Highly popular companies like WeWork offer a hybrid between a company office and homeworking … known as coworking. This offers a fully-serviced communal office space for anyone from any business who will pay a daily charge. They usually offer:

• Minimal contract tie-ins or simply pay-as-you-go fees.
• No extra cost overheads like property taxes and utilities.
• On-hand staff like receptionists, cleaners and security officers.
• Business resources like printers, copiers and flipcharts
• Access to additional office and meeting rooms.
• Inclusive fast internet connections
• On-site cafe and other informal breakout spaces for collaboration and discussion.

I currently work two afternoon-evenings a week from a coworking location, so let’s compare the pro’s and con’s of each.

Structure. One reported complaint of homeworking is that the loss of a routine (the commute, breaks, weekly activities) which at first glance seems like a benefit, may actually limit productivity. Most people operate best based upon certain core structures, and it takes a strong discipline to create and maintain them for yourself. As such the logistics of using coworking can address this.

Location. At this point, coworking facilities are commonly only available in larger cities, and so distance may be a pragmatic consideration.

Birds of a Feather. People using coworker spaces are there to benefit from it. The organization offering the space also is working to enhance the experience too. It means benefits will be more deliberate, including resources and opportunities for physical interactions and engaging in a community – unavailable from home and perhaps better than traditional offices run by uninspired facilities departments.

Shared Motivation. Similar to above, in a coworker space everyone is motivated for productivity and success, whereas at home you might not get the same ‘buzz’ – faced with incomplete domestic duties and other life-related distractions.

Decoration. Coworker facilities are often very new and are well-designed for a professional appearance to enhance work. They have to be to attract customers. This is probably far beyond a domestic office, and often-times better than a traditional office too.

Clear Separation. When you leave the office building you will usually leave your work-head there. It prevents you going back to work and over-extending your work day. Overworking is well-established as one of the biggest problems with homeworking.

Preparing to Work. Traveling to a professional place of work allows you to prepare your mind to focus on the things you’ll do there. It might be remembering incomplete tasks from yesterday or considering creative approaches to a problem, but the commute can get you in-the-zone. Coworking spaces add this where homeworking does not.

Cost. Clearly homeworking is free and coworking is not – although is less than you might expect (prices around $20 day). That said if you’re starting out and need to buy homeworking resources (desk, computer, equipment, or even do home alterations) then that might not be true.

Security. If you’re working on sensitive information your company might need to ensure they are happy with your working on a public network and alongside strangers. Data breaches and security concerns are very pertinent in some industries and checking with your organizations policies is recommended.

Noise. Some people like the ambient noise of an office, however there is no agreement on levels as half a dozen people on the phone at the same time can be distracting. Just like working from the cafe.

In Conclusion. Most people recommend some of both if possible. Take the benefits of both and the variety so neither becomes arduous. I would agree with this.