Do's and Dont's When Renting a Co-Working Space

Coworking is a fairly new development in the professional world. Since many people are only starting to adopt working in a coworking space, the general etiquette regarding its use is still not that clear. Whether you’re working in a coworking space in Las Pinas or elsewhere, it is your responsibility to make the experience better for each other. After all, everyone is there to get work done in the best way possible. 

To help you do that and better navigate its usage, here are the do’s and dont’s when renting a co-working space.

The main purpose of renting a co-working space is to get some work done. It doesn’t matter if you’re a freelancer or working in a startup business. You must always carry yourself in a professional manner. This has some implications with what you wear, how you communicate with others, and how you generally act.

Keeping things professional means looking professional or at the very least looking decent. Always wear respectable clothing when working in a coworking space. Avoid wearing shorts, slippers, tank tops, and other types of clothing that you wouldn’t wear in an office. This not only makes you credible as a professional but also demands respect from your peers and coworkers. 

Wearing improper clothing can distract other people from their tasks. It also has the potential to bring down the standards of the office in general because if you can get away with wearing non-professional clothing, then who’s to say that the others can’t? 

One pet peeve that many people have when it comes to work ethic is when others don’t do their assigned duties when it’s time to do them. Coworking spaces are for work, not leisure. Aside from that, everyone, including you, pays for the service of coworking spaces. By not doing your work while being there, you are wasting your money as well as the establishment’s resources.

You can watch your favorite tv show, sleep, or conduct small talk in other places such as coffee shops or at home. If you’re in a coworking space in Las Pinas, work means work.

Some of the services offered by coworking spaces are communal meeting rooms, desks, and sometimes event spaces. Usually, these are rented on an hourly basis and can be used by many different organizations and people in a given day. That being said, you should always respect other people’s time. What this means is to start and end your meetings and presentations on time. 

If you are going to use communal rooms and services for important affairs, you should assume that the next person will use it for something equally important. This shows a sign of respect and, again, represents your own professionalism. 

One of the worst things you can do in a communal working space is to leave the desk, cubicle, or area you are using dirty. Remember that there will always be someone else who is going to use the space you are using. 

Leaving trash like food waste can attract insects, so make sure to clean up if you choose to eat snacks at your desk. If you’re an avid coffee or tea drinker, wipe any stains that you may have left while working. Other common forms of trash include small pieces of paper, tissue, and plastics that you may have brought in. 

If someone litters without cleaning up, don’t hesitate to call them out and let them know that they shouldn’t be doing that in coworking space. Holding each other accountable for violations should always be practiced. Keep the working space clean.

One of the advantages of renting or using a coworking space is the liberal approach it provides to working life. While traditional offices aren’t too uptight when it comes to rules, there are things that are permissible in a coworking space that isn’t in a traditional office. One of them is eating. Eating while working is a great way to keep productivity going, but it can also serve to deter that same productivity. 

What this means is that certain types of food can be distracting. Avoid eating smelly food items such as certain types of fish, jackfruit, garlic-based dishes, and hot soups. Just because they are delicious doesn’t mean that the next person is inclined to smell it. As a form of respect, eat smelly foods somewhere else. Aside from serving as a distraction, one of the worst things you can do is induce someone else’s hunger when it’s not lunchtime. 

As you’ve read above, the general do’s and dont’s of renting and using a coworking space revolve around respect, professionalism, and the maintenance of a standard. This kind of mentality not only helps solidify coworking spaces as great working options for many individuals but also makes it a better experience for anyone already using it, including you. 

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