Coworking spaces can be a great environment to be surrounded by motivated professionals and be apart of a community. When everyone understands the proper etiquette of a shared space, members can function collectively and productively.
Treating the office space as a professional environment is vital in making the coworking experience pleasant for all members. While coworking spaces can be very relaxed and comfortable, being too comfortable can lead to inappropriate workplace etiquette (i.e. propping your feet up on desks, sitting on desks, etc.)
Some operators combat this by providing separate corporate-style settings and social areas.
Establishing boundaries is also important in coworking spaces, especially those outfitted with open space plans. Using too much desk space or intruding on conversations can make for a distracting workspace.
Projecting a true professional image can be difficult in a space where members treat it as their own. Leaving opened food containers and coming to work in unprofessional attire can give the coworking space a poor reputation.
It is true that coworking spaces are apart of the modern workplace, but proper etiquette is still necessary for any professional business. Establishing community rules in an office where multiple groups of people are working is beneficial to each individual’s productivity, as well as the coworking space itself.
