Basing your company in a Coworking space gives your team a great opportunity to be part of a community that pushes them towards excellence. But as with any other community – the society you live in, your friend circle, etc. there are certain behavioural norms to be followed. The key idea here is to focus on your work and let the people around you focus on theirs. So, how should one behave in a Coworking space? Here’s a behaviour checklist in Coworking spaces to keep in mind.
Top 10 Individual Behaviour Checklist In Coworking Spaces
- Respect The Workplace
- Keep The Space Clean
- Check Your Volume
- Don’t Monopolize Resources
- Be Friendly
- Maintain Good Hygiene
- Don’t Hold Meetings At Your Desk
- Bring Your Own Supplies
- Dress Professionally
- Don’t Spam People
1. Respect The Workplace
Unlike a café where some people come to work and others come to chill with their friends, everyone in Coworking spaces is there to work. So, it isn’t fair to swivel your chair around and decide to have a long coffee break with someone else at the table.
Your conversation can disturb others. Similarly, this isn’t the space to prank someone else. Don’t slam doors and walk softly. In short, accept the seriousness of the space and give it due respect.
2. Keep The Space Clean
One of the most-loved Coworking features is that you can usually sit anywhere you like. One day you may want to sit at a community table while on another you may want to tuck yourself away in a corner where distractions are minimal. What this also means is that the desk that was yours today may be someone else’s tomorrow. Hence, leave your workspace as clean as you found it.
A Coworking environment has a lot of shared space – this too must be left clean. Don’t litter and if you spill something – wipe it up.
3. Check Your Volume
This is one of the first few points on every Coworking guide. When you walk into the Coworking unit, make sure that your speech is not disturbing others at work. Keep your mobile on low volume or vibrate mode. Nobody wants to hear your ringtone.
If you need to take a call at a shared desk, step away and go to the designated phone booth or step out for the call. Similarly, when you’re talking to other people, keep your volume low so it doesn’t disturb other people around you. Since video calls are now quite routine in offices, make sure you use a pair of headphones for these calls.
4. Don’t Monopolize Resources
Printers, scanners, the fridge in the kitchen – these are all shared resources meant for everyone. If you’re using the printer and notice that you’ve used the last sheet of paper, tell the person in charge or refill the tray.
Similarly, if you’ve emptied a bottle of water in the kitchen, refill it. If you’ve got a large cake that needs to be refrigerated, don’t simply remove everyone else’s food from the fridge, rearrange things so that it all fits. These may not be written Coworking guidelines but they are basic ways to be courteous in a shared space.
5. Be Friendly
Be friendly with everyone. Smile, be polite and do your best to help others out. One of the benefits of Coworking is that it fosters collaboration so if you hear of a lead, share it with people who could benefit from it. Of course, if you’re trying to focus on something, it wouldn’t be considered rude to tell people that you don’t want to be disturbed for a while.
6. Maintain Good Hygiene
When you’re looking at office space for rent, you probably looked at the overall cleanliness of the space. Your hygiene is just as important. No one wants to sit next to someone who has bad body odour or who has a cold and leaves used tissues lying around. Also, note that this isn’t your bedroom – it isn’t considered polite to put your head down and snore…
7. Don’t Hold Meetings At Your Desk
The availability of meeting rooms was probably one of the points on your Coworking checklist. Most Coworking spaces let you book meeting rooms at an added fee. It may be tempting to circumvent this fee and hold a small meeting at your desk but this goes against all Coworking etiquette. Even if it’s a meeting with just one other person, step away from everyone else for your conversation.
8. Bring Your Own Supplies
Asking for a pen may be a great way to introduce yourself to someone and strike up a conversation but you don’t want to be known as the person who’s constantly asking for stuff. Make sure you carry your own chargers, stationery, snacks, etc.
It’s also a good idea to carry a bottle of water with you. If you feel cold, bring a jacket along. Most importantly, make sure you take everything you brought back home with you at the end of the day.
9. Dress Professionally
Irrespective of what you do, make sure you are well dressed every day. It isn’t necessary to be formally dressed but your clothes should be clean, properly ironed and modest. At the same time, an ironed bathrobe can’t be considered appropriate. How you dress doesn’t only impact the way you feel and your mood but also influences everyone else around you.
10. Don’t Spam People
Coworking space is a great place to network and make connections. You’ll find that people are happy to help and even collaborate to promote your product to their audiences. But, don’t overdo the sharing and become known as that guy who’s constantly spamming inboxes. Find the right occasion to talk about your idea – you can strike up a conversation over lunch or attend networking events.
Our Two Cents
Following these simple guidelines can help ensure you experience all the benefits of working in a Coworking unit. To know more about Coworking spaces by The Office Pass (TOP), reach out to us at 08999 828282.
