One concern that always comes up when discussing co-working space is noise. In an open office, full of other workers and companies, the concern is valid. But many employees who actually work in co-working spaces don’t seem phased by the noise – and it certainly ranks lower in annoyance than a coworker heating fish for lunch in the break area!
How Workers Maintain Focus in Modern Co-Working Spaces and Block Out the Noise
Let’s take some time and talk about how 3.1 million co-working members in the U.S. are combating noise on a daily basis – it isn’t as much of an issue as it may seem.
1. Utilizing Private Spaces
Many co-working spaces have rooms that block out sound and are perfect for calls and meetings, or just locking down focusing on what needs to get done. These spaces vary depending on what your co-working space company decides to put in. The enclaves can have comfy couches, large desks, or small conference areas for one on one collaboration. These spaces are usually outfitted with noise-canceling features such as heavily insulated walls and heavy doors so that workers can have peace and quiet while they work.
2. Moving to Another Area in the Space
Now, the private spaces mentioned above are great for when silence is needed, but sometimes there is a time limit on how long you can actually be in there. The beauty of working in a flexible space is that if an area becomes too loud, you can just move to another area in the building that is quieter. These spaces don’t necessarily have the same noise-canceling features as private enclaves, but they tend to be a good solution to spirited conversations and meetings happening within the co-working space.
3. Headphones
If you employ quite a few younger workers (ages 22-35) you have probably noticed that they are almost always wearing headphones. A new study over 1,000 employees and employers on music at work found that well over half (56%) of employees regularly use headphones in the office.
Employees often wear headphones to listen to music and better their focus or take hands-free calls, but they are most likely wearing headphones for at least part of the workday. The study above also found that the vast majority of employees (nearly 80%) feel that listening to music increases their productivity at work. This is probably the number one reason why young workers are fine with doing their job in co-working spaces…think of headphones as the new way of closing an office door when focus is needed.
4. Knowing it is Temporary
So, the thing about co-working spaces is that a lot of companies utilize them temporarily for meetings, events and much more depending on what amenities are available. Normally, the company who owns the building encourages these events to take place before or after normal working hours. If the events do take place during working hours, they normally give the event coordinators a strict time limit. Many people who use a co-working space as their office know this and yes, it can be a bit distracting, but take a look at point number 3 again, headphones can always block out unwanted noise.
5. Addressing the Issue
Most of the time, noise is not a consistent problem in co-working spaces and everyone is pretty courteous of others around them who are working.
On occasion, there may be a few individuals who are more boisterous than others. If a certain group is being loud on a regular basis, the staff working in the building will usually address it and remind them that it is a shared, professional space. If the staff isn’t aware of the situation though, employees who are being disrupted by the noise will most likely bring it to their attention and the issue will be resolved quickly.
Although noise is something to think about when considering utilizing a co-working space, it actually isn’t much of an issue for workers and your team will likely benefit from having a more open environment to collaborate in.
If you are interested in learning more about co-working in Wichita, KS contact Fireworx today! We are happy to answer any questions you have.