Choosing a Coworking Space: Key Factors Every Business Should Consider

By Hritik | Hunt Offices Coworking Space | Updated on 28th July 2023

Key takeaway: learning how to choose the best coworking space for business needs to look beyond appealing interiors and focus on initial leasing costs. Requesting information on location predictability, fiber connection, meeting rooms, extra amenity costs, and facility management problem-solving capabilities can help secure an environment that drives the productivity of people in the company.

Most people learning how to choose the best coworking space for their business tend to do it on an ad-hoc basis. This happens because there is rarely any motivation to plan years ahead - working from home becomes a distraction, the team needs more space than ever before, or the previously leased office is no longer fitting for the company’s current needs.

At the point when someone is considering flexible office space, a coworking space becomes an obvious choice. This is because it allows them to lease a venue for as long as they need while benefiting from the convenience of ready-made infrastructure. It helps the founder resolve the immediate requirement for an office, which is why they are often chosen without hesitation.

When touring potential options, many coworking spaces appear to be similar, as they cover the basics – private desks, meeting rooms, fast wifi, and lounge access. However, how to choose the best coworking space for one’s business becomes a critical question when the venue begins to dictate the rhythms of the team’s work-life.

Why Choosing the Right Coworking Space Matters More Than You Think

The right coworking space helps maximize the focus of employees, client-centric productivity, meeting efficacy, and overall teamwork efficiency.

A workspace rarely plays a passive role in an individual’s work-life, as it has the potential to dictate the manner in which daily tasks are executed. In this regard, how to choose the best coworking space is an important consideration for the founder, as it directly impacts the ability of the workforce to concentrate, complete tasks with minimal disruptions, and impress clients with every interaction.

The cumulative effect of day-to-day annoyances soon becomes apparent, which is why learning how to choose the best coworking space is often a sobering experience for individual entrepreneurs and office managers alike. When the office layout facilitates a frictionless work environment, the employees can channel all of their mental energy toward higher-priority tasks without worrying about logistics. At the same time, a poorly managed shared office creates continuous operational hurdles:

• A conference room booking system that fails to prevent scheduling clashes between critical board meetings.
• Wi-Fi bandwidth that fluctuates unbearably during important investor presentations.
• HVAC breakdowns that occur frequently during peak summer months.
• Unnecessary background noise that makes client negotiations impossible.

These inconveniences may seem trivial on an individual basis, but they begin to take a toll on the morale and performance of the team over six months. Choosing the right coworking space is ultimately about risk mitigation and operational efficiency.

Key Factors to Evaluate When Choosing a Coworking Space

When evaluating a coworking space, it is necessary to adopt a detective’s mindset to uncover wasted effort and misaligned priorities.

Below are the key factors to consider when learning how to choose the best coworking space:

Observe How the Office Space Operates During Peak Hours

There is no substitute for firsthand experience when it comes to learning how to choose the best coworking space. This means that the office tour should include a busy weekday to get a realistic idea of the workspace environment. During this time, it may be possible to identify crucial factors, including:

• Whether the background noise in common areas is distracting.
• If the venue allows impromptu conference room bookings.
• If phone calls are permitted in shared workspaces and lounges.
• Whether the common areas are maintained to a satisfactory level of cleanliness.

These differences are especially apparent when comparing the requirements of different departments. For instance, the engineering team will have contrasting needs from the sales personnel. Ideally, the former should be able to work in peace while the latter is looking for venues to hold client meetings. It is always advisable to choose a coworking space that accommodates one’s operational needs instead of the other way around.

The Mid-Day Noise and Density Test

When touring a potential coworking space, it is advisable to schedule a second meeting between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM on a Tuesday or Thursday. This helps in ascertaining the noise levels and density of shared workspaces since most professionals tend to arrive early in the day. During this time, the following clues can help in understanding the dynamics of the venue:

• Whether the common areas transform into a free-for-all or retain a disciplined ambiance.
• If the phone booths are always occupied or feature a queuing system.

A place that seems calm on a Monday morning at 10:00 AM can turn out to be chaotic by Friday afternoon.

Determine the Office Space Location Based on Your Team’s Commuting Needs

When learning how to choose the best coworking space for one’s business, the emphasis should be on picking a venue that suits the commuting patterns of the team. It should always be possible to reach the office without spending too much time on the road.

For instance, shared offices in DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon, and Connaught Place, Delhi, offer excellent connectivity. Meanwhile, people have to navigate through traffic jams when trying to reach a remote coworking space. A good office has to empower the workforce instead of restricting their mobility.

Neighborhood Amenities and Surrounding Infrastructure

Beyond metro access, it is important to analyze the surrounding infrastructure when determining how to choose the best coworking space for one’s business. This includes:

• Dining Options: Are there enough restaurants, cafes, and affordable food joints for the team to explore?
• Banking & Services: Is there easy access to major banks and ATMs to facilitate financial transactions?
• Client Accommodation: Are there reputable 3-star and 5-star hotel options to host clients and visiting leadership?
• Parking Capacity: Does the building have ample parking space for employees and visitors?

Make Sure that Seating and Interior Lighting Allow for Productive Work

It can be challenging to gauge the comfort levels of a coworking space when spending just 15 minutes there. However, people who work in these venues have to interact with the furniture for hours every day, which means that specific ergonomic considerations have to be made.

Ergonomics and Physical Health

Poorly designed seating and desk heights can cause physical discomfort and long-term posture problems. During the office tour, it is important to look for the following clues:

• Seating: Mesh-back ergonomic chairs with lumbar support, adjustable armrests, and pneumatic height adjustment.
• Desk Dimensions: At least 3 feet of linear desk space per worker to ensure that laptops, monitors, and paperwork fit comfortably.
• Storage Solutions: Lockers or storage cabinets in private cabins and dedicated desks to organize personal belongings and sensitive documents.

Lighting & Acoustics

• Lighting: Natural lighting is ideal for reducing eyestrain and uplifting the mood. Ideally, private cabins should have glass divisions instead of harsh artificial lighting.
• Acoustics: Coworking venues with superior acoustics use ceiling tiles, carpets, and double-glazed glass partitions to minimize disturbances. This is especially important in private cabins that are located near active common areas.

Technical Infrastructure & Facility Management

Technology and facility management capabilities are often the deciding factor when learning how to choose the best coworking space, as it defines the kind of interruptions that employees will have to deal with during the workday.

It is rare for an office to become a preferred choice because of its technical infrastructure, but poor management of technical aspects can drive a company away from renewed leases. Below are some crucial considerations when touring potential coworking venues:

• Ask the operator about back-up fiber, electricity generators, and onsite technical support during peak hours.

Key IT Security and Networking Checklist

If the company handles sensitive data, financial transactions, or client intellectual property, the standard open Wi-Fi may not be sufficient. In such cases, it is advisable to enquire about the following:

• VLAN Configuration: The ability to configure a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) for enhanced security.
• Static IP Address: An option to use a static IP address for servers and VPN services.
• Redundant Fiber Providers: Two separate fiber-optic internet providers (e.g., Airtel and Tata Communications) with automatic traffic switching in case of an outage.
• UPS & Power Backups: Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to prevent data loss due to power failures and serve as a backup for diesel generators.

Why Shared Workplace Behaviors are Worth Considering

Every coworking space develops a community culture based on the collective behaviors of its members. By setting standards around phone calls in shared workspaces and using common meeting rooms, the venue can establish a baseline for acceptable behavior. This helps in maximizing the productivity of every company that operates from the venue.

Observing how community managers enforce phone etiquette can be an eye-opening experience when learning how to choose the best coworking space. For instance:

• Are members allowed to use speakerphones in shared workspaces, or are they requested to use the phone booths?
• Are there penalties for team members who fail to vacate meeting rooms after their scheduled time?
• Is there a clearly defined protocol for maintaining the cleanliness of communal kitchens and espresso bars?

A well-managed community environment helps in avoiding day-to-day annoyances that can derail productivity.

The Attitude of Facility Management Defines the Work Environment

Good-looking interiors may draw people to a workspace, but smart management is necessary to keep them there. Community members should always be able to rely on the administrative team to minimize hassles and unnecessary inconveniences when deciding how to choose the best coworking space. Below are some practical considerations when evaluating the administrative staff:

• Helpdesk Ticketing: Does the venue use a digital mobile application to log technical issues, or are requests handled manually?
• Visitor Guidelines: How are clients and guests received at the front desk? Ideally, there should be professional reception counters that can send real-time SMS alerts to employees.
• Mail & Package Management: Can registered mails be logged at the front desk, or do they have to be collected from a centralized mailbox?
• Communication Channels: Does the management provide regular email updates, or are changes communicated verbally?

Financial Analysis: Understanding the Total Cost of Occupancy

When choosing a coworking space, it is important to go beyond the headline figures and understand the total cost of occupancy. Many first-time office renters overlook additional charges and only realize the expenses months into the lease.

Uncovering Hidden Agreement Fees

Before signing the lease agreement, it is important to clarify the following financial considerations when learning how to choose the best coworking space:

• Meeting Room Credits: How many hours of meeting room usage are provided for free, and what is the additional hourly charge?
• Printing Allowances: Is there a limit on the number of black and white or colored pages that can be printed for free?
• Off-Hours HVAC Access: If the team has to stay back late or work in international time zones (US/Europe), is the conditioned air available after 8:00 PM, and is there an additional chiller charge?
• Security Deposit & Lock-In Terms: The amount of the security deposit (usually equivalent to 2-3 months of rent) and the length of the minimum lease term.

Industry-Specific Coworking Requirements

Coworking spaces often have varied requirements depending on the specialization of the company. Below are some suggestions on choosing the best office space for different industries:

How to Choose Coworking Space: A Step-by-Step Selection Guide

Below is a practical selection framework that can help in narrowing down the preferred coworking space:

• Step 1: Define Spatial Requirements - Count team size, determine private cabin vs. open desk needs.
• Step 2: Commuting Needs - Map employee residential clusters against transit lines.
• Step 3: Create a Shortlist - Select 3-4 centers in target commercial hubs.
• Step 4: Peak Hour Test Run - Book a day pass; test Wi-Fi, noise, and meeting rooms.
• Step 5: TCO Scrutiny - Review contract draft for hidden charges & credit caps.
• Step 6: Agreement Sign-Off - Verify GST/NOC documentation before paying deposit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important considerations when choosing a coworking space?

Location and transit accessibility are often the most crucial factors when selecting a coworking space, as it helps determine how frequently the team will utilize the office on a weekly basis.

How can I ascertain the technical reliability of a coworking space?

It is important to ask about the technical infrastructure, including the availability of two fiber-optic lines and 100% electricity backup.

Are there any additional charges when renting a shared office?

It is advisable to clarify the inclusions and ask about meeting room credits, printing, parking, off-hours access to the venue, and F&B offerings.

Can I use a coworking space address to register a company for GST?

Dedicated desk and virtual office subscriptions usually provide the NOC, utility bill proof, and lease agreement required to register a company for GST and MCA compliance.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best coworking space often boils down to determining the kind of environment that suits one’s team. When the office helps people work according to their daily rhythms, it becomes easier to achieve higher productivity levels than working from home. It is always a good idea to test the preferred options with a day-pass, analyze the total cost of occupancy, and choose a flexible workspace partner that supports the business’s growth strategy.