sure to have sanitizer stations everywhere that make sense, at the very least, at the front when your customers or employees come in and at the register if applicable.
Have a sense of patience.
Remember, this is unchartered territory for absolutely everyone. Tensions are high, fear is present, and the ability to conduct business safely and sanitary lays in your hands.
Working from Home Without Losing Your Mind.
While it has been said that working from home takes a special person, in this climate, the choice to work from home or not may have been taken away from you. We hear so much about pivoting and the new normal, but now that it has been a couple of months that has brought nothing but Ch ch ch changes, it is time to check in with you and your sanity.
How are you adjusting? Here are a couple of tips!
Make a schedule, set your boundaries and plan for breaks each and every day.
Now more than ever, having a plan each day makes a difference in productivity. One of our favorite methods is the Pomodoro Technique. This helps you focus on working for a specific amount of time and then take a break. Use Pomodoro to work work work and then tale a break. You can use the Pomodoro Technique, in which you alternate 25-minute work sessions with 5-minute breaks, or set whatever intervals make sense for you. There is a start and a stop timer that keeps you on track.
Don’t let friends and family take advantage of your new status.
This is a big one. Mom will still call to see how you are doing, and your five-minute check-ins at the office will somehow mysteriously evolve into longer call times because of course, you are at home, are you really working? Silence your phone and try only to answer as if you were truly in an office setting. It may be hard for them to understand that your time is still not yours even if you are at home while working, but setting boundaries is most important.
Every day be sure to get some fresh air, dance it out, take a break! Promise this works!
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Office Supplies Typically Provided to Remote Workers
If you’re curious about remote work, or ready to start a new remote job very soon, you may wonder about your office supplies. When you work in a traditional office space, your computer and all your supplies are typically provided to you right from the start. When you work from home, it can vary from employer to employer how your office equipment is supplied.
To help you out, we’re going over four of the most common office supplies typically provided to remote workers.
Allowance
Providing an allowance for technology is one option for remote worker office supplies. They allow employees a certain amount of money per quarter or per year to spend on whatever technology and equipment they may need to work remotely (think computers, wireless keyboards, and mice, computer chargers, printers, laptop stands, office chairs, monitors, etc.). Employees typically purchase the items themselves and submit receipts to their company for reimbursement.
BYOD
BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. In this situation, employees do just that—they use their own computers and supplies for work. The benefit of this option is also that employees can use whatever devices they are most comfortable with, eliminating any learning curve if they’re familiar with PC, but the company wants them to use a Mac, for example.
Computer Only
Some employers supply just a computer to remote employees. In this situation, the computer is typically company property and has to be returned when an employee leaves the company. Sometimes companies have specific software programs that employees need to use, and having everyone on the same computer operating system can help. If employees need to access a company Intranet, it can be easier for the IT department to set this up on a company computer. Or perhaps the employer wants to have time tracking software installed on the computer as well.
A Complete Office
Some companies will provide everything a remote employee needs. They may send a computer, smartphone, printer, and more, depending on the needs of the job. This option usually helps companies feel secure knowing their remote worker has everything they need in their home office to perform the duties of their job successfully. Just like the previous scenario, this allows companies to install any required software on employee computers as well, ensuring employees are set up correctly from day one.
If you’re beginning your remote work journey, be sure you know the requirements of your employer. The interview process is a great time to ask how your potential company handles remote worker office supplies. That way, you’ll be ready and prepared to be a star employee from the start.
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How to Be A Great CoWorker Amid Difficult Personalities
Whether you work in the corporate world, rent a shared professional office space or work in your pajamas remotely, navigating different personalities can be tough. Of course, if you are the boss or in a management position, you can assist in some of these issues with team building and staff coaching, but what if you are an employee who can’t honestly tell Tammy where to go after she has yet again stolen your coffee creamer?
Some tips:
Be Flexible
Figure out how your coworkers thrive best in their environment. If you have a colleague who sends all calls to voicemail, email may be a better way to communicate with them. Take into consideration how your colleagues get in their zone and then try your best not to interrupt their productivity flow. Being flexible to others way of working will position you as a team player.
Choose your Battles
Time and sometimes money, and most definitely, productivity is the price you pay every time you choose to participate in a workplace conflict. Without a fluid office culture, work productivity can suffer. Decide what is most important are and let everything else go—even if you know you are in the right. Conflicts at work can cause additional stress and is in most cases avoidable.
You are the Team, all of YOU(s)
There is a reason why being a team player is one of the most common phrases in job descriptions. Even if you work best working in your own silo, remember to come back together and stay involved with your team keeping lines of communication wide open. Having ideas and being able to bounce issues, questions, brainstorms, etc. off one another creates a comfortable and collaborative work environment for everyone. At the end of the day, remember everyone on your team is (or should be) working towards the same goal and outcomes.
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Staying Motivated When You Work Remotely
When you start working in conditions where pants and time clocks are optional, it is hard to stay motivated. There is no one looking over your shoulder and trailing off and going down a rabbit hole of Instagram feeds can happen in a matter of minutes. Although this is the actual joy of being self-employed (or a fortunate remote employee)-having no structure in place can be defeated as far as production is concerned.
Here are some tips to help stay focused on your work tasks at hand:
Get Up
Wake up early and “get to work” on time. You may be able to see your “office” from your bedroom, but you still need to make that transition. Make a point to be on time for “the man” which is you! Not being on time for yourself is a bad habit, and it is hard to take yourself and your work seriously. Routine is your best friend. At the same time, if you run on more cylinders in the afternoon-late evening, adjust your day overall accordingly. In both cases, consistency is vital.
Get Dressed
At some point, working from home in your pajamas will lose its luster not to mention that it is terribly demotivating. Take a shower, brush your teeth, and start your day clean, fresh, and ready to go. You don’t have to put on your Sunday best, but wear something comfortable and functional that is uniform to YOU.
Get out of the house
While it’s good to stay focused, you are also allowed to take a break. You’re not under house arrest, and this isn’t a prison of your own making. You can and should leave those four walls for your own piece of mind.
Work from home but still crave an office like atmosphere? Consider Work Webb: we offer shared professional office solutions in Daytona Beach, and Melbourne, including virtual, part-time, and full-time shared or private office space.
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Time for Spring Cleaning (Your Office)
Isn’t there something about Spring that makes us want to beat the chaos and start anew? And that doesn’t just mean our homes and outdoor space — it means our businesses too! We have made it through the time change, and now Spring, followed by a nice hot Florida summer is just around the corner. It’s time to Spring Forward and do a little Spring cleaning in your professional life.
Now we don’t mean cleaning literally…actually, we take that back. Take a second to disinfect your workspace. Clean your laptop screen and the keyboard. And your cell phone. Germs are everywhere. We suggest wiping these items down once a week.
An easy way to keep your actual workspace clear? The things you use consistently should be within the radius of your arms. No matter, if you are at our shared workspace, or at home-this, can include your monitor and keyboard, telephone, two pens, one notebook, etc. Supplies and paperwork should be kept in the zones you’ve established for them.
Some experts say most of us treat our email inbox like a to-do list, which adds to the stress of any profession and any successful workflow. Attempt a namaste spring clean by organizing your inbox with folders or task functions that will increase your work productivity.
With a freshly organized inbox, make appointments with yourself at least once a quarter to clean out those folders. And now that your inbox is sparkling how about digging into your other folders – especially those on shared drives like Dropbox or Google Drive?
In your professional life, sometimes a spring clean doesn’t mean breaking out the vacuum or Windex, it means taking stock of what’s working well and what’s not, and getting yourself mentally revived after a long winter.
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What is Emotional Culture?
Whether you work together with your staff at the same location, have multiple offices across the country or have the ability to work solo from a remote location, creating the culture that enables your team to perform at its highest may not be as easy as just hiring good quality employees.
Emotional Culture is a lesser known piece of today’s work culture, and it is getting more attention these days. Emotional Culture is defined as the culture centered around the effective values of an organization—i.e., feelings, moods, and attitudes—in contrast to the intellectual values that typically make up the traditional corporate culture.
Although technology may be able to cross physical and time-based gaps, the cultural and social gaps — differences in social habits and communication styles — are problems that have yet to be solved. If not addressed, these gaps open can pose significant performance issues for teams.
When working virtually, ways to be a communicative team member is an even harder nut to crack. Teams must make a point not only to be clear about how they will interact with one another and shift modes when needed but also address the role that their desired mode(s) of communication with each player as this will play in facilitating their way of working.
When working remotely, you aren’t at the luxury of popping in to your coworkers office, or having the insight as to whether “now is a good time”…keeping your status or schedule on your shared calendar (and messaging platform) updated is an easy way to let people easily see when it is OK to break in and “say hello”. We should make space for these moments, because if we were in an office, we would likely be spending 8 percent of our time socializing, according to a workplace study by Gensler (pdf).
If an effort is made to develop empathy among team members, experience random moments of connection, this will build the discipline that is necessary to a successful team.
The Pros and Cons of Standing Office Desks
Have you heard of standing office desks? You may be surprised that this is a not a new trend! Popular Science, a magazine with roots much older than the Paris Review, first began writing about the virtues of standing desks for writers back in 1883. Once used only by eccentrics like Hemingway, Dickens, and Kierkegaard, this new way to work is now a once again trendy and office setting. Whether you choose to do it the Hemmingway way with and throw your writing machine on the nearest bookcase and get going or buy an actual standing desk, there are a few things to consider.
Did you know that the average office worker spends 5 hours and 41 minutes sitting each day at his or her desk? According to an article in The Smithsonian, the solution, experts say, is not to sit for six hours at work and then head to the gym afterward, because evidence suggests that the adverse effects of extended sitting cannot be countered by brief bouts of strenuous exercise. The answer is to incorporate standing, pacing and other forms of activity into your typical day—and standing at your desk for part of it may be the easiest way of doing so.
It doesn’t matter if you go running every morning, or you’re a regular at the gym. If you spend most of the rest of the day sitting — in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home — you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and early death. In other words, irrespective of whether you exercise vigorously, sitting for long periods is bad for you.
But could you do it? Switching from sitting all day to standing all day is a radical physical transition! Check out this article for more pros and cons of standing office desks!
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The Best of Both Worlds: Shared Office Solutions
People around the world are becoming increasingly entrepreneurial and embracing alternative forms of employment. In fact, according to a report by software company Intuit, “In the U.S. alone, contingent workers will exceed 40 percent of the workforce by 2020.” If you are self-employed, an entrepreneur or have the great opportunity to work for a company remotely, it has a lot of benefits. Aside from the obvious perk of making your own schedule and choosing whether a shower is actually on the agenda…there are also some unexpected benefits like no commute, no traffic, and no office politics.
While this is, for the most part, a dream situation, sometimes working strictly from home isn’t all it is cracked up to be. For one, it is super hard to focus when distractions of what also needs to be done (laundry, dishes, etc.) is all around…and sometimes working by yourself within the same four walls day in and day out stifles all creativity and motivation.
An easy answer to have the best of both worlds is the benefits of having a shared office solution! Imagine being super focused and energetic around like-minded people in a professional office setting! You would be surprised how engaging this atmosphere can be and joining a like-minded community will push you to success by surrounding yourself with other sharp minds.
Located on the third floor of the historic Kress building on Beach Street in Daytona Beach, Work Webb provides work-spaces to many clients in need of affordable, personalized office space solutions. Choices include anything from 24/7 access, to a single day pass for telecommuting or short-term clients needing virtual or remote office space. Enjoy modern, clean, beautifully furnished private, semi-private or shared office space–available for rent in a variety of options. Click here for more information!
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Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Co-Working Space
If you work from home, you are aware of the lonely feelings that can overcome the home office employee. The coffee shop may seem a great way to get out of the house, but there is another option that can offer you more than just a different view. Co-working spaces usually charge a daily, weekly, or monthly fee for workspaces and amenities and finding the right one for you and your business can be a challenge.
To make sure you choose the right one, ask yourself these questions while shopping for a co-working space to suit your needs:
- Can I Visit? – Just like any office environment, each has their own vibe, and you need to make sure you find the right one for you and your business. Visit the space before you commit to it, and if they do not allow visits – cross them off your list.
- Who are the current tenants? – If you are looking for a space that has tenants that can help you in your business and career you need to see the tenant list to pick the right place.
- Is there a Trial period? – Ask if you can work in the space for a day to see if it fits your needs. If you need quiet time to work, you want to make sure the area you choose can accommodate your needs.
- What Amenities are offered? Most spaces provide Wi-Fi, kitchens, snacks, etc. Ask what the office offers and be honest with yourself if paying for your own coffee will eventually drive you nuts.
- What are the working hours? This is an essential question to ask, if not the most important. If you do not hold regular 8 – 5 hours, you need to know what type of access you will have to this space. If it does not fit your needs, the area is not for you.
- How Long Is the Commute? You are used to working from home and let’s face it the commute from the kitchen to your office is a short one. Before you commit to a co-working space, make sure the drive from your home to the office is not one you will come to despise.
- How long is the contract? Find out how flexible this contract is for the space you are considering. Most co-working spaces offer lots of options. Make sure they have an option to fit your needs.
- How much space do you need? Depending on how long you have worked from home, alone, being right next to someone might be a bit much for you to be productive. Be honest with yourself about the type of space you need to stay productive and make sure the co-working space you choose has an option to fit this need.
Work Webb is a co-working or shared office solution located in Historic Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida and has lots of options to choose from for its tenants. If you live in the area and are considering utilizing a shared office solution, call us for a tour and feel free to ask all the questions you need. We like our tenants happy.
Office Manners When Working in a Shared Office Solution
If you are renting space in an open office or a shared office solution, it may be complicated to maintain a lot of privacy. Also, renting space in a big office, full of people can be incredibly distracting, mainly, if the other tenants are not respectful of the environment around them and cause distractions by their behavior. When working in a shared office solution, it is essential to realize the following so as not to be a distraction to others:
Voice Volume
Loud Phone Conversations can be distracting to others in the office.
In your traditional office environment, you may have your office where you can put your feet up and be as loud as you want while on the phone. But when utilizing a shared office, you must adapt
your volume level to limit distractions and be mindful that others are occupying the same office space as you.
Music
Other tenants may not like to work listening to your playlist. Bring headphones, so you do not disturb anyone.
If you need music to be productive while working in a temp office solution, bring headphones. The odds that an entire room full of strangers will like your music selections are slim to none.
Also, if there is music played by another tenant, and it is distracting, professionally ask them to turn it down.
Refrigerator Rules
Do not assume items in the fridge are fair game. Please, do not be that person. If you want to assume, assume nothing will be provided and bring your drinks and snacks.
Perfumes
A shared office solution is a temporary office, and your co-workers are people you do not know. If you like to massively spray on the perfume or cologne (not judging here, just trying to help), please hold when working in a co-working space. You may just be working near someone that has an allergy to perfumes.
Chit-chat
Getting to know your new co-workers is excellent but can become an annoyance if it goes on longer than needed and keeps your new found friend from getting back to work.
Be nice, but do not engage in excessive chit-chat, so you are not a distraction to others.
You may be on vacation and using the office temporarily, but to others, this co-working space may be their central office and have a regular full business day ahead of them.
A Shared Office Solution can help you stay productive while traveling for business or vacation.If you are considering moving your business to a shared office solution, or you frequent a temp office while you travel, keep these tips in mind, so you do not annoy others in the office. Traveling to or live in the Daytona Beach area and need a shared office solution, call us and schedule a tour to see what we have to offer.
The Redesign of the Traditional Office Due to Mobile Technology
We have talked a lot on our blog about co-working spaces as an alternative to the traditional office and how the co-working space is changing the work environment. Traditional offices are also going through a metamorphosis and are no longer a sea of workstations depicted in shows like “Office Space.” Today’s office is seen as more of an integration of layered neighborhoods serving different functions. That’s because today we can offer a host of new spaces that better fit the way we live and work in today’s office environment. It’s helpful to start with an appreciation of what is powering the changes to the traditional office design. The most significant driving factor is mobile technology.
While laptops were once a luxury item with limited computing power compared to the desktop counterparts of their day, we all know that today’s mobility has matured. Between laptops and tablets, mobility is both affordable and fully functional, offering more power than most professionals need for just emailing, documenting, sharing and accessing the web. In addition to traditional workplace strategies, today’s portable devices create additional design opportunities to enhance a space that wasn’t possible in the past.
Some of these spaces include small “huddle” rooms for two or three staff to gather and produce work together around a shared monitor. These flexible spaces allow for both privacy and acoustic isolation away from more public workstations. Similarly, soft-seating conference areas can support work with clients who are dealing with sensitive information or are in need of a more nurturing space to interact, while positioning them near an easily accessed screen. Also, coffee shop-style spaces and high-top collaboration tables all enable different types of individual and team-oriented work to occur.
When these spaces fit the company culture and are correctly built, they can lead to increased staff comfort and team focus. At the same time, they can also encourage heads down, focused productivity. This new modern office concept can help staff feel invigorated, well supported and more vibrant. They can provide more acoustic privacy and concentration where it’s essential. Teams can also feel free to be dynamic and loud without distracting others.
It seems like mobile technology is changing both the traditional office design as well as creating the new remote worker.
Is a Co-Working Space Right for your Small Business?
The typical office-leasing process can take months and involves a lot of numbers and paperwork, and even then, you could end up not getting what you thought out of your office experience. An alternative to this tedious process is to explore the option of a co-working space – rented space in a shared office with people from all different organizations. Using a co-working space allows you to have office space that is more tailored to your needs, not be committed to a lease, and have your employees feel comfortable in what usually is a more relaxed, inspired and productive environment.
Why co-working spaces?
There are numerous advantages to using a co-working space, especially for fast-growing and budget-conscious startups.
Sharing an office with similar-minded small business owners gives you the opportunity to network while you work and share resources that you’d otherwise have to track down on your own.
What to consider when choosing a space
There are several factors to consider when selecting a workspace. To get started, ask yourself the following questions:
• Are you interested in establishing regional offices for your brand or testing markets for corporate expansion?
• Will you be meeting with partners or clients?
• When are you most productive?
Here are some other factors to consider.
Location
Enjoy this view from our offices to cut down on work stress.
Shared offices are most frequently found in large cities like Chicago and New York, which can be a real cost-saver for businesses that want to be in these areas without signing an expensive urban office-space lease. However, be sure that your new co-working address is one that you feel comfortable not only showing up to every day but also inviting professional contacts to conduct business.
Design
The design of your co-working space is another critical factor to consider.
Since you generally can’t rearrange and customize co-working space the way you could a private office, you have to be satisfied with the existing layout and setup of a shared workspace.
Pricing structure and membership benefits
While a co-working space might have everything a growing business needs, not all of those amenities are included in your membership price. Be sure to read the fine print and know exactly what you’re paying for, so you don’t end up with any hidden fees.
Your neighbors
Your co-working neighbors can make all the difference in your everyday work experience, so try to find out what other businesses are in the space before you sign up. In most cases, you’ll find that there are a lot of different startups and small companies like yours so that you can benefit from each other’s experiences and connections.
Work Webb is affordable, has a great location and has a professional environment. Call us to schedule a tour of our co-working offices to see for yourself. We are located in historic downtown Daytona Beach which has shops, great restaurants, and a view
that can’t be beaten.
Challenges of Working from Home in the Summer
Working from Home in the Summer
It’s summer and the kids are out of school. Working from home during the summer can present a challenge. If this is your first summer working from home, you may not know what to expect for the next three months. Let me enlighten you on what I have heard from clients that I only see here at Work Webb during the summer months.
Interruptions Are Constant
Older children that handled being home alone while you worked in a traditional office last summer will completely regress to needy toddlers now that you are working from home. They will not be able to find anything, do anything without asking you for help. Why you ask? Because they know you are there to help them and answer their questions. You will stop work to find the TV remote, Play Station controller and any number of meaningless tasks your children just can’t seem to do without you.
Family Visits
Now that you no longer have a traditional job, your extended family may think they can come to visit for extended stays. Honestly, if they catch you off guard you may not have a quick answer as to why they can’t come for a visit. Then you are stuck with family coming especially if you live in a desired area like Florida. Your office may be lost to your teenage nephew that likes to sleep the morning away and – POOF – there goes your productivity. In addition, if you are a good host, your in-laws might expect home cooked meals every night because after all you are home. Don’t’ forget since you are home, odds are you still do laundry, etc., so these tasks just doubled for you. All that does is eat up precious hours that should be used to get your work done.
Parental Guilt
Since you ARE working from home and this is your first summer with the kids, you might feel compelled to be the super parent. Trips to bowling alley, movies or to the beach may eat up your daylight hours which means you will burn the midnight oil or get up with the birds to get your work completed. In short – you will work twice as hard the next few months. Trust me.
Taxi Services
A common complaint I hear from my summer clients is they become a taxi service for the children and their children’s friends. After all you are home – and your children will volunteer your services without asking. Your productivity and gas tank will bottom out fast.
Avoid these pitfalls of summer by finding a shared office solution near you. If you are close to the Daytona Beach or Melbourne, Florida area, visit Work Webb’s website to see what we can offer you besides a quiet place to work.
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Updated: 3/29/21
Music and Food with Chef Papa Along the Riverfront
What’s Happening Near Work Webb
There is always something happening in downtown Daytona Beach and this weekend it’s Music and Food with Chef Papa. As mentioned last week, Daytona Beach offers more than Bike Week and NASCAR. Step outside the Kress building and you can find a lot of choices for dinner, shopping and live music. No need to wait for a holiday. Excellent food and music is provided for no special reason other than it’s the weekend. There is no better way to end a work week than walking along the riverfront while taking in the gorgeous view or window shopping.
This weekend is the second to last installment of Music and Food with Chef Papa. If you do not know who Chef Papa’s Catering & Food to Go is, you are truly missing out. Located four doors down from Work Webb along the river walk, Chef Papa provides healthy, yummy and affordable lunches. All summer Chef Papa has hosted a themed menu dinner and live music. This has been on of the best kept secrets of the river walk shoppes . The second to last event is this Saturday, September 24th, starting at 6:30 pm. Chef Papa will host a NOLA menu this week with live jazz music provided by Clarence (of old Ocean Deck Band fame) and Church Archer. Only two more weekends to attend the Food and Music series at Chef Papa’s Catering & Food to Go. October 1 will be the last in this popular series.
Support downtown Daytona Beach and the Riverfront Shoppes by calling Chef Papa to make a reservation for this event 386-253-5080. Here is a directory of the Riverfront Shops of Daytona Beach.
Make sure you check The Watercooler Blog every week to stay informed on what’s happening along Daytona Beach’s quaint Riverfront Shoppes.
Here are the 3 Things Every Office MUST Have
If You’re Lacking These Office Essentials – You’d Better Make Some Changes in Your Workplace, Stat
There are 3 basic items every office or workspace needs (besides a working coffee machine, a water source, and functional bathrooms). If you, your company, office manager, or your boss don’t have these 3 essential office ingredients in your place of work, you’d better get on it and complete your surroundings with this vital list of office necessities. Your mood and work productivity will surely improve when you set the stage properly at the office with the following items, drumroll please… (more…)
3 Reasons You Need a Live Plant in Your Office
How Office Plants Can Keep You From Getting Sick and Lagged Down at the Workplace – Really!
Anyone that’s passed 5th grade science knows that plants absorb carbon dioxide and expel oxygen, but do you know what other powerful properties plants have – and how they can actually significantly improve your office environment? (more…)
How to Work Well: 3 Tips For Being More Productive in the Office
Follow These 3 Guidelines to Increase Your Productivity at Your Office, or Anywhere!
The average person spends as much time at work as they do sleeping, all the way up to the distant dream of retirement. In many cases your office can work against you, making you space out or providing all kinds of distractions that interfere with getting through your “to do” list for the day––and there’s nothing worse than carrying today’s “to dos” over to tomorrow.
Here are a few tips to ensure that you get the most productivity out of your time in the office: (more…)
Office Outings in Daytona Beach—Your Top 5 Destinations for a Client or Business Lunch
5 Best Places to Lunch in Daytona Beach – Brought to You by Work Webb Shared Office Solutions…
Desk Meditation: 5 Simple Tips for Keeping Stress Out of the Office
Desk Meditation Really Works! Here’s How to Keep a Stress-Free Workplace…
The office can be a hectic place, buzzing with productivity day in and day out. On the other hand, it can sometimes it can be a yawnfest––and it’s hard to stay focused either way.
The forward march of progress can be a drag—and it pays to bring yourself out of the workflow momentarily to clear your head, reduce your anxiety level, and get back to business from a rested place of balance and levity.
Here are 5 tips you can enact every day to keep your work environment as stress free and focused as it can be: (more…)
