As South Africa’s corporate and large enterprise sectors look ever more precarious, haemorrhaging jobs and struggling to post the kinds of profits they have had in more booming times, the country is increasingly looking to SMMEs and lone freelancers to help boost the economy. This sector continues to expand, as skilled people find it more and more difficult to compete in a constrained job market.
With the growth of the small business sector and the ascendency of the freelancer, there is also an increasing demand for a different type of work environment. Traditional office space is completely redundant as far as this niche is concerned. It needs more compact and more affordable workspaces. In fact, many contractors now work entirely from home, but this presents its own set of challenges.
Home-based work seems to be a very desirable option on the face of it, but keeping your work in the same space where you eat, rest and entertain friends presents a risk to both productivity and mental and psychological well being. It is far better for productive and happy entrepreneurs to compartmentalise their lives and find a designated work area away from the comforts and distractions of home.
Shared working spaces, such as LiquidHub are the perfect answer to these requirements.
The Benefits of Co-Working Spaces
Co-working spaces enable small businesses to set themselves up in office spaces without the commitments involved in the rental and purchase of a property. Most small businesses or freelancers never see any need to acquire office space anyway, as their operations are so small, usually involving only one or two people. Co-working spaces give them the opportunity to make use of a small section of a larger office facility, not only at a very affordable price, but also in a way that is both scalable and convenient.
Here are the main benefits of these co-working space:
- Cost-efficiency.
- Fully-serviced facilities, complete with WiFi, kitchen, cleaning, receptionist and all the essentials you would expect at a private office.
- Great flexibility, allowing the entrepreneur to manage their time and business as they see fit.
- Access to a community. Freelancing and building a business from scratch can be very lonely. In shared office spaces, you have access to other business people working in a variety of fields, allowing for moral support and the establishment of strong business relationships.
- Better productivity. You will undoubtedly get more done in a dedicated work space than you would when you’re surrounded by the distractions of home.
- Separation of work and personal life, which is vital to health and happiness on both sides.
As SMMEs and entrepreneurs continue to define the future path of the South African economy, this kind of working space is likely to become more prominent. With increased productivity, as well as other benefits, along with the absence of start-up costs or high overheads, co-work spaces like LiquidHub seem set to be the future of South African businesses.
Jason Scholtz is the CEO at Envision Investments and a leader in the property and strategic investment industry in South Africa. He is the founder of LiquidHub, a growing chain of shared workspaces set to revolutionise the way South Africans handle their workdays. For more tips and an insider’s look into the South African business environment, be sure to get in touch, keep an eye on this blog or visit http://www.envisioninvestments.co.za/.
