It’s no secret that your working environment can heavily impact your productivity, quality of work and creativity.
Therefore, it is incredibly important that every company, no matter how small or large, chooses their office space or working arrangement carefully.
After all, in today’s post-pandemic world, businesses have several different office models to choose from.
The traditional 9-5 office structure is no longer the norm, and many businesses and freelancers are choosing to work from coworking hubs or shared office spaces instead.
Known for being a very cost-effective option, and therefore a popular choice for start-ups and small-to-medium sized businesses, we want to use this blog to explain how you can make sure you select the right shared office space for your business.
We recommend you start by considering the following aspects:
Amenities and furnishings
One of the main advantages of renting a shared office space, rather than a private office space, is that they generally come fully furnished and with basic office equipment.
Before committing to a membership orrental plan, make sure you examine exactly what is included in your monthly fee.
For instance, at Cloud Spaces all our memberships include access to an array of professional equipment and amenities.
Proud to be the UAE’s leading coworking brand, our fully serviced cubicles, coworking lounges and private offices come equipped with the following:
- High-speed Wi-Fi
- Clean, comfortable and stylish furniture and workstations
- Access to the Cloud Spaces professional support team
- Admin & IT support upon request
- PRO services
- Complimentary use of meeting rooms (how many hours is dependent on the chosen office plan)
- Stylish coworking lounges
- Breakout areas including games such as foosball
- Sleeping pods
- Showers and toilets
- 24/7 access
- Invitations to community events and workshops
- Specialty Café
- Event space
Additional resources
Some shared office spaces go a step further and offer additional facilities that are designed for specific industries.
For instance, Cloud Spaces aims to empower and boost the UAE’s creative and media industries by providing state-of-the-art photography and recording studios that can be rented by the hour.
Members also have the option of booking rentable meeting and board rooms, complete with cutting-edge technologies such whiteboards, and fully interactive smart screens, while our dedicated events spaces are ideal for workshops, training, and networking with the community.
Membership costs
As mentioned above, shared office spaces are normally a cheaper alternative to private office spaces.
This is because you don’t have to worry about the costs of renting an office, furnishing it and paying the bills for electricity, Wi-Fi, cleaning and all the other amenities you need. Instead, everything is combined in one monthly membership fee.
Joining Cloud Spaces as an individual can cost you as little as AED 595 per month for access to all our coworking lounges and shared facilities, while our semi-private offices start from AED 1,695 per month and our fully furnished offices start from AED 4,500 per month depending on the size.
Before you sign up to a shared office space, check what is included in your monthly membership and make sure it offers value for money when compared to other similar facilities.
Flexibility
If you don’t feel confident committing to a shared office space for a whole year, look for a coworking hub that offers flexible and short-term membership options.
For instance, guests at Cloud Spaces can sign up for monthly memberships, or even purchase day passes for our hot desks and coworking lounges.
Our workspace options are also very flexible, offering different layouts, sizes and specifications to suit all kinds of businesses. Plus, with 24/7 access available, you are free to come and go and work at Cloud Spaces whenever you please.
Atmosphere
When looking into shared working spaces, it’s always a good idea to visit each location in person. This will help you get a sense of their atmosphere and ambiance, and assess whether it will be an inspiring and motivating place to work. Alternatively, if visiting in person isn’t an option, Cloud Spaces have a 360 degree virtual tour available on their website.
Here at Cloud Spaces, we are proud to boast a vibrant and dynamic community of professionals and entrepreneurs, and offer a positive and uplifting working environment.
Those who thrive on conversations and connections are encouraged to work in one of our welcoming lounges or buzzing cafes, while those who focus better in peace and quiet can rent a private podor cubicle. This way, we offer environments to suit all kinds of workers.
Surrounding area
It’s equally important to take note of where your potential shared office space is situated. After all, if it’s in an isolated location with no nearby dining options, hard to reach by public transport, or far away from where all your team members live, it may not prove very suitable.
However, you’ll be pleased to know that Cloud Spaces has carefully considered each of its three locations in Abu Dhabi. Based at ADGM on Al Maryah Island, Yas Mall and WTC Mall, each of our facilities is strategically placed in the most bustling and thriving areas of the city.
Adding further appeal, they’re all also just a short walk away from multiple restaurants, cafes and leisure destinations, ensuring your team has plenty of options for lunch, coffee breaks or after-work dinners with potential collaborators or business partners.
In addition, all our bases have on-site cafes serving excellent coffees, fresh juices, healthy meals and tasty snacks,and some even have outdoor terraces that provide a welcome dose of fresh air and sunshine.
Finally, those looking for a shared office space in Dubai will soon be able to purchase memberships for the first Cloud Spaces Dubai branch, providing coworking facilities in the amazing Circle Mall in Jumeirah Village Circle.
To find out more about the shared office spaces at Cloud Spaces, please visit www.cloudspaces.ae.