The use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge.
Coworking isn’t new, but it is pretty new to Marietta, so we still get lots of blank stares when we talk about FireWorks with friends, family, and neighbors. So, here’s everything you ever wanted to know about coworking, and then some.
Coworking at FireWorks Coworking in Marietta, Georgia, brings a multitude of benefits. Reduced commute times mean less stress and an improved work-life balance, while working in a suburban area fosters a sense of community, creating networking and collaboration opportunities. Proximity to home makes errands and personal time more accessible, and supporting local businesses enriches the local economy. With a less crowded, peaceful environment, your focus and productivity soar, all while reducing carbon emissions for a more sustainable future. Experience the advantages of coworking that empower you to work smarter and live better.
Forget the commute. Work in an easily accessible and convenient location.
Brad Neuberg is credited with starting the first coworking space in 2005 and coining the term “coworking.” The idea was birthed from his frustration with past jobs and his desire for the flexibility of an entrepreneur and the camaraderie of a corporate worker. He rented space from friends at Spiral Muse, a feminist collective, and started passing out flyers and talking to people in nearby coffee shops. In all his conversations, Neuberg encouraged people to “take this idea, steal it, and make it your own.”
And, evidently, they listened. Now, there are nearly 18,700 spaces across the globe, boasting more than 120 million square feet of office space in the U.S. alone. And what’s more, there’s no end in sight. Coworking is growing at an insane rate of 23% annually worldwide and has a presence in most major cities. It’s projected that by 2022, 5.1 million people will work out of a coworking space.
In the coworking world, we talk a lot about healthier working. Everybody wants a happy and fulfilling work life, and working from home can be the dream, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. The sad truth is that today’s workers can be anxious, lonely, and depressed. Even beyond the social aspect, isolation negatively impacts our health and shortens our lifespan. For all the freedom that entrepreneurship and remote work can offer, these costs are too significant to ignore.
That’s why we’re especially glad to be doing what we’re doing. We believe that FireWorks, and all coworking spaces, are poised to help entrepreneurs and remote workers truly thrive. Increased productivity, networks, and happiness are what it’s all about.
It stands to reason that a happy, healthy work environment leads to better work. Across studies, coworking space members report higher levels of productivity. It’s a win-win.
Say they feel healthier coworking then when they worked in a traditional office or home.
Find it easier to get work done on time and 50% are making more money.
From most coworking spaces, you can expect some open, first-come,-first-serve workspaces for folks who don’t need much more than their laptops and coffee mugs (we call ours spark desks, for obvious reasons) and some private offices for people who love a collaborative environment but ultimately need a little more privacy or permanency.
Often, a coworking space will also have dedicated desks, which are what you’d expect if spark desks and private offices had a baby. You’ll get all the perks of working in an open, collaborative space but also have a place to keep your monitors, family photos, etc.; it’s compromise at its finest.
Another perk of coworking spaces is having access to meeting spaces. These can range in size from two-person “huddle rooms” all the way up to massive training rooms for 50+ people. Learn more about our meeting rooms.
Those are the basics! Everything beyond that, like community events and workshops, podcast and photo studios, virtual office plans, etc. tend to vary more from space to space and contribute to a coworking space’s culture. These can be helpful deciding factors when you’re looking for a new coworking space to work from.
You can divide the coworking industry into two general camps: those who say coworking is about real estate, and those who say coworking is about community. We fall firmly in the latter camp. FireWorks is about so much more than just the physical space, though we believe we have awesome space too.
At its best, coworking deepens your knowledge of and appreciation for other fields of work, ties you into the local community and economy, and powerfully impacts your mental health. We’ve seen members regularly celebrate each other’s work wins, collaborate on projects, deepen friendships, and even hire each other. Come for the space – stay for the community.
