Solve the Top 6 Challenges in Coworking Spaces

You have probably heard many wonderful things about cost-effective coworking spaces and boosting productivity. While it is true, have you heard about the challenges in coworking spaces? Perhaps not.

Here are a few heads up you should expect when working in coworking spaces, precisely the challenges encountered with hybrid or remote employees and, of course, how to address them.

Top Challenges With Coworking Spaces

According to a recent survey by Clutch, the top 6 leading challenges in coworking spaces encountered by coworkers allow companies and coworking operators to look at the well-being of their employees and improve overall work satisfaction.

Noise and distractions

Coworking spaces are open areas for different types of workers coming to the place every day and are designed for collaborative interactions. Moreover, there are great perks to building your connections, learning from others from a different industry, or it can be as simple as making new friends.

With that work design, noise and distractions are everywhere and may hinder you from doing your work. According to Clutch, 48% of the 501 surveyed responded that noise and distractions were the leading challenges working in coworking spaces.

Solution

In addressing this challenge, it is not just the effort that the employees make. Employers must also look for better solutions. It could be giving them noise-canceling headphones, asking the management for help, or finding a coworking space exclusive to employees of the company only.

Also Read: Top 10 Must-Haves When Looking For A Coworking Space In Hong Kong

Lack of privacy

The second challenge coworkers face is the lack of privacy, which another 48% responded positively to as one of the top challenges in coworking spaces. Privacy is a key concern, whether personal space or work. Since coworking spaces are open for everybody to work together in a homely-fashion collaborative space, it poses privacy questions.

One of these concerns involves brainstorming ideas for the company and the risk of leaking sensitive information to competitors. Even though company culture imposes a collaborative experience on employees, privacy should still be at the heart of it.

Solution

The best way to address this can be by providing employees with a dedicated coworking room option exclusive only to the company’s employees. If the company is a regular customer of the coworking space group, this can be done quickly.

However, with Deskimo’s Pay As You Go model, coworkers can book into a coworking space with a private room amenity specifically tailored to their needs. Pay only for the time you use inside, and you can go to other areas when finished discussing the crucial information.

Limited Space

Working in a limited space, whether physical or something that involves a bit of privacy, may hinder an employee’s work satisfaction, especially if their job involves taking frequent calls, or the need of a constant movement around the desk. Besides, it may annoy other employees working in the shared office space. In fact, 39% of employees responded that having limited space is a challenge when working in coworking spaces.

Solution

The company must attend to these challenges by ensuring the employees have access to a coworking space good enough to do their work. It can be in the meeting room where the office space is sealed, and no other coworking member uses it. Alternatively, the coworking operator should have a partition or border cubicle option readily available in case a coworker needs it. This may help put a clearer borderline between each coworker using the same desks or office.

Also Read: Overcoming The Challenges of Flexible Work with Modern Tools

Insufficient Equipment

Another challenge (31%) faced by employees is the insufficiency of work equipment. While most coworking space operators focus too much on the perks, they should be shifting their radar as work equipment is top of the list when working.

According to the feedback of Deskimo users, the essential equipment that should be  implemented in a coworking space are the following:

• Fast and secure internet connection (bandwidth, connectivity)
• Accessible outlets
• Laptop or monitor support
• Extension cords
• Access to printing and scanning machines
• Audiovisual equipment in meeting rooms
• Comfortable seats (for employees with frequent back pain problems)
• Staples, pins, scissors, and other stationeries
• Kitchen appliances (coffee maker, microwave)

Solution

We understand your concerns as a coworker. However, it should also be of significance to note that coworking places are a go-to-office. So do not expect that it can cater highly specialized office equipment. To ensure that employees are still ahead of the game, employers must attend to their equipment needs. Providing them with clear guidelines needed to do their daily tasks. Consider conducting a survey and asking them about it.

Inability to personalize the office

Ranked fifth on the list is the inability to personalize the office with 31%. It is human nature to feel every place they go to every day is a “home,” so they personalize it with pictures of their family, words of affirmation, or “never give up” stickers on their desks.

While a coworking space must maintain its coworking identity and branding, members should also feel like the space is their own. This is especially true if they operate a client-facing business and meet with clients frequently.

Solution

Although the coworking user must be fully aware of the nature of using coworking spaces as being not a traditional office space. However, if the owner may feel they should allow for office personalization, strict guidelines, such as the color, type of wall decor, patterns, etc., must be adhered to. Another thing is providing them with private lockers or dedicated desks where they can at least personally decorate.

Also Read: Should Human Resources In Singapore Embrace Coworking Spaces?

Security and safety issues

Last on the list, where almost a quarter of the respondents (23%) responded as being the case of challenges in coworking spaces, are security and safety issues.

The use of coworking spaces entails independent digitalization of the employees. So, security and safety issues increase risks. It can be caused and triggered by the following when working in coworking spaces:

• Wi-Fi
• Equipment and device security
• 24/7 access

This is a crucial issue on its objective level, not just any human need mentioned above. So coworking operators must address this issue thoroughly.

Solution

• Allow members to keep their work equipment in the space by giving them access to lockable storage units.
• Make meeting and conference rooms soundproof. This is especially crucial for members who work in industries where sensitive material is handled frequently.
• Coworking spaces with a 24/7 option should have an alarm system installed and unique codes specific to people accessing the building.
• Allow members to connect via a private, secure network. Coworking operators need to give each member a unique ID and password to join the network.

Final Thoughts

Behind every glorification of one thing lies another challenge, as all things do. That said, challenges in coworking spaces should not prevent businesses from using them to scale operations and having their employees have the option to work remotely or hybrid. 

After all, coworking spaces outweigh the challenges with their cost-effectiveness and productivity for the users. It promotes the social element employees need to network, make new connections, meet the team, and collaborate on important projects.

Moreover, if the challenges are appropriately addressed and given solutions, there will be no problem, and the employees’ happiness and job satisfaction will be in high swing.

Are you looking for the best coworking spaces in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore? Read our blogs and download the app. Browse all the places you want and check in with a smile.

About Deskimo

Deskimo is the flexible work platform of choice that helps businesses navigate the new future of work. With us, you and your business can adapt to flexible work, and pay-as-you-go across dozens of spaces in Singapore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.