Coworking spaces – a new set of challenges for independent professionals

Coworking spaces have the distinct advantage of flexibility, a quality critical in a modern workplace that demands agility.  They offer members diverse workspaces, opportunities for broad networking in daily interactions, and events to foster many types of conversations.

But what about all the perks and benefits offered by formal organizations? What about personal development and career growth?  What about training?  How do independent workers and entrepreneurs seek out and find growth opportunities?

Members of coworking spaces are often entrepreneurs, owners or employees of small businesses, and individually-employed persons seeking an atmosphere offering a community that exists beyond the local coffee bar.

 

Data about the modern workforce tells us a few things…

• The modern worker wants career development opportunities
• The failure of employers to offer career development is the number one reason employees quit to seek new opportunities
• The modern worker wants to expand their knowledge to enable ongoing growth
• Most people in leadership positions lack skills essential to good leadership

On top of this, a quick survey of urban coworking spaces indicates that these spaces offer diverse and interesting perks to their members.  Art openings, career panels, conversations with politicians, happy hours, free lunches and open lounge space, weekends away, etc.  All with the purpose of building community by networking and sharing experiences.  Are these experiences, however, opportunities for personal development?

A coworking community can offer broad amenities and events, but outpacing the competition requires that offerings be far more effective for creating community, business development, and professional growth than what can be found at the weekly happy hour.  As the coworking space expands across the world, professional workshops and career growth opportunity offerings will set the best apart by offering the member customers what they seek in the modern workplace.

Coworking spaces are the ideal arena for professional growth and career development workshops

Bringing together small groups of people, from different organizations with vastly different perspectives, experiences, and expectations, to work together and lend insight in an interactive setting is something few large organizations have the capacity to do.  Working in teams in a workshop setting is proven to incubate problem-solving, and facilitates networking and community by offering goal-oriented professional experiences.

Growth opportunities in workshop-oriented training within coworking spaces can far exceed those offered by large organizational training programs because of the diversity and flexibility coworking spaces offer.  To learn more, contact us at info@greaterthancourses.com.