To make the most of a coworking space, you should remember some simple rules of etiquette. From this article, you'll get to know what you should do and what you should avoid doing when renting this type of office.
Renting a table in a coworking space has many advantages. It's cheaper than renting a detached office and you can benefit from daily networking. To make the most of this type of office rentals, you should learn the basics of its specific etiquette. In this article, you'll find a list of ten important “dos” and “don'ts” of a productive coworker.
Table of Contents
1. Read the Rules of Your Coworking Space
You should do it before signing the rental contract and keep a copy of these terms to be able to access them at any moment. These are some aspects that you might want to pay primary attention to.
- What are the working hours of your coworking space? Is it possible to prolong them if you need to have a meeting here?
- Can you occupy any random table or do you need to choose a permanent one?
- To which extent can you customize your working place?
- What can you do and what you should avoid doing in the kitchen?
- Which services are not included in the rental price?
If you dislike certain conditions, you don't necessarily need to put up with them. In Dubai and any other big city, there are dozens of coworking spaces. It shouldn't be a problem for you to find one that fully meets your requirements.
2. Take Notes
If you put down the most important information, it will be easier for you to adapt to the coworking space and establish better relations with other professionals. These are a few examples of notes that you might make.
- Paul is vegan
- Every Monday, the meeting room is occupied from 10 am to 11.30 am
- The best mobile Internet coverage is in this and that corners
It would be wiser if you memorize all these facts during the day and put them down after you're back home.
3. Make the Most of Socializing
If you opt for coworking, you probably don't enjoy working alone from home. Here, you have a chance to get to know people from different countries. You can learn about their remote jobs, startups, projects and products. You can visit networking events that many coworkings organize (such as free lectures, workshops, parties or movie nights). Networking might help you to find new friends, partners, clients, investors and advisers. And of course, it can give you many inspiring ideas and food for thought!
4. Keep It Clean
Normally, cleaning services should be included in the contract price. Yet if you take care of your own working place, it will produce a good impression on the surrounding people. Plus, it will be easier for you to work if there is no mess around.
5. Be Helpful
When someone asks you for help, you have a right to refuse if you're genuinely busy or feel unwell. But if you can explain something to another professional, or review their work and leave feedback, or provide some other service for them, that would be great. First, it's good for your karma. Second, when you need help yourself, people will be eager to support you. Third, you might learn some useful information in the process.
6. Don't Overstay the Welcome
Many modern coworking spaces are designed so that you can almost live there permanently. They have kitchens and relaxation rooms, you can order food and any other goods there. Yet it doesn't mean that you should stay at your workplace 24/7. First, that would look suspicious. Some people might think that you have troubles at home and lack funds to rent a hostel room. Second, someone else might need to spend a few hours alone or almost alone in the coworking space. They might indeed have a noisy baby at home and might need to finish an important project urgently — but they won't want to disturb you.
7. Don't Consider the Coworking Space Your Home
Some people might try to mine cryptocurrencies using Wi-Fi in the coworking space. Others might put their legs on the table for the sake of comfort or store smelly products in the fridge. Such behavior is considered highly impolite. Even if you're on very good terms with everyone, you should remember that a coworking office is a public space and there are limits to your personal freedom while you're here. Additionally, you should consider using cybersecurity protection tools to protect your digital devices from hackers.
8. Don't Be Loud and Intrusive
Remember to control the volume of your devices as well as your own voice when talking to someone face-to-face or over the phone. When you want to listen to music, put on headphones. Avoid distracting people from work simply because you feel bored and want someone to entertain you.
9. Don't Be Bossy Toward Newcomers
After you spend a few months in a coworking space, you start feeling as if it belongs to you to a certain extent. When new users arrive, they might be unaware of your routines. For instance, they might fail to know that you normally store your yogurt in a certain place in the fridge or use some particular chair when a client comes to see you.
You should realize that your new coworkers don't want to deliberately stress you. You can politely tell them about your habits — or you can flexibly adjust to the situation and put your yogurt on another shelf. Yet you should definitely avoid saying something like “I started to work here earlier than you, so you should obey me!”.
10. Don't Spread Negative Vibes
Sometimes, you might want to cry at your workplace or make a scandal. You might be furious, frustrated or extremely tired. But you should never let these emotions overwhelm you. Try to benefit from the productive and supportive atmosphere in the coworking space and it should be easier for you to cope with the situation.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article came in handy, and now you better understand the rules of corporate etiquette in a shared office. Professionals from all over the world benefit from coworking spaces in Dubai and you might want to try this type of office rentals too. Make friends, benefit from shared services and enjoy!
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