These days, most coworking spaces aim to make their locations as comfortable as possible. What started as a humble means of acquiring workspace has taken on a life of its own - providing workers with just about everything they could ever need over the course of the day and then some. When you read about some of the amenities offered, it's easy to see why people are choosing these locations over traditional or home offices.
There’s reason to believe that these “extra” amenities are boosting productivity in a big way. So much so that many traditional office spaces are beginning to follow in the footsteps of coworking spaces, offering an increase in amenities provided to their employees.
In this post, we’ll touch on some of the perks that you can expect to find in coworking spaces and how they have a positive impact on workers.
Food and Drink
Food and drink options are the cornerstones of any coworking space that attracts a lot of workers and for good reason. One of the main drawbacks of traditional office working is having to leave what you’re doing to satisfy your hunger or quench your thirst.
Having to step out into the hustle and bustle of the world when you’ve finally gotten into your “flow state” can be super frustrating. That time spent trying to recenter and refocus after you’ve returned from getting your caffeine fix adds up each day.
Coworking spaces providing food and drink options for workers mitigates this issue. Sure, you’ll have to hop up from your desk and over to the kitchen area, but the contrast is far less stark than hopping in your car or walking blocks away to the nearest cafe.
Not to mention, much cheaper!
What Options Will You Find?
At Ranch Office all of our workers have access to free, unlimited coffee - and we’re not just talking the burnt tasting swill that sits out all day in most offices. It actually tastes good!
In addition to this, we keep locally brewed beer on tap for our workers… You know, for those little business victories that call for celebration - or even just to complement a deep breath after a long day of planning and strategizing.
Drinking and Working in the Same Place
In recent decades, society has drilled it into our brains that this is the exact opposite of what a healthy work atmosphere looks like…. But think about it!
After you’ve finished cranking out your work, you could just wander over to your neighborhood watering hole… But if you have the option to enjoy a beer on tap in the workplace lounge area, and opt for that instead, might you be less apt to overindulge?
Offering refreshments of this kind in the workplace may help to promote a healthier relationship to alcohol - one where it is a timely and earned indulgence rather than something to chase away the woes of a dreadful work atmosphere.
You Are What You Eat
The best coworking spaces not only offer their workers snacks and food to eat but kitchen access too. Our kitchen is available to our workers to use whenever they need it.
This gives workers the ability to fuel their minds how they see fit - keeping them sharp and capable of doing their best work. Gone are the days of being confined to the limits of a fridge and a microwave. Cook a whole meal from scratch from fresh ingredients if you’d like!
A large part of the health crisis in the United States is perpetuated by the temptation to opt for convenience foods. Traditional office and work culture encouraging us to rush through our meals and providing limited amenities. All too often people skip their meals during the day and go all out in the evenings - consuming a whole day worth of calories in one sitting.
This great article touches on why access to fresh, healthy food at work is important not only for improved productivity - but for quality of life as a whole when the work is all said and done.
However, that’s not to say that we don’t indulge from time to time. At Ranch Office, taco Tuesday is a highly anticipated occasion each week! We're a judgment-free zone!
Working…. OUT?
Some coworking spaces take work-life balance even further by providing exercise equipment and, and in some cases, full-blown gyms on-site. While this may seem like a stretch for those who are looking for a simple workspace with some added comforts, many see it as just another way to boost productivity and let out steam between tasks.
The Ranch Office offers members access to the Ranch Studio, a fitness center designed for the fitness entrepreneur - personal trainers, yoga instructors, and everything in between. Members who’d like to break a mid-day sweat can pop over as they please!
Just the Beginning
When it comes to the amenities at most coworking spaces, the food and drink options serve as a great foundation for the variety of other perks offered.
Here in our coworking space we have many that we think you’ll be excited about.
Learn more about them right over here!