Shared office spaces have great benefits for employees and small business owners, but also great responsibility. In order for shared office spaces to work for everyone, we all need to put a little effort in bettering our office etiquette.
If you work in a shared office space you may have encountered situations where you have felt like a coworker hasn’t been mindful of how their actions might affect you and your work day.
Here are some tips that can help you.
Follow the rules
Each co-working space may have its own set of rules, so be sure to review and follow them. This could include guidelines around meeting spaces, kitchen use, and even policies around bringing pets to work.
Be mindful of your voice level
Remember that there are other people in your surroundings that, like you, are trying to get work done. Whether you’re making conversation with a coworker or on a call, try to keep your voice level down so you don’t interrupt those around you.
Keep your work area clean
For those working in a coworking space, this is a courtesy for the next person that will use your seat. It is not the responsibility of your location manager to clean up after you.
Some shared office spaces have a cleaning crew coming in once a day or once a week. Please help them out by cleaning your work area, throwing trash away and pushing in your chair.
Be understanding of AC temperatures
It is almost impossible for everyone in the office to be happy about the temperature. Everyone has a different personal thermostat.
You can place two people in the same room and one of them may be cold and the other person is going to think it’s a little warm.
When working in a shared space, please remember it’s hard to accommodate your own personal needs.
We suggest you bring a jacket if you get cold easily. Some spaces offer tower fans or heaters, talk to your location manager to find out.
Keep good personal hygiene
When it comes to office etiquette this is a big one. Good personal hygiene protects yourself and others from infectious disease. It also helps prevent body odors, which your coworkers will thank you for.
Bring your headphones
Remember that people are trying to work. Please avoid watching videos or listening to loud music on your phone or computer. Use your headphones instead.
Don’t hoard supplies
Not only is the space being shared, but also office and kitchen supplies. If you are using a stapler, scissors, hole puncher, etc. please remember to put it back where it belongs once you are finished.
As far as kitchen supplies, be mindful of others and limit the amount of snacks, sodas, etc. that you take. Remember that this is complementary but not unlimited and other people in the space would also like to consume it.
Be punctual with your meetings
If you are using a conference room, please stick to the hours that you have reserved it. There may be a reservation after yours, and that person would also like to stay on schedule.
Talk to your location manager if you need to extend your reservation so they can accommodate you.
If you are using the phone booth, please be mindful of the amount of time you spend inside since there are more likely other people waiting to use it as well.
Respect others with respect
Treating everyone with respect means also respecting their personal belongings and boundaries.
Don’t take things that do not belong to you, be respectful when speaking to others, and be patient.
Communicate
So many issues can be resolved with proper communication. When something is bothering you, communicate with your coworker or neighbor.
For example, if the person sitting next to you is being too loud, you can kindly ask them to lower their voice and thank them for understanding.
If you are not able to resolve conflict with them, then communicate with your location manager. They will try to best assist you with your situation.
Be kind
Lastly, be kind and empathetic. We’re all just trying to get through our busy work days.
Following these tips will help you and those around you have a better and more efficient work environment. Sharing an office space is not always easy. The more we work at improving our office etiquette, the easier it will be to start learning how to collaborate with others.
We thank all of our members for always being supportive and understanding. It’s because of them that we are able to have 5 amazing locations where people can work together.
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