Basketball player and businessman Michael Jordan once said “talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” Now, there might not be too many championships in business, or games for that matter — but the thought and meaning behind this quote rings true when placed in such an environment. 

In the grand scheme of things, you can have the greatest hook or USP in the world but you need to work intelligently and creatively, too. If you heed the right advice, it will keep you on the road to success.

At Use Space we are passionate about what we do. We invest in people and in mindsets, not just financials and balance sheets. Use Space provides an opportunity for those under our roof to enter a community of like-minded, innovative thinkers who are all working towards the same goal. 

In this blog we begin to answer the question of ‘do coworking spaces work’, as well as discuss the concept of symbiotic business relationships, the benefits of a coworking space, and what makes Use Space stand out. Find out more and join the community. 

Do Coworking Spaces Work?

The concept of coworking space has gone from strength to strength in recent years. From being practically unheard of a decade ago, to an estimated 19,000 such spaces around the world today, and this number is only expected to rise. Do coworking spaces work? Well, we think the proof is in the pudding. 

The concept of a company not having a fixed city centre office branch would have been abhorrent a decade ago. However, with the shift in the expectations and realities of working in recent years, it is now becoming the norm — businesses are eschewing traditional office settings, instead opting for more flexibility and less individual seating; combining home-working with multi-use work spaces.  

Coworking spaces take the most fundamental and expensive business cost out there — the workplace itself — and cut the strings, making it more accessible, more affordable, and more accommodating. It represents flexibility for your business under the guise of tables and chairs.  

It is an environment purpose built for symbiotic business relationships to thrive, a habitat where teamwork and intelligence can come together so every member of the team can help each other towards their very own ‘championship’.

The Concept of a Symbiotic Business Relationship

A symbiotic relationship is a naturally occurring phenomena. Defined as a close mutually advantageous coexistence of two different organisms. It evokes some of the ideals of “you scratch my back, I scratch yours”, two parties agreeing to help each other out — to help each other up. 

The idea of symbiotic relationships is fairly ubiquitous throughout the natural world. A bird hitching a ride on the back of a rhinoceros is provided relative safety, and a simple food-source; while conversely, the rhino benefits from the grooming, as well as its new bird backpacker also acting to warn against any possible threats. 

These are two totally distinct organisms, neither of which you would ever expect to cross paths in any meaningful way, let alone actually work together. At Use Space, we feel strongly that this outlook can — and should — be applied to your business. 

We believe that in business, growth shouldn’t just mean bigger bank accounts, bigger workforces, and bigger locations; it should mean the development of your employees, of your industry, your peers; and the development of yourself and your mindset. 

The best way you can do this is to work together with like-minded, but crucially, distinct and separate entities. Use Space is more than just a building; more than just desks or chairs, it is certainly more than a cafe, it is an agency acting as a co-working space, right in the heart of Manchester. If you opt to stay inside of your own personal bubble forever, you run the risk of it one day bursting.

5 Benefits of a Coworking Space

If you are considering if coworking is the best option for your business, you should try to consider the benefits of a coworking space compared to a more traditional office environment. This includes more flexibility, the opportunity to form new business relationships, better develop your team, share ideas and resources with like-minded individuals, and gain insight from them in turn. 

Forging collaborative relationships can be an extremely powerful tool for any business. No matter the size of the company, or what your industry; combining the expertise of multiple different organisations or partners in a wider network can help fuel innovation and growth across the board. 

We feel passionately that the people, and the relationship between them is what makes Use Space special compared to other cookie-cutter work spaces in Manchester and beyond. There are several key benefits to a coworking space and co-operating with other people and business; including: 

New Business Relationships

Working within a collaborative working environment can be the greatest marketing money can buy. There’s no need for flyers or foot traffic when potential clients are sitting at the table in front of you, are saying hello to your dog, or are making coffee next to you. 

If a relationship of trust and teamwork is forged, then whenever any link in the chain needs something that another business can help with, then they know exactly who to call. 

This works both ways — if you need help with anything, from marketing to graphic design, to tips on new social media trends and beyond, all you need to do in an environment like Use Space is to take a look around you and keep an open mind. 

Develop 

Learning new ideas and bringing it into practice in your business, thus improving the abilities of your employees can not only further improve your output, but it also helps develop your team. 

An environment where your team can thrive and learn new exciting skills that they can then refocus into bettering their own work, is one that people will not only want to stick around for, but can be one that you can shout about if you are looking to bring in somebody new.

Share 

Building bridges between other businesses and forging bonds can be key if you ever find you need assistance with anything. When you need support all you can do is ask, and if you have an existing relationship, asking only gets easier. 

Examples of what you can share with other members of the co-working community include: 

• Urgent resources 
• Support for a new endeavour/expansion 
• Support for a charitable endeavour
• Social media sharing/engagement 
• Client knowledge/contact details 
• Supplier introductions  

Flexible 

If you were to rent an office, your money is totally tied into a set location, you have little options when it comes to changing your situation without needing to wait for your often overlong contract to expire. However, co-working affords you significantly more flexibility. 

Turning your back on more established office spaces for co-working means that you will save a significant amount each year, which can be huge for your business, regardless of the size — with the additional benefits on top. 

Should you wish to change your scenery, perhaps your company needs to move location, or maybe you’ve needed to bring in lots of new employees, many coworking spaces offer incredibly flexible agreements. Should you, for any reason, wish to cancel your membership, there are generally a variety of options to do so open to you.

Look Outwards

No-one is an island unto themselves, and this is never more true than in business. Specialists in one area can often find themselves lacking in serious, alternative perspectives. Experts in other fields will look at something with a totally different set of eyes to you — allowing you to benefit from their input — and allowing them to benefit from yours. 

There is little to gain from building an ivory tower for your business made out of your own expertise. Share your knowledge with other like minded companies, and take in what they have to say and you can be certain that improvements will follow on all sides. 

Ultimately, collaboration can be a boon for businesses, providing them with an outlet to complement each other, to improve and compete in new ways you never thought possible.

What Makes Use Space Unique

Life is far too short to work in a cramped booth in a copy and paste workspace — At Use Space we’re building a coworking community; a hub of creativity, of innovation, and of inspiration. Build relationships, boost your business, and find out the benefits of a coworking space for yourself today.

At Use Space, we want creative thinking, innovative companies because we feel that by filling our halls and tables with like-minded people, we can build a community. Not just a community, but a symbiotic community full of different and diverse people who can aid and support each other in any way they can. 

We love what we do. You can read all the books you like, listen to all the Ted talks available, shake as many hands as you wish, but talking person-to-person with peers inside a network of like-minded individuals is infinitely more valuable. 

For further information about what the benefits of a coworking space are, what the the community at Use Space has to offer, or to find out more about our memberships, get in touch online, or call us on 0161 546 0544.