How co-working helped our business

Since the pandemic, the way that companies can do business has changed dramatically. The recruitment of staff has changed and where you live doesn’t necessarily have to be where you work if your job can be carried out remotely. Most of our roles at Orange Appointments are flexible/hybrid with some even 100% working full time from abroad, where their employer is based in the UK.?

There are those lone wolves who still love working from home, but as time goes on, others are starting to miss the buzz of an office environment, but at the same time they also don’t miss the commute. ?Many employees now are finding the balance with hybrid working. Many businesses have reconsidered their large office premises in favour of office ‘hubs’ where people can visit as and when they need. As a result of this shift, there has been a dramatic rise of co-working premises.

For over 6 years Orange Appointments rented a small office suite in Cheltenham. We didn’t really question our set up until some new co-working office spaces popped open across the road. We had a look around and decided to take the plunge.

Our co-working space (The Workplace, Cheltenham) has a cool, Scandinavian feel. It is comfortable and yet professional. High spec desks that can be fully adjusted to standing and excellent chairs. There are quiet areas with sofas, open areas, meeting rooms and pods for complete privacy. The kitchen is friendly and warm with a whole selection of teas, coffee, Christmas hot chocolate station(!) and even free cake on a Wednesday. There is a mix of employed people working remotely and small business owners with a hugely diverse group of people.

Aside from the greater flexibility and job control the co-working space brings, like which days to work from the office or from home, what we couldn’t have predicted was how much the community and environment has brought about such positive effects.?

It has in many ways strengthened the identity of our business as we work amongst such vastly different companies. We can share our successes but also on the bad days, where previously all you want to do is bang your head against a wall, it doesn’t feel so bad. People are there to talk it through and support you but also by helping others through their bad days it remind us that we’re all in it together and human. The sense that everyone is supporting each other to do well is strong. The little opportunities to take a break, share ideas, talk about football, all helps. It has culminated in greater productivity and most importantly, improved happiness and mental health.

We can thank the pandemic for very little, but the rise in quality co-working spaces is a definite win.

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