Looking to shake up your remote working routine? Keep reading to find the biggest benefits of small independent coworking spaces, as picked by me, the owner of a coworking space.

While working from home throughout the entire year might be great for some, it definitely isn’t for everyone.

If you’re anything like us, a day working from home means less productivity, more boredom, more loneliness and more ‘stumped’ moments when tackling your projects.

Independent coworking spaces are all about creating a friendly and familiar office-from-home. It brings the consistency and routine of larger coworking rentals, with a number of key extra benefits that are unique to the ‘micro’.

To help you improve the way you work, we’ve shared our round-up of the key benefits of micro-coworking below.

What is micro-coworking?

Micro-coworking is, as its name suggests, coworking on a smaller scale. But, what does this mean in practice?

Like conventional alternatives, micro-coworking offers a flexible and affordable solution for remote workers to book a desk in a shared office space. This could be for a day, a month, or any number of years – whatever you need, and best suits you.

Micro-coworking, however, takes place in a shared space that is much smaller. Some coworking spaces can be made up of hundreds (if not thousands) of desks. These can be rented by individual coworkers or even entire teams.

Obviously, in these types of settings, you’ll do very little chatting to the people around you. As a result, larger coworking spaces tend to be more isolating, and much more formal.

In comparison, micro-coworking spaces are often independently run, contain significantly fewer desks, which are all usually set up in one or two large open-plan rooms. Typically, they host a regular network of remote workers, who either come on their own, or in teams of two or three.

Thanks to these differences, there are many unique benefits of micro-coworking spaces. In fact, these actually make them a much better fit for many remote workers.

BOOK A DESK AT COWORKING CORNER IN MATLOCK DERBYSHIRE

Our top 8 benefits of joining a small independent coworking space

1.   The chats!

By joining a small independent coworking space, you can get to know a new network of people, and enjoy that chatty, bubbly office dynamic, even as a remote or freelance worker.

For example, here at Coworking Corner, we have a network of regulars, who are in throughout the week.

So, if you see ‘fully remote’ as a downside of a job, micro-coworking gives you the same social perks that you’d get from working with a regular office-based team.

2.   Settle down at your own desk

Rather than the impersonal approach of larger coworking areas, smaller independent coworking spaces allow you to get to know a much more intimate and familiar environment.

In fact, at many indepentent coworking spaces (Corner included) you can rent your own fixed desk. You can bring all your bits and bobs from home, and create a working space that really feels like your own.

After all, there’s something so rewarding about creating your own desk set-up.

3.   A local vibe

The majority of independent coworking spaces are situated in a local community, be it a small town or a friendly nook of a big city.

And as you’d expect, this same friendly, local vibe is transferred right into the small coworking offices themselves. This translates into the entire ethos of the office, spanning everything from supporting local independent businesses, to making new friends with other people in your local community.

If we take our own Coworking Corner as an example, we’re based in Matlock, in the heart of the Peak District. Whether you’re completely new to the area or have lived here all your life, this space is a fantastic way to meet people who live here.

Plus, our Coworking Corner is a cornerstone (see what we did there) of the local community. Through my work as the Chair of Trustees at the Peak District National Park Foundation, I am heavily involved in fostering the development of our wonderful region. And, I am deeply proud to be able to use Corner to support this work even further.

4.   Social events

The fun continues post-work, too. Independent coworking spaces also host a wide range of different social activities for members and the local community.

These include foodie nights (cheese and wine being our personal favourite), book clubs, pub trips and festive drinks.

Remote working is notoriously isolating, and working from home all day long can make the days all bleed into one. By joining a friendly micro space, you can firmly restore that work-life balance.

5.   Affordable

Because they’re often designed for much larger organisations or whole teams, big coworking spaces can often require quite a high price point.

In comparison, small coworking spaces are designed with individual freelancers or remote workers in mind.

As a result, their pricing plans are made to be much more flexible and affordable. At our own Corner, you can rent a desk for only £15 for a one-off day.

Or, our monthly desk rentals start at just £150 for unlimited working days in the month. This makes them an affordable option for independent freelancers, or for remote workers to request from their team managers.

Coworking Corner is small and that means we don’t charge VAT either, so that’s another saving for small businesses and freelancers who aren’t VAT registered.

6.   Sharing the tea rounds

If you get through as much tea as we do, this is a lifesaver!

It’s the staple of the British office dynamic: “Anyone fancy a cup of tea?”.

And there’s just something so lovely about being brought a cup of tea, which you didn’t even need to get up for.

And, just to make it even better, at Coworking Corner, we have freshly baked cookies available every day.

These with a warm cup of tea, and there’s no better combo. Plus, it provides a lovely excuse for a communal morning tea break.

You definitely don’t get little touches like these at a big coworking rental.

7.   Networking and collaboration

Many of these benefits are focused on the fun and joy that comes from an independent coworking space. But, there are also many brilliant, practical perks.

Small independent coworking spaces are filled with talented teams from a wide range of diverse industries and career backgrounds. There’s a huge breadth of skills here and, better yet, everyone’s willing to share their insights and ideas.

So, if you’re stuck on a problem or trying to find a new angle to approach your task, ask around! Smaller coworking spaces offer the perfect environment for collaboration, and you’ll be amazed by how much you can learn from the people around you.

8.   Made-to-suit

Often, big corporate coworking spaces will ask you to tie yourselves to the agreement for a minimum of 3 months to a year.

In comparison, small independent coworking spaces are infinitely more flexible. You can enter into a bespoke agreement, which best suits you and your working habits.

For example, you might decide that you want to just book a desk for three days a week at our Corner. If that’s the case, you can just make a booking for three single days, at any point in the month.

Or, if you want to book a desk on a more permanent basis, you still only need to pay month by month.

You can tailor your arrangement each month, depending on whether you want to increase or decrease your days here – the choice is entirely yours.

If you’d like to find out more about working at Corner, or to arrange a trial day at our cosy Matlock coworking space, you can email us [email protected] or drop us a DM on Instagram @coworkingcorner.

Obviously we are a bit biased but we love our little independent coworking space. I am publishing this on International Coworking Day and to celebrate below are a few links to some of our friends at other independent coworking spaces across the UK.

• WorkHereford
• BaySpace St Ives
• The Kiln Co – Worcestor
• Fruitworks – Canterbury
• MinorOak – Nottingham