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4 surprising benefits of collaborative working for freelancers and SMEs

Posted by Oliver Corrigan on May 9, 2017 8:30:00 AM
Oliver Corrigan
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By the end of 2017, more than 1.2 million people worldwide will have worked in a co-working space. This represents a huge proportion of freelancers, solopreneurs and SMEs.

One of the major reasons behind this growth is the simple fact that the way many of us work is changing. More and more professionals are taking the plunge into self-employment and the UK is seeing the highest number of self-employed individuals since employment records began. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (April 2017) show there are 4.78 million self-employed people in the UK, which accounts for 15% of all employment.

With so many professionals choosing self-employment, it’s unsurprising that collaborative workspaces and virtual offices are on the increase.

Many of the benefits of co-working spaces are obvious: they’re cheaper, they’re more sociable, they get you out of the house. However, there are also several more surprising benefits. Here are four you may not have thought of.

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1. It can help you get more work

The other professionals in your co-working space can be a valuable resource for a number of reasons. Top of the list is the fact they can help you get more work! Not only might they want to buy into your services themselves, but they may also be able to recommend you to their clients. Working collaboratively also opens up opportunities to band together as a group in order to pitch for bigger contracts. Co-working spaces at business centres, such as Carrwood Park, may also provide some unique business opportunities with regular networking events like Connect Yorkshire.

 

2. It can give you access to expertise

Of course, it’s also key to remember that you may want to buy into the services of the other professionals you’re working with! Next time you need professional advice, you may find the right person sitting on the other side of the desk to you. This can save a lot of research time and makes outsourcing far less stressful.

 

3. It can make you more productive

Most people find that they are more productive when they work from a co-working space. Deskmag’s third Global Co-working Survey found that 71% of professionals felt their creativity had increased since joining a co-working space, 62% felt that the standard of their work had improved and 68% reported that they were able to focus better.

 

4. It can help you achieve a better work/life balance

When you work from home the line between work and play can get very blurred. Investing in a professional work environment can help with this. Not only will you be well away from all the temptations of home during working hours, you’ll also be able to physically leave your office when it’s time to down tools for the day. Co-working spaces with 24-hour access can be ideal for improving your work/life balance even further.

 

As you can see, there are some clear benefits to working from a co-working space. If you’re interested in finding out more about co-working in Leeds and whether it might be right for you, we’d love to help you find out. Why not get in touch for a chat about our co-working space?

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Topics: self-employed, News, Co-working and Flexible Working, Start-Up, SME, business, leeds co-working space

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