With the latest ABS statistics reporting that approximately 1.3 million self employed Australians choose to operate from a home office, and an average of 9,900 Australians Googling the phrase ‘Work from Home’ each month, the attraction of ditching the confines of traditional employment seems to be at an all time high.
However, underneath the perceived freedom and flexibility of working from home, lies multiple challenges in regards to social interaction, feelings of isolation, productivity, networking and sense of community that are often overlooked.
If you’ve been able to break free to the traditional 9 – 5 grind, here’s how our Coworking Space at Corporate House can help you maintain your flexible work arrangement, grow your business and enjoy a healthy work / life balance.
Avoiding Feelings of Isolation
Typically, humans are social beings, enjoying the company of friends and sharing personal experiences with others. Whilst the idea of escaping the workplace politics and challenging colleagues may sound attractive at first, long periods of working in isolation has been linked to above average levels of stress, reduced sleep and burnout. Corporate House’s Coworking Spaces can help to you to overcome any feelings of isolation and the associated health risks. Our open plan workspaces are filled with like minded individuals, giving you the opportunity to socialise & network without sacrificing your workplace freedom & flexibility.
Improve Your Productivity
We’ve often spoke about the reported improvements in productivity our Coworking members enjoy, mainly due to reduced distractions when compared to working from home. However, another important element to productivity, is the effect being surrounded by motivated, like minded individuals. By immersing yourself in a social environment that’s conducive to work, you’ll find yourself less prone to procrastination and more likely to get on with your work.
Expand Your Network
Perhaps one of the biggest risks when working from home is limiting your network of business contacts. There’s no substitution for face to face relationship building and by working from your spare bedroom or kitchen table, you’re likely missing out on hundreds of opportunities each year to embrace the serendipity that comes from working alongside other professionals like yourself.
This is particularly true for service based sole traders, like accountants, web developers and consultants. Collectively, our Coworking tenants represent a broad range of industries and are an ideal source of support for your business, referral opportunities and new business opportunities.
Sense Of Community
The sense of feeling apart of something is an important consideration for any self employed individual. Your sense of community can quickly dissipate as the weeks and months pass when starting out working from home. Feeling cut off from your professional community could lead to lower levels of motivation, poorer levels of self care and impact your overall business performance. At Corporate House, we recognise the importance of community in our Coworking Spaces and regularly promote socialisation via after hours events.
If you and your business are suffering from the isolation of working from a home office, click here to view our full range of inclusions in our Flexible Coworking Space offering and book your free tour at any of our locations across Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast today.