Seven Simple Rules Make Coworking Delightful
A 2022 survey of 819 coworkers published in the Harvard Business Review found a seeming contradiction:
Half of the respondents liked coworking because they could be left alone in peace and quiet, not having to interact with others.
Half of the respondents liked coworking because it was a way to mingle and find professional work partners.
How can these two situations happen at the same time, in the same space? The answer, it appears, is in the coworking site’s Code of Conduct. The best coworking sites have rules (and post them prominently) so coworkers can avoid interruptions and yet, if they want, connect with coworkers in a way that is not distracting to others.
“Honestly, we’ve never had someone complain about noise or disruption,” says Michelle Sparks, office manager at My Space Downtown, a coworking space in Panama City, Florida. “It’s quiet here. People are working. Yet there are plenty of instances where coworkers mingle in the break room and help each other without being a distraction to others.”
The key, Michelle says, is not to have a million rules or be heavy-handed about them. “We keep it to seven simple suggestions,” she says. My Space Downtown's seven key rules of etiquette are:
A poster at the coworking site, highlighting one of the etiquette rules.
Be friendly and courteous. Greet each other. Keep a pleasant tone.
Use a quiet phone voice. If needed, move to another area.
Make connections. Get to know what others do.
Put things back. If you use a shared resource, put it back when finished.
Leave no trace. Keep your area organized. Clean up before you leave.
Use only your space. This is about respect.
Be self-sufficient. Be mindful of other’s space.
“Our workspaces are designated quiet zones,” Michelle says. “Even with this understanding, sometimes coworkers will telegraph that they don’t want distractions by wearing noise-canceling headphones or listening to music on their earbuds. But no one assumes other coworkers have come to chat.”
The seven rules help My Space Downtown coworkers avoid the top three complaints often shared about the office spaces left behind at traditional work settings:
I don't have enough personal workspace.
There's too much overlap in shared workspaces.
I can't concentrate because it's too noisy or distracting.
“We keep our rules in front of our clients, but we’re not overly forceful about it,” Michelle says. “Our approach is to be friendly and accommodating. It works well for us.”