A new era is on the rise.

The concept of working from home is not new, but it’s only in recent years that it’s truly taken off. Several reports have estimated that by 2025, 40% of the working population is expected to work remotely.

For many reasons this is a win-win for both the company and the employee.

Companies are saving anywhere from thousands to millions on rent costs, office equipment and property management costs. All while the employee can say goodbye to traffic, strict starting hours, mundane cubicles and outdated lunch rooms while saying hello to freedom, flexibility, independence and comfort.

But as any freelancer, beginning entrepreneur, remote and independent worker knows… life working on your own certainly comes with its disadvantages as well.

Distractions, lack of variety, focus, holding yourself accountable to working a long day, creativity and one of the worst downsides is the lack of social stimulation, i.e. a community or just someone besides the barista to say hi to everyday.

However I don’t particularly like the word community. It’s a word that’s unfortunately overused, overbranded and a tad cliche in today’s marketing world – so we’ll just use the term our members use; friends.

You know all those seemingly pointless and meaningless encounters that no one really thinks makes an impact…

Like that small talk at the coffee pot every day.

The smile from the friendly security guard before entering the elevator.

Or even the colleague in the cubicle next to you that asks you how your night was.

… well turns out they really do provide value.

 

It’s proven that socialization at the workplace improves productivity, creativity and accountability; but more importantly, it gives people purpose.

Purpose you say?

Isn’t that getting a little deep here?

Yes.

BUT. It really comes down to connection. Human connection and the value we feel from being a part of something matters for us.

For example.

You could live on the most beautiful, luxurious island with all the highest quality foods and drinks, water toys, sunshine, heat and not have to lift a finger, but if there’s no one there to experience it with you, to share those moments… the hype and glamour of it all is going to be short-lived.

There’s something about community (oops I’ve just used that word again), about friends or even a familiar friendly face that makes your work day all that more effective and better as a whole.

It makes sense right?

Humans are naturally social beings.

I’ve heard from member after member that you can only sit at home in your office for so long before you crave interaction. Some even found themselves chatting up the grocery store clerk about kitty litter brands just to talk to someone.

It’s true! Social isolation can seem like a never ending battle when you work remotely.

And it’s getting to the point that the reasons people were excited about becoming remote in the first place are the same reasons why these remote workers are feeling unfulfilled, unproductive and unhappy.

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Sure, people need a quality place to work, but more importantly people want to feel connected and a part of something.

At Coworkly we’re all about connectedness. 

You see it in our Thursday’s lunch-and-learns when every member joins us at the lunch table.

Everyone is catching up after being buried at their desk, fully concentrated working on their own projects for the last few hours. Together we exchange funny stories, discuss issues or even a casual chit-chat. All over delicious lunch and a 5-minute presentation from a new member about what they’re working on.

One of our part-time members mentioned last week “just how nice it is every Thursday to come in, talk and eat lunch with others.” As seemingly simple as that. 

It even goes back to our main reason for choosing Vanier as our location in the first place. We wanted to bring unity to a community; where the same people in the community keep coming in, where people got to know each other, and felt as though they had a place within their own community they could be a part of.

But isn’t this what all the coworking spaces are saying?

Coworkly is special.

We’re brand new, small and our space is open; encouraging community. Our staff cares about how your night was, how the meeting went, if you got the contract and that funny thing that happened to you this weekend.

The best part is it goes beyond the staff, we’re proud of the good, friendly and caring members we’ve attracted.

 

It’s become a place where members ask when other members are coming in because they want to share something with them.

A place where people introduce themselves to new faces in the space because they want you to feel welcome.

A place where everyone knows you by your first name. And most importantly a place where the vibes are always welcoming and positive.

We consider ourselves as much a hospitality company as we do as a workspace provider.

Working remotely no longer means isolation. It means community, feeling cared for, caring about others, and being a part of something familiar.

And there’s just something about that that makes coworking such a nice addition to your remote lifestyle.  

If you’re a remote worker, come on in and experience it for yourself. I’d love to meet you,

Victoria Landreville

Director of Community Engagement

https://calendly.com/victoria-coworkly