BLOG
Essential Tech to Get Your Team Coworking Ready
SHARE
As companies continue to evolve and adapt to new ways of working traditional office setups are no longer the only option. Many individuals and companies are turning away from traditional offices to alternative workspaces that are better suited for remote and hybrid business operations. With coworking spaces offering private offices, hot desks, meeting rooms, conference rooms, and training rooms without the commitment of a full-time office lease, many businesses are transitioning to save on costs and promote a more collaborative and flexible work environment. However, making this transition also requires a shift in technology.
One of the most important aspects of transitioning to a coworking space is ensuring that the technology being used is flexible and adaptable for employees working in person, as well as those who are working remotely.
Coworking Office Tech Essentials
Coworking spaces are designed as all-inclusive workspace solutions, but each business will have a different set of requirements to ensure they are making the most of their coworking space. Having the right technology in place can help create a seamless and efficient working environment, which is essential for businesses to stay productive and competitive. Here are some essentials that your business may need to consider when moving to a coworking space:
Communications Hub
Especially if your entire team isn’t entirely based in the office, being able to communicate seamlessly between in-person and remote working teams is essential. A communications hub app is essential for co-working teams that have both in-person and remote workers because it provides a centralised platform for communication and collaboration.
If your team is divided between those who work from the office and those who work from home, communication can become fragmented and disorganised. If in-person workers prioritise face-to-face interactions and remote workers rely solely on email or messaging apps, this can lead to information being missed, important updates being overlooked, and confusion among team members.
An app that serves as your company’s communications hub can ensure all team members communicate and collaborate in one place, regardless of their location, giving a centralised location to share information, ask questions, and stay up-to-date. Some communications hub apps also offer features such as video conferencing, file sharing, and project management tools, making it even easier for the team to collaborate effectively.
Here is a handful of some of our favourite communication apps that are great to link in-person and remote teams:
Project Team Management
Just as with communications hub applications, a project team management platform is especially necessary when teams are split between an office and working from home. These types of platforms can prevent overlap between tasks, help team members with tracking project progress, assigning tasks, and collaborating on projects.
With real-time updates, task assignments, deadlines, and file sharing, these platforms make it easier for team members to work together effectively, and to ensure there is access to all necessary information. Additionally, project management apps can help improve team productivity by ensuring that everyone is clear on their roles and responsibilities, deadlines, and project milestones. It can also help to identify potential roadblocks or issues before they become significant problems, allowing team members to work collaboratively to resolve them.
Project management apps are also a great way to keep on top of billable hours because they allow team members to track the time spent on tasks and projects easily. As many platforms also feature integrations for invoicing and reporting, they can also help your team become more efficient.
Here is a short list of some of our favourite project management apps:
Connectivity and Network
It is essential for co-working teams that have in-person and remote workers to have their own connectivity and network solutions in a shared coworking space because it ensures that they always have reliable and secure access to the internet and their own network resources.
In a shared coworking space, there may be multiple businesses and individuals using the same network and internet connection, which can result in slow speeds, congestion, and security concerns, which can be particularly problematic for co-working teams that need reliable connectivity to work efficiently and effectively. By having their own connectivity and network solutions, teams can ensure that they have the bandwidth and speed to work without interruption. It also provides a more secure environment for sharing sensitive information, as the network would be independent of the one used by other coworking teams in the space.
Another useful connectivity and network solution is a VPN or virtual private network. Protecting your data and online activities by creating a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, VPNs help to prevent others from intercepting your data or monitoring your online activities, providing an extra layer of privacy and security.
In addition to privacy and security, VPNs can also help to bypass geolocation restrictions and censorship, which can be particularly useful for coworking teams that work with clients or partners from different parts of the world and need to access websites or online resources that are blocked or restricted by location.
Hardware
The hardware needed when moving into a co-working space will depend on the type of work you do and the equipment you typically use. Some coworking spaces will include office tech and hardware such as monitors, video conferencing equipment, and other equipment, but your business will likely need to supply all other devices. From laptop or desktop computers to monitors - if they are not provided - to other devices, if you are a new company that has yet to purchase this type of equipment, you need to consider what your needs and requirements are.
What’s Included
Coworking spaces typically include a range of office tech to help you get started, and to ensure you have everything you need to make your coworking experience a good one. In addition to high-speed Wi-Fi and ethernet access, here are some of the facilities you can expect from Christie Spaces:
Video conferencing facilities
At Christie Spaces, we offer premium video conferencing facilities, from wireless screen sharing, HDMI connections, AirServer technology, and a number of 'Zoom Rooms' with built-in easy-to-use Zoom video conferencing TV. Plus, we have an on-site IT and Community Team who are able to provide full technical support during business hours.
Printing facilities
All of our locations offer wireless printing, scanning and copying to ensure all your needs are met. We can also offer custom packages to suit the requirements of large enterprises and businesses.
Meeting room bookings
All of our members have access to meeting rooms that are easy to book using the Christie Spaces app, via our online members' desktop portal or through our friendly on-site Community Team.
Customisable IT infrastructure
As a registered Internet Service Provider, Christie Spaces offers a wide range of services including private servers, dedicated bandwidth, rack storage, IP addresses and more.
