How To Create A Coworking Space Designed For Focus

The open environment is one of coworking’s greatest strengths — and one of its greatest vulnerabilities.

With that openness comes the possibility of disruptive noise and constant distractions. Members can become frustrated with a lack of privacy and an inability to concentrate.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to make sure that’s not what you’re creating for your members. By creating a coworking space designed for focus, you can help people boost their productivity.

Quick Summary

• Coworking spaces have unique challenges that need to be designed for.
• Establishing focus-friendly workspaces at your coworking site elevates you above competitors.
• There are both design principles and management practices needed to create a focus-driven space.

Why Focus Is So Important in Coworking Spaces

Coworking spaces are known for boosting the collaboration, creativity, and productivity of their members. Surrounded by other innovative companies and professionals, more ideas and connections form than when going at it alone.

But, distraction is a huge hurdle. Coworking environments are full of other workers conversing and buzzing about the office. That can drive your members crazy when they’re trying to focus. But, if you design smart, you’ll create a setting that boosts morale and loyalty.

Improves Member Satisfaction

In one survey of 600 office buildings, noise was the top complaint from workers.

Whether it’s coworkers talking, or the challenge of speaking with a sense of privacy, disturbance is a top concern for employees today. It’s a problem that’s twice as likely in open workspaces free of partitions.

By providing dedicated focus areas, you can address these issues and increase member satisfaction. A well-designed space reduces interruptions and makes members feel supported.

If you design for focus, you immediately have a significant competitive advantage. It’s one of the most compelling features you can offer.

With fewer distractions, serious productivity and creativity can occur. Focus areas let members complete tasks more efficiently. They also support deep work. That’s well appreciated in a coworking coliving space as well.

That means better results for both individuals and teams. That, in turn, drives a sense of accomplishment and leads to higher booking rates for your space.

Greater Member Loyalty

When you provide what your members need — focus-driven settings that support productivity — loyalty follows.

Members see that their needs for quiet, uninterrupted work are prioritized. They feel valued and understood.

That sense of support creates a deeper connection to the environment. It becomes more than a workplace, so they’re more likely to stay long-term.

Loyal members are then more invested in the coworking community. They participate more actively and are more likely to refer others.

6 Ways to Design for Focus in Your Coworking Space

Studies confirm that work environments are hugely influential on productivity and efficiency.

But you can’t just rearrange the furniture. Design is a comprehensive strategy that involves anticipating member needs and fulfilling them from day one. You have to account for the physical space, the movement of people, and the tools that will keep workers focused.

Here are six tips to help you get started on creating a focus-friendly workspace.

1. Assess Your Members’ Needs

You can’t properly design a coworking space without understanding the needs of those you’re designing for.

Conduct surveys and gather feedback. Host one-on-one interviews, and set up a physical or virtual suggestion box. The purpose is to get to the bottom of their primary pain points and wish lists.

Ask them about their biggest concerns, including the following:

• Noise levels
• A lack of private spaces
• Or the overall floor plan

Once you know the specific distractions and concerns your members have, prioritize the changes that carry the greatest impact on member satisfaction.

Addressing their real issues makes your coworking space more effective. It demonstrates that you’re operating a coworking space that understands and acts on members’ needs.

Don’t forget to account for accessibility.

2. Design Quiet Zones

Managing noise is probably your biggest design challenge. Therefore, creating quiet zones is essential for an environment that supports focused work.

Designate specific areas for private spaces and silent work. Be sure these zones are far from noisy, high-traffic areas.

Incorporate partitions with soundproof materials to minimize disturbance. Soft furnishings such as carpets and curtains help absorb sound. Or, plants and bookshelves can further create sound-dampening barriers.

Also, you can provide personal items, such as noise-canceling headphones. Or, simple white noise machines can allow for a noise buffer.

Once you’ve established your zones for focus or collaborative areas, get everyone on the same page. Clear signage is crucial to mark your quiet spaces and the rules within them.

3. Invest in Comfort

It’s hard to focus when you’re uncomfortable. Luckily, it’s never been easier to bring comfort to your workspaces.

Investments in ergonomic furniture — such as adjustable desks and chairs — are worthwhile, allowing people to work comfortably for long stretches.

Reducing physical strain and discomfort prevents distractions and keeps workers engaged in their tasks. It’s also important to have standing desk options.

Have different options for lighting, whether it’s dimmer switches, adjustable lamps, or differently lit work zones. If it’s a challenge to cool your coworking space, make sure individual fans are available throughout.

In addition to workstations, lounge areas should have comfort in mind. Offer seating that supports good posture and relaxation. You can even designate napping or relaxation spaces so that employees can refresh and reinvigorate.

By designing for comfort, you’re offering your members an environment for sustained productivity and focus.

4. Incorporate Nature into Your Workspaces

Incorporating nature into your coworking space significantly aids your effort to design a focus-friendly environment.

In fact, natural light alone has an enormous impact on employee well-being. It has a proven effect on mood and concentration.

Position workstations near windows. Use sheer curtains to allow light to filter through. Place plants throughout work areas and common spaces.

If you want to go further, install vertical gardens or green walls to bring in more nature without taking up much floor space. Installing a water feature is another big move, but one with a high payoff.

Wood, stone, and other natural materials in the furniture and decor provide an earthy, calming feel. All of these efforts aid members in remaining positive and mentally focused.

Here’s a complete guide to making your space greener and more environmentally friendly.

5. Provide Reliable Technology

Trustworthy tech is one of the most essential amenities for maintaining good workflows in a coworking space. There’s nothing more productivity-crushing than technical difficulties.

Make sure your high-speed internet can handle the demands of many users without slowing down. Monitor bandwidth usage if it seems to be an issue. If possible, upgrade to a better package.

If not, you may have to set rules, such as avoiding heavy-bandwidth activities like streaming until non-peak hours.

On-site tech support is wise for inevitable issues that arise. Maintain and keep all equipment updated, such as printers and charging stations.

By investing in technology, members don’t have to experience the stress and disgruntlement of downtime.

A backup internet option in a coworking space guarantees uninterrupted connectivity. A secondary ISP or a mobile data router are two possibilities. Either can be set to automatically activate when the primary connection fails.

6. Reduce Clutter

Clutter has been shown to create stress and negatively impact mental focus. To combat clutter, adopt a minimalist approach to designing your coworking setting. Use clean lines and simple decor for a visually appealing flow to the workspace.

Make sure staff regularly cleans and organizes communal areas to prevent clutter from accumulating.

Provide ample storage space for personal items to keep workstations tidy. Built-in or hidden storage solutions, such as under-desk drawers, are great for decluttering.

Implement a policy that encourages members to clear their desks at the end of the day. You can also host a monthly organization day to remove old papers and miscellaneous clutter.

With a less cluttered workspace, members can better concentrate on their work.

6 Ways to Manage a Coworking Space Designed for Focus

Now, let’s shift the conversation into managing the day-to-day operations of your coworking site.

Without the right practices in place, even the best-designed spaces can diminish what made them focus-friendly.

1. Establish Clear Guidelines for Members

Clear guidelines help by establishing and communicating the rules for how the workspace will operate.

Here are some examples of clear guidelines:

• “Silent work only in designated quiet zones. Please refrain from talking or creating noise.”
• “Use phone booths for all personal or business calls. Limit use to 30 minutes.”
• “Focus hours are from 9 AM – 12 PM. Please keep noise to a minimum across all areas.”

Members should not only be aware of these guidelines but the reasoning that supports them.

Clarity helps set expectations for behavior throughout the coworking space and keeps everyone on the same page.

Make sure these rules are followed by using a firm yet respectful approach. Emphasize gentle reminders and peer accountability.

2. Promote a Culture of Respect

Cultivating a culture of respect will go far toward enabling productivity and focus.

Encourage members to respect each other’s needs for quiet and concentration. Create a community agreement based on shared values. This agreement should be specific to your location and emphasize the goals of all parties involved.

Setting aside focus hours demonstrates how important a respectful environment is to your site. Make sure staff and leaders are modeling that respect and setting the tone for the rest of the employees.

Social media posts, emails, and physical signs are all possible mediums for reinforcing this message. You can also recognize and reward members who exemplify the behavior and attitude you’re looking for.

3. Take Feedback Seriously

Regardless of how well you design and manage, to aid focus, you need to listen to members. Gathering and acting on feedback is essential.

Formal surveys and casual conversations are both opportunities to gain input and show you value your clients. Additionally, schedule monthly or quarterly meetings to go deeper into concerns and suggestions.

Even little adjustments, such as altering the layout of a focus area or adjusting the temperature, can greatly impact the overall experience.

Members need to know that their opinions can lead to real changes. Keep them informed with updates on their feedback through newsletters or community postings.

4. Schedule Regular Maintenance

Routine maintenance keeps your workspace running smoothly, which prevents disruptions to focus.

Regularly check and maintain furniture, kitchen equipment, and lighting so your location remains comfortable and functional. Inspect building systems — HVAC, plumbing, electrical wiring — regularly to avoid major, disruptive repairs.

For example, if a small leak in the HVAC is not fixed right away, it could cause bad cooling and even the system to fail.

Taking care of your facilities makes sure that the hard work you’ve put into designing and managing your space isn’t wasted later.

5. Make Your Workspaces Flexible

Managing your workspaces for flexibility is key to allowing concentration. Let members book private rooms and quiet zones as needed. That gives them the ability to choose the best environment for their task.

Even better, provide flexible workspaces that can adapt to different needs. For example, movable walls can be reconfigured to create privacy or open up space for collaboration.

That’s an effective way to offer the most workspace configurations. Be in touch with your members’ needs and offer the appropriate amount of open desks, semi-private booths, and meeting rooms.

Portable equipment is another method for offering flexibility. Devices that can relocate quickly, like tablets and movable whiteboards, offer workers a chance to further customize the space.

6. Encourage Personal Focus

Empowering individuals to put focus in their own hands is vital to long-term success. Encourage your clients to personalize their workspace with inspirational quotes or images.

Create a resource library full of books, articles, and productivity hacks. Host time management challenges where employees can apply techniques like the Pomodoro technique.

Encourage members to use digital detox tools. These apps limit their screen time or block distracting websites during work hours.

Coaching is becoming more common in the workplace. Provide one-on-one coaching sessions for members to get personalized advice on improving focus.

Here are a few more ideas for increasing personal concentration:

• Invite guest speakers to give relevant talks or workshops
• Encourage peer learning and sharing of productivity tips
• Offer specific training on boosting mindfulness and deep work

It’s important to keep balance and mental well-being at the core of your strategy. Teaching workers to be productive includes reminding them to rest and take breaks. The 2023 Work in America Survey found only a little over a third of workplaces encourage breaks.

Are you Using the Right Coworking Management Software?

We hope you’re now ready to bring focus to your coworking space and stand out from the competition. You’ve now seen ways to design your space and how to manage it. But, the right tools are just as important.

OfficeRnD Flex helps coworking space owners and operators grow and optimize their coworking spaces.

It has everything you need to create the ultimate coworking experience for your members including member experience apps, billing management, floor-plan booking, and so much more.

FAQ

How Do Coworking Spaces Designed for Focus Differ from Traditional Spaces?

Traditional coworking spaces emphasize collaboration and social interaction, but focus-oriented spaces prioritize concentration. They provide amenities and private work areas that support focus.

Do Most Coworking Spaces Have Private Rooms for Focus?

Most coworking spaces offer private rooms to reserve so members can hold a meeting or work on a task without any disruptions.

What Amenities Are Found in a Focus-Oriented Coworking Space?

Typical features in a coworking space designed for focus include soundproof booths, high-speed internet, adjustable desks, comfortable seating, and natural lighting. Wellness amenities are also common, such as meditation rooms or relaxation zones.