Many contractors work on client site, but there are many more who work from home and either go into the office occasionally, or sometimes not at all. And it’s this factor which can often put people off the contracting life altogether – particularly if you are used to working in a busy and sociable office.
The concept is what is being called ‘co-working spaces’. Sounds a little American, but it’s a good description! This is basically a similar option to a small serviced office, but just giving contractors a desk in a shared space, along with access to meeting rooms. Some also give access to private areas for calls and so on.
The growth of this type of facility across the UK is ideal for the contractor market as an alternative to setting up a home office – but it also provides additional benefits, such as the opportunity to meet with and work alongside like-minded people, and the ability to more easily segregate home life and work life, if that’s what you prefer. The added benefit of included wi-fi and catering facilities can also be a huge bonus.
The benefits of co-working spaces go well beyond just separating home and work, or feeling isolated in your home office. As they also tend to be used by a mix of small businesses, hot-deskers and freelancers, this also provides a huge amount of opportunity for networking – and gives contractors a real sense of community and shared experiences.
Most facilities which offer this type of service charge hourly, or offer flexible ‘memberships’ which are paid monthly. Which means you can use them as much as is necessary, and also test them in the short term to see if they suit you! Even if you do work on client site some of the time, if your commute is quite lengthy, and your clients is happy for you to do so, then working in a space like this for a couple of days a week and make a real difference.
To find out more, just Google ‘co-working spaces’ – there are loads to choose from, with many of the best-known services office providers now offering this type of arrangement.
Are interested in making the move to contracting, please call our New Business Team on 01253 362062 or email craig.whelan@nixonwilliams.com for further information.