As businesses of all sizes have embraced coworking spaces, with a reported 40% of WeWork spaces going out to companies with more than 500 employees, its often the benefits for employers or the advantages for employees that are lauded for the shift. But when it comes down it, how is actually managing employees in a coworking space?
Easier than you might then you might think.
Big players like KPMG, Merck, GE, and The Guardian have all used coworking spaces, according to Bloomberg. And let’s not forget that Instagram, Uber, and Spotify are just a few startups that rose up from coworking spaces.
When it comes down to it, managing employees in a coworking space is easy – you simply have to be intentional about the business practices that will keep employees engaged in your company’s mission – even if those employees are offsite.
Here, we look at 8 practices that making managing employees in a coworking space even easier.
8 Practices for Effectively Manage Employees in a Coworking Space
- Get creative with teambuilding. Employees in coworking spaces are working together quite closely – more so even than in traditional environments. And getting beyond any tension that is naturally going to pop up requires more than a typical post-work happy hour. Instead, get employees outside for a fun day of mini-golf or try arranging to take a cooking class together. Team building cultivates strong relationships, which benefit your employees as individuals as well as contributors to the business.
- Encourage collaborative deadline and project management. This all-hands-on-deck approach serves several purposes. First, employees benefit from responsibility on individual components that contribute to a greater project. In addition, employees are more likely to meet their deadlines knowing others are waiting on them (and have a visual of if they are falling behind).
- Champion your brand. Keeping some brand swag around the coworking can help drum up employee excitement for the brand and help them continue to identify with the company. In addition, it doesn’t hurt to let others in the coworking space know who those stellar professionals are working for, and could build a pipeline for new customers or top talent.
- Protect your company culture. Employees in a coworking space are brushing up against other company cultures and practices, and it’s important to establish a clear company identity employees can behind – even if their desk neighbor gets every other Friday afternoon off and that’s not part of your culture. Instead, establish company meetups that help employees remember the company’s long term goals, how they are part of them, and what is unique to their company culture.
- Choose an organized coworking space. The coworking space itself can contribute to how successful – or unsuccessful – employees are. Spaces should have reasonable rules that enable professional behavior, allow areas for private conversations, and offer the office amenities today’s professionals need to get the job done. Even though the office space is more flexible on terms, you should be just as selective with your coworking space.
- Understand your employees’ needs. Remember, employees, are people, each with unique needs. Understand how each employee works best, and ensure you equip them with that in their coworking space – whether that is a social environment to boost creativity or some heads-down space.
- Cultivate a healthy working style. While sometimes it can feel like a loss of control to send employees to remote status, continue to cultivate a culture that encourages the healthy and appropriate use of breaks. The location of the shared space and its outdoor options can make this a natural part of your employees’ days.
- Stay connected. Ensure your employees are meeting regularly with their managers to help understand how they are staying motivated and productive, and learn about any barriers they are encountering. Regular touchpoints also help them feel connected and valued.
Learn more about how you can manage your employees while empowering them with all the resources available at HEXA. Contact us today at hexa@hexatx.com to get started.