How Coworking Space Improves Productivity

Date: Tue Apr 12 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Today’s project managers and heads of sales face challenges pulling a distributed workforce together for collaborative projects. Communication and ideas suffer, staff, become demotivated and there is a disparity between cross-functional teams.

The goal for project managers is to focus on the profitability of a project and foster the well-being of your team. A fully-functioning team is more productive which translates into more profit.

In the past year, studies have shown that managers are struggling to meet project goals with remote working teams. There has been a number of reasons for failure, but three of the key factors have been breakdowns in communication, a lack of motivation and incoherence.

On the flip side, a decade of research focusing on the correlation between happiness and success has shown that a happy workforce can increase productivity by 31% and sales by 37%.

Whilst remote working gives enterprises the scope to downsize and cut overheads to invest in other areas of the business, productivity and profits are increased when team members sit together on collaborative projects.

Improve communication

Communication is the glue that holds a project together. Seamless communication is pivotal to promoting creative ideas that tackle complex problems.

More ideas breed more discussions, and ultimately more solutions. When collaborative experiences are coherent and efficient, the team is better equipped to achieve goals and boost productivity.

Brainstorming and exploring ideas are clearly more effective in an office environment. Moreover, a team is more effective when the members are sitting with one another.

Improve co-ordination

Sharing the same office space also makes it easier for project managers to coordinate the project in its entirety. It also saves time having to shoot off emails when you can simply turn to the person next to you and ask a quick question – “how are you getting on with that…” etc.

Projects between cross-functional teams often fail in multi-departmental companies because the team members are confined to their relevant departments and are thus separated.

Companies typically create silos in which IT teams sit in the IT section, sales personnel sit in the sales sections and so on. This is usually due to a lack of space in the office.

With more companies downsizing to smaller offices or dispensing with office premises altogether, renting co-working space is an affordable solution that fosters the well-being of your team members, and the collaborative process and ultimately increases productivity.

Motivate staff

Remote workers report feeling disconnected and lonely working from home. Demotivated team members have a negative impact on productivity levels and can be damaging to mental health.

During the Covid lockdowns, managers were trying to overcome this issue by motivating staff with virtual lunches and virtual coffee breaks. It is clear that the solution is bringing the team together.

Renting co-working space and meeting rooms is a cost-effective way for companies to get the best out of a collaborative project. At BluDesks, we make it managing your projects even easier by giving you access to multiple offices in your area with one pass. What’s more, the hourly rate pay-as-you-go solution means you have complete control over your budget.

Interviewing In Coffee Shops? Really!

Date: Thu Mar 31 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

Conducting an interview is something of a trend these days. And as more businesses and start-ups pursue remote working, the trend is likely to increase.

But is interviewing in coffee shops a good idea?

Edward Avila, the vice president of talent acquisition at Alation suggests recruiters to “try to avoid” interviewing in coffee shops.

On the other hand, coffee shop interviews can be a useful pre-screening opportunity. If you’re interviewing for a critical position, a casual chat over a coffee can help you evaluate candidates you would like to move on to the next stage.

The noisy environment of a coffee shop can also help you to determine whether a candidate can concentrate in the vibrant atmosphere of an office. Or evaluate how they operate under pressure in a chaotic environment imbued with distractions.

However, none of these screening strategies actually translate into a worthwhile interview.

How do candidates feel about coffee shop interviews?

Opinions on the topic of interviewing in coffee shops are divided. Some candidates may like the casual approach and a free coffee, whilst others can’t understand why recruiters think it’s a good idea.

Depending on the type of interview you intend to conduct it may not be a good idea at all. As a matter of fact, interviewing in coffee shops may not even be ethical.

Interviews should be private and confidential. Candidates would prefer not to discuss personal things and may feel uncomfortable answering some questions when they know the person at the next table can hear them.

Meeting a stranger in a coffee shop can also create an awkward greeting. In an already tense situation, recruiters invite unnecessary stress and pressure on themselves and on candidates.

Interviewing in coffee shops does not create a good impression

Millennials are known for being choosy about the type of company they work for. They want to know about the culture of a company to determine if the job is a good fit for the lifestyle they want.

When you hold interviews in a coffee shop, you deny candidates the opportunity to get a feel for the environment they will be working in and assess where they will be spending their days.

They do not have the opportunity to see your office, experience the atmosphere or meet the people they could be working with. All these things are decision making factors for some people – especially top talent who will no doubt have more than one job offer coming their way.

It’s worth considering that at the time of writing, the number of vacancies in the UK job market is at an all-time high. With more opportunities open to more people, the onus is on recruiters to make a good impression on the candidates they want to recruit.

Wrap up

Coffee shops are rarely the best choice for conducting an interview. They are fine for casual interviews with a view to assess whether the personality of a candidate is a good fit for the team and company culture.

However, casual interviews should come after you have already interviewed the candidate to assess how qualified they are for the job. And serious interviews should take place in a professional environment.

If you need a private room to host interview candidates, BluDesks can help. We have hundreds of meeting rooms available near you. And they’re easy to book with one simple login and a wide choice of locations.

Quiet Meeting Rooms – They’re Better Than Noisy Coffee Shops

Date: Tue Mar 8 Author: Chelliah Nakeeran

The workplace has experienced massive upheavals of late. And the ‘new normal” looks set to continue. According to a report published by McKinsey, 63% of businesses plan to continue remote working, either fully or by adopting a hybrid model.

Whilst working from home has advantages for some people, for others, it can be a distraction. Consequently, remote workers looking for a change of scenery by working in cafes.

However, there are arguably more problems in cafes than at home. You’re not guaranteed a seat in a coffee shop and if you connect to the internet there’s no guarantee the connection is stable or secure.

Holding a zoom meeting in a cafe can also be distracting for other people. When there is music playing and the drone of conversation in the background, it’s not always easy for people to concentrate or hear what is being said.

Meeting up with colleagues and team members also throws up the same challenges. For example, it’s common for regional sales teams and operations staff to hold meetings in cafes – only to find they’re too crowded, noisy and messy.

Staying focused in a cafe is fine when people are working on their own. It’s easier to turn your attention towards your work and shut out background noise when you’re on your own. But trying to listen to what someone is saying when there are conversations on surrounding tables vying for attention challenges people’s ability to stay focused and connected.

Book quiet meeting rooms

If cafe-based meetings are not working out for you, why not book a quiet meeting room in a co-working space. With BluDesks, you can book a wide range of meetings room all over London, the UK and the world in a matter of clicks.

With a network of co-working spaces offering affordable meeting rooms all in one place, finding a meeting room in a convenient location is simple. It takes a matter of minutes to find, choose and book a meeting room through our website or app.

There is also a wider choice of meeting rooms to accommodate all types of meetings. We have small meeting rooms for one-to-one or brainstorming in small groups or large meeting rooms that enable you to fit in the entire team.

If you’re hosting clients or delivering a presentation, you will be able to find meeting rooms in London that are fully equipped with whiteboards, projectors, TV/audio equipment and various sockets.

BluDesks also provide a flexible service that keeps your budget in mind. You can book meeting rooms by the hour so you only pay for the time you use them.

Our pay-as-you-go and meet-up anywhere model has proven to be highly popular with businesses that deploy distributed workforces. It’s convenient, cost-effective and constructive.

With a single BluDesk Pass you have access to over 1500 meeting rooms the world over, and hundreds of quiet meeting rooms in London. Check out the meeting rooms you can choose from here and book a quiet space for your next meeting today.