Coworking communities are all the rage. We talked to an insider about why they’re being hailed as the new (and dare we say, better) office spaces.
Coworking spaces have sprouted left and right here in Singapore, one-upping each other with amazing facilities and networking perks. Let’s start with one of the hippest shared offices in Singapore, Collision 8, a light-filled wonder set in the heart of town…
Comfortable seats, private offices when you need them, a library, and a killer view – what more could you ask for? And yet, coworking isn’t all about the space. We talk to Faith Bogue of Collision 8 about why she’s been won over by the coworking concept.
Tell us more about what you do…
I’m the General Manager at Collision 8. I’m responsible for quite a lot – from strategy planning and team management, to helping to fix the coffee machine when it’s broken. It’s a very comprehensive job!
What do you love most about your job?
We work with our members to connect with new people, provide resources for their businesses, and help them feel like a part of the community. Knowing everyone by name, and seeing our members working together – it’s a great feeling, and the best part of the job.
How is a coworking space different from a traditional office?
A coworking space is similar to a serviced office, but it comes with a community, mentorship and skill-building opportunities, and deals from relevant partners and vendors. In traditional offices, team members don’t often get a chance to interact with people from outside companies, a problem that coworking spaces solve.
What are the biggest benefits of choosing a coworking space?
There are tons of benefits! For one, it helps to keep your team engaged – coworking spaces often provide learning and development opportunities, and access to a thriving community from diverse backgrounds. Given the shared nature of coworking, members often help to fill each other’s gaps and scale together. In an age where millennials are pushing for more collaborative and impactful work environments, companies can essentially outsource portions of their HR functions to their workspace.
With a growing gig economy, access to referrals and business development opportunities is also increasingly important. And 35% of a team’s performance can be predicted by the number and quality of face-to-face interactions they have.
Finally, coworking can save you money – spaces are often inclusive of services you would otherwise have to pay for and also provide the flexibility for teams to grow without having to stick to long-term leases.
What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve learned about creating stronger teams?
Spend the time to connect your team members to people and resources who can provide them what they need, even if those people are outside of your company. Small successes are also worth celebrating, especially in a startup.
What makes the Collision 8 community different from the rest?
There is strength in the diversity of our members; all of them have different perspectives that can help everyone build and scale together. Collision 8 also provides a very high-touch personal service; we take pride in getting to know our members, understanding their businesses, and connecting them to the resources they need. As I mentioned earlier, it’s the most fun part of the job!
PERKS! Need a coworking community to call your own? Enjoy 10% off a Collision 8 membership by emailing them at [email protected] and quoting this article. This discount is applicable for 12 months.
This article is sponsored by Collision 8