Shared Coworking Space- Five Tried & Tested Shared Office Designs

Coworking spaces are known to be creative, flexible environments that encourage working together. So, how does a coworking space achieve this? That’s an easy question to answer. More than the people in a shared office workspace, or the companies that rent coworking spaces, it’s the design of the office that encourages interaction. Coworking spaces are brightly lit, with a vastly open floor plan and spaces where people can congregate whenever they feel they need to. For someone from a traditional office space, moving to a coworking space is like stepping out of a cage to find the savannah stretching to the horizon ahead of them. That’s the difference between the two. Traditional office spaces are very confining, with steady lighting that is almost clinical in nature, cubicles that make the office seem closed-off and confine employees and encourage little to no interaction between employees beyond team members, if even that occurs. That’s where coworking spaces are different. The entire workspace is designed from the ground up with one purpose in mind; to be more open, interactive and lively. Read on to find out some common design elements that can be found in any coworking space.

Natural Lighting:

A common element that makes any workspace better is natural lighting. While ambient lighting to set the tone is all well and good, nothing beats the sun for providing the right kind of lighting that can make any space brighter and more people-friendly. Natural lighting, whether it’s direct or reflected is energizing and helps boost creativity and positive thinking. We might not be Superman but, it’s been proven that sunlight definitely gives us a boost.

Colours:

Colours play an important part of our daily lives. Whether it’s in a presentation, in our food or in the clothes we wear, colours add a sense of vibrancy, reflect our moods and so much more. Both observational experience and confirmed studies have proved the effects different colours have on us. Brighter colours make us happier, intense, vibrant colours convey a sense of energy and drive while other colours can evoke a calming sense of peace. Colours in a coworking space have many uses; they define spaces, adding virtual separations without restricting members; they can define roles in office workspaces, like one colour for a tech team, and another for the marketing division. The possibilities and uses of colours in a shared coworking space are endless. They can even be used to simply accentuate a workspace.

Ambience:

In most restaurants, the ambience is a large part of the experience. The same is true for a coworking space too. Designing an open, flexible office is good but, without any activity, a workspace can seem incredibly dull. Having a constant hum of activity, with the option for silence when needed is a tried-and-tested way to boost creativity. The low hum of conversation, the sound of people shuffling around the coworking space lends energy and vibrancy to a workspace environment. The activity in a workspace is directly proportional to the creativity it engenders. Having a certain amount of ambient noise gives off a sense of action, a dynamic that can motivate and drive employees and members of a coworking space.

Safe and Sound:

Most coworking spaces are open 24×7, with members able to come and go as they please, working whenever they want. This though, leads to a need for improved security. You might be the only person working in a coworking space late at night. That’s when you become aware of your need for security. All coworking spaces come with a good amount of security and regulations aimed at making shared coworking spaces secure for all their members. Coworking spaces usually allow free access only to their permanent members. Coworking spaces also respect privacy, despite being known as open workspaces. Members in a coworking space can get personal lockers for their important belongings too.

The Culture Club:

Coworking spaces are defined as open and flexible workspaces for everyone. There is a line however. The point of an open coworking space is to encourage interaction with other members of the office space. True interaction can’t be achieved if the coworking space doesn’t respect cultural differences. A coworking space is meant to be accessible and friendly to people from different walks of life so, a degree of cultural sensitivity and a line drawn in the sand of openness will be appreciated more than just a blanket “do whatever you want” rule. Coworking spaces should be open to everyone, regardless of the community they belong to, the religion they follow or any other criteria and, providers of coworking spaces should be aware enough to account for them when creating their workspace.

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Five Reasons Co-Working Spaces are on the Rise

The days when we used to work in set offices belonging to a single company are quickly coming to a close. Offices belonging exclusively to one company are becoming a thing of the past, mostly due to the rise of co-working. There are many reasons why co-working offices have increased in popularity, whether it’s money constraints, a search for a more creative office or even as a convenience. Shared workspaces are especially popular among freelancers, independent workers, consultants and small enterprises. Here are a few of the reasons listed below.

Why Co-work?

Every answer begins with a question. The question asked here is “Why the rise in co-working spaces?” There are many different reasons as to why this is happening. Here are five reasons why

Co-working spaces are growing in popularity.

1> First and foremost is the rise in start-ups and small businesses. When you’re a new company, capital is at a premium. The endless effort in setting up and ensuring success, to the rigorous search for investment, sparing the money to lease an office space is a burden on most start-ups. Generally speaking, office spaces are mostly located in premium localities, making the price for workspace rentals prohibitively expensive.

2> The second reason for the increased interest in co-working spaces ties in to the first one.

Renting or leasing office space, especially one that meets your needs is a daunting prospect.

You have to find the right one location-wise, size-wise and one that fits your style. What makes this even more troublesome is that you’re locked in to a rental or lease agreement for a specific period of time, whether it’s a year or more.

3> Offices generally follow a one-dimensional structure, like a top-down work structure. Co-working spaces on the other hand encourage creative workflow, collaboration and more importantly, networking and “career fluidity” as Anne Kreamer, a writer for the Harvard

Business Review described it.

4> Co-working office spaces also come with many benefits. You get plenty of opportunities to share ideas, communicate effectively with others, collaborate on projects with your co-workers and brainstorm when you need to.

5> Another positive of co-working spaces is that they are incredibly flexible. They can be designed according to what a company needs and, the layout of the office can be changed as needed too. Co-working spaces are also flexible in their rental agreements, whether it’s for a day, week, month or year.

There is so much more to a co-working office. Increased productivity, better networking, more creativity and a higher level of freedom compared to a traditional workspace are even more reasons for enterprises and freelancers to go the co-working route!

Content Source: iKeva

We care about people’s smiles! Dental Camp at iKeva Chennai

We care about people’s smiles!

Dental Camp at iKeva Chennai

Society as a whole is becoming more and more health-conscious. It’s no longer about just being generally healthy either. More and more people are making active lifestyle choices to be in the best of health, keep themselves in the best shape and, more importantly, look their best! Everything from the condition of skin and hair, to their food habits are gaining ground. Oral health is a major part of this. People are doing their best to prevent dental problems by making smart choices with their teeth. Whether it is teeth whitening to rid themselves of stains, to dental implants. People are increasingly conscious about their teeth. Dental care is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. At iKeva, we believe in oral and dental health and so, we have invited Dentistry experts to our Perungudi, Chennai Office on the 8th of January to speak about the importance of dental care, and proved a free dental check-up to our employees and our clients! Boost your confidence with a winning smile!

Who can attend?

The iKeva dental Camp is open to anyone interested. Our employees are a major part of this event, as are people who have opted for our serviced offices. We also extend invitations to the members in our co-working spaces, and they can bring their friends too! If you are part of our virtual office network, you can come on down too. If you, the person reading this are interested too, you’re welcome to join us as well! This event is open to anybody interested.

We, at iKeva strive to be more than workspace providers. We believe in offering a complete experience that is not limited to our office spaces. We provide networking opportunities, a community for our members and many more benefits. We also believe in healthy lifestyles and promoting quality of life. At iKeva, we care about people’s smiles!

Content Source: iKeva

Four Ways Coworking Encourages Community

Changing workspace trends over the last decade have seen the gradual move from traditional cubicles and office spaces to other, alternate places to work from. We’ve seen people running their businesses from homes, or working out of coffee shops. The downside though, was that home workspaces lack social interaction and, coffee shops and home offices both share a problem with distraction.

That’s where coworking spaces made their entrance, filling the gap between the need for a workspace, and the need for social interaction. Coworking spaces offer the best of both worlds. This change, one very much to the positive, has seen more and more people actively opting for these spaces, to make the best of what they offer. There are many benefits to working in a shared office space. Each coworking space is different, and the culture in each is different too, based on the city the shared office space is in. The culture in a Bangalore coworking space will be different from the culture in a coworking space in Hyderabad. That’s another way these offices promote community and togetherness, by reflecting the culture of the place they are located in.

Here are four ways coworking spaces encourage community.

• The Collaborative Force: Coworking spaces are a very open environment, making it as easy as leaning over a desk or pushing you chair back to ask someone’s opinion or ideate on a project. Coworking spaces also make it possible to hold brainstorm sessions with a varied group of people, each with their unique opinions and ideas. The idea of coworking encourages working together to solve a problem and a focus on being a community rather than just individuals working together.
• Easy Networking: There are many good things that can be said about Coworking but, one that really stands out is the ease of networking. If you’re a fresh start-up looking to expand your network or just hire new people, a coworking space is a great source for leads. It’s even better for freelancers, who can expand their network and find new sources of work from the same workspace. They could even get hired by start-ups looking to expand.
• The Social: We’ve spoken about how coworking spaces are collaborative and good for networking. The reason for this is because they’re structured to be really social and encourage interaction. Coworking spaces also have a lot of events organized, from seminars and workshops to office parties, and celebrating festivals and other holidays. This makes for a really social work setting, which is a big plus!
• Relationships that matter:
  When you work in a shared office space, one of the great things is the people. When you find an office of people who share the same ideals, the same thought processes as you, is when coworking spaces really shine! You meet so many new people and, most of them end up being more than just colleagues, coworkers or contacts. You meet interesting people who might become really close friends, someone who shares hobbies with you and much, much more!

That’s why coworking spaces are such a great draw compared to normal, boring old office spaces. There’s so much to see and do, and so many new people to meet! Coworking spaces are definitely a great community-builder.

Content Source: ikeva

Optimizing your Co-working Space: Five Things You Should be Doing

The number of small enterprises and start-ups is rapidly growing. With this, the demand for workspace and for creative work environments is rising quickly. A majority of the companies started recently are highly innovative technological start-ups or creative works like media agencies, social media marketing or advertising agencies. As real estate is increasingly becoming a commodity, and with start-ups focusing on better utilizing capital, the need for shared workspaces is high.

Here are five things you should be doing to optimize your co-working space.

Furnish and Supply:

Structure is a vital part of any office. The way an office is structured can affect everything from productivity, to workflow and creativity. Your office sets the tone of your workspace. These are just a few of the things to keep in mind when furnishing your workspace. Make sure you have absolutely everything you need to keep your office running. Choose your furniture depending on the type of work atmosphere you need. As an example, if your office is meant to be a creative, energetic and happy workplace, choose bright colours and warm lighting, with comfortable chairs that one can sink into while working.

Another important facet is resources. Resources matter, especially in a shared workspace. Your workspace will need enough office supplies and anything else that is required in a modern office in ample supply. Essentials like charging points, internet access, and access to stationery are all necessary.

The Nerve Center:

A shared office is meant to boost creativity and, what better way to do it than with a brainstorming session? Having a dedicated space where you can gather your team and brainstorm is essential to success. In co-working spaces, the need for a “nerve center” or a place meant for brainstorming is immensely important. For one, it gives you and your team a place to think and discuss in peace. As a second point, it allows you to carry out your meetings without disturbing the people you share your office with. On occasion, you can even invite them to join in your discussions!

Scrum Mastery:

The secret behind the success of most creative teams is the scrum; a regularly held meeting meant to discuss the things of importance happening in your business. Holding a regular scrum, whether daily or weekly serves as a reminder of goals, allows you to establish objectives for you and your team and, on top of it all and lets you know where you stand in your business.

Open The Floor:

Contrary to most office spaces that are divided by cubicles, co-working spaces flourish better when they have more room, or at least the appearance of more. Cubicles are generally considered stifling, cramped spaces. So, open up the floor of your co-working space with interspersed furniture. This helps create a feeling of togetherness and removes the feeling of separation that working from a cubicle causes. Having an open office floor boosts creativity, team spirit and allows for more open communication with the people you are working with.

Grub and Glug [OR] Food values:

In any office, break time is valued highly. It allows people to wind down from a day’s hard work, catch up on other concerns or just spend the time getting in touch with friends. One of the most important things for any break is food. Having a well-stocked and equipped break room is vital. Here, your employees can interact with their co-workers during the break over a small bite to eat. This helps boost camaraderie in the office as well as providing a small energy boost to keep the productivity going. Stocking up on healthy snacks and beverages also helps keep energy levels, productivity and an overall healthy, positive attitude in the office.

Source: iKeva

The city might be down, not your workspace

Last week, when a cyclone hit Chennai, the entire city suffered a lack of connectivity, dead telephone lines and erratic power fluctuations. While schools and colleges took a convenient break, businesses took the hardest hit; especially those businesses that worked across multiple locations nationally and internationally.

However, the case wasn’t so at iKeva.

iKeva’s operations remained unaffected despite the bad weather conditions. Throughout the week, iKeva members enjoyed uninterrupted facilities and services and stayed empowered to deliver work with the same efficiency as before. iKeva took additional measures to ensure that work-as-usual wasn’t affected, and to adhere to its promise of a productive workspace – always!

High-Quality Infrastructure: iKeva members enjoyed an uninterrupted internet and landline access, despite the storm. This ensured that they weren’t cut off from their teams in other locations and had access to work email and documents throughout.

Further, with effectively managed power backup, iKeva ensured that there was practically no power-cut throughout. Further, the infrastructure was designed to withstand voltage fluctuations that usually come with heavy rains. This preempted a data-disaster, improved information availability and prevented latency.

Well-trained support staff: iKeva’s team was amply trained to work around a complex situation, and provided immediate on-ground solutions to the members. Working as an extended team, to each member – iKeva supported them in completing work efficiently.

Quick decision making: As the situation demanded an extra hand, iKeva flew down a senior resource from its head-office to guide and help the team around the crisis, and ensure seamless operations. The fact that the situation did not get overwhelming, at any point, is proof of the excellent way in which the crisis was managed by the iKeva team.

Being prepared and having a disaster recovery plan in place, is a key element defining a great workplace. Ensuring business process continuity and productivity helped our members steer clear of a loss of time, money, business and reputation.

iKeva is proud of its cutting-edge infrastructure, facilities and quality service – and its ability to deliver, no matter what challenge awaits! Most importantly with a personal Human Touch with a Community to support in case of disasters.

Content Source: ikeva