During a recent group conference held at HAYVN our coworking colleagues spent some time chatting about the many things we’ve enjoyed about coworking spaces today versus when we worked in the traditional private office setting. “We’re never going back,” was the consensus.
Call us biased but we’re happily networking, brainstorming, being inspired, productive and enjoying the many business amenities and growth-focused events not seen in a traditional office setting.
“I had to reassess my options in 2020 and HAYVN provided a perfect option to support our pivot. We are now operating in a totally virtual environment from the safety of a private office with a professional image and full administrative support – and no more long commute.” — Jose Cara, VP Endocrine Care at Pfizer, Pfizer
Post-vaccine Perspective
The coworking environment is very empowering as we are all working to define the post-pandemic future together. Coworking platform at HAYVN enables everyone to create a bespoke professional experience, from physical address, type of desk and space needed, mail handling, phone answering, gym, social events — the list goes on.
As things open up we continue to build upon HAYVN’s countless services and amenities that we’ve co-created over the past years.
Other coworking spaces advantages were shared by Felicia Rubinstein, HAYVN’s Founder and Chief Collaborator in Coworking, who shared a TechiExpert article she recently read in a networking group, “8 Advantages Coworking Spaces Have Over Traditional Offices.”
We thought that the article summed up exactly why we thrive at HAYVN and wanted to share our own take on coworking spaces many advantages with you:
1) Ability to Network
In their article, Techiexpert reminds us that who you know is just as important as the work you do. Chance encounters with people from other companies and industries can lead your business in new directions, and unexpected conversations can spur fresh ideas.
Coworking spaces seamlessly promote networking opportunities. At HAYVN, our communal facilities, such as our kitchen, open lobby, and outdoor deck, and Slack channel, enable members to effortlessly mingle, strike up a conversation and meet a diverse array of people.
In addition, HAYVN’s member programming aims to support business growth, development, and work-life balance.
Our calendar is continuously chock-full of social events, including Member Breakfasts, Networking Happy Hours, and our Mastermind series, where experienced marketing, wellness, and coaching professionals meet weekly to share information and strategy.These member-led events naturally bring together and connect like-minded individuals.
Whether you attend a class, sit down to lunch with a stranger or attend one of our happy hours, you never know who you could meet. The possibilities are endless.
2) Ability to Brainstorm with Others, Get Inspired, and Learn Something New
TechiExpert reminds us that in coworking spaces, you are not confined to a traditional private office where you see the same set of people every day.
Similar to what we mentioned above, there are more opportunities to meet a vast range of individuals with a variety of skills at a coworking space than at a traditional 9- to 5-office. If you’re looking for input on a project or you lack a certain skill, you are sure to find an expert on hand.
Our members come from an array of backgrounds with a variety of skill-sets. HAYVN members are lawyers, caterers, sustainability consultants, IT experts, adtech, YouTube influencers, marketing consultants, real estate agents, and more. Over 160 people-strong, our members share our facility with working arrangements ranging from social memberships to virtual office packages to private offices.
As such, our coworking space is a community – not just a place to check your email and answer calls, we also encourage a tightly-knit network where members exchange ideas, encourage and advise one another.
3) Facilitates Productivity
Many of us are all too familiar with the claustrophobia of working from the same room in our homes at this point in the pandemic. As the world begins to open up again, we are thrilled to be able to offer our meeting space rentals: 1:1 meeting spaces, conference rooms and outdoor event spaces to our members with safe, socially-distanced regulations in place.
Coworking spaces like HAYVN provide a multitude of areas to work in, whether that’s a private office, a sofa, a floating desk, our patio or a conference room. The ability to move around during the day, take a break and go to the fitness center, join a class, grab a snack, and have a conversation, creates a more productive, inspiring and pleasant workday.
A recent Fortune survey reports that after a year of dealing with Covid, “42%… of U.S. office workers say they’d prefer a mix of remote and in-office work (or a hybrid model) once the pandemic is over.”
In 2021, productivity doesn’t necessitate working in a cubicle with strict hours and zero flexibility. We encourage and support our HAYVN members to work from wherever, whenever, and to tailor their schedules to suit their specific needs.
4) Cost-Effective, Especially for Small Businesses and Startups
If you’re starting a business, our coworking space is the perfect place to begin. Signing a commercial lease is often expensive and locks you into a contract for a year or more. The Balance also tells us that, “from a cash flow perspective, coworking space is ideal for startup entrepreneurs looking for a professional workspace without the high upfront costs and long-term commitment.”
At HAYVN, you can begin by working solo at one of our floating desks alongside other entrepreneurs and take business meetings in our Mini Meeting Room. As your startup grows, you might require something more robust, such as a private office or a conference room for board meetings.
Who knows where you will be in a year or how many coworkers you may need to employ. With a coworking space, you can grow with us without breaking the bank.
5) A Change of Environment
HAYVN members can continuously move offices, choose various rooms to work in, and change their environment day-to-day.
With a coworking space, no matter who you are, how large your business or what you’re working on, you have the ability to cater the environment to your specific needs. Members “aren’t stuck in one place looking at the same four walls every day,” writes Techexpert.
Plus, you can tailor your environment to your mood. Need to brainstorm in a quiet space? Reserve a private office. Prefer to work in a cozy, relaxed setting? Sign up for one of our flexible floating desks or work outside on the deck in the fresh air. The coffee is always flowing. You can also go for a walk in the woods nearby to get those creative juices flowing.
The same office day-in and day-out become tiring and redundant. It’s much more energizing and productive to work in an array of spaces. At a community space like HAYVN, there are options. With the emerging hybrid model we support, you can choose to connect with us digitally from home or come into the convenient Darien Post Road location at Darien Crossing any time.
6) Workers Avoid Home-Related Distractions
Whether you live in a small apartment or a large house, have kids and pets, or live alone, it is easy to succumb to interruptions when you work from home. This can make less productivity and longer hours.
According to a survey by workforce solutions provider, JDP, while 67% of Americans surveyed said their productivity is the same or better when working from home, 54% reported experiencing more distractions. A third (33%) reported working more hours and 66% said they are more likely to work nights and weekends than before. Those who reported working more hours noted it was difficult to keep boundaries between work and home life as the main reason why.
At a coworking space you’re removed from your family or roommates along with tasks and comforts that might lead you astray.
You can reserve a quiet space without anyone around, or work around others who might inspire you to be even more productive than you otherwise would. Plus, everyone around you is also working, which promotes positive peer pressure.
Many of our members feel that even the short commute to the HAYVN spaces allows them to transition into work mode and leave behind any home-related issues at the front door.
7) Amenities and Business Services
At HAYVN, we offer an array of services and amenities to keep you comfortable, productive, safe, and inspired. Designed with women in mind, our amenities are available to enhance the work experience, reduce barriers to success, and help HAYVN members achieve their goals.
For example, we provide high-speed internet with meshed WiFi for your laptop and portable devices, free printing, professional mail and phone service access to professional business counseling from HAYVN MAVENS if you ever run into problems. These are the baseline any coworking space should offer.
Around the HAYVN offices, you will also always find complimentary snacks and refreshments. For happy hours, networking events, and larger conferences, we have delicious food often catered by member Carolyn Eddie, of Carolyn’s Absolutely Fabulous Events. For your meetings and events, we offer catering packages and more.
HAYVN members also get access to meditation walks, massage and yoga, and cooking classes and we just added Tennis. Instead of rushing out and packing up at the end of the day to hit the gym, you can squeeze in a workout in the middle of the morning, and get back to your work after a hot shower in our top-of-the-line facilities.
We believe that work should be just one part of your life, and that means creating an environment that is as comfortable, productive and healthy as possible.
8) Access to Conference Rooms
Conference rooms at coworking spaces allow small businesses and startups to meet in a professional space that can accommodate multiple people. They are excellent for brainstorming sessions, private one-on-one meetings, and zoom conversations with multiple colleagues.
Bi-weekly, weekly, and monthly meetings, even with half your team on zoom and half in-person, can help motivate your team and remind coworkers about shared objectives, as we discussed in our last post, “Running an effective meeting is more than booking a conference room.”
At HAYVN, our conference rooms are equipped with mobile whiteboards and large-screen TVs for PowerPoint presentations. When working from home, you might encounter issues with Wi-Fi, interruptions, and distractions. Reserving a conference room at HAYVN ensures that these issues are taken care of.
Being in the same room as a colleague can help you connect and see eye-to-eye. As humans, we feel connected, seen, and heard when we work together in the same space, and conference rooms can help you do just that.
So Many Options
Whether you’re coming into HAYVN to work in a private office, a permanent desk, a “hot desk,” or you are using one of our virtual office packages, there’s always an opportunity to ask a question, get an answer and learn something new from another member.
Coworking spaces like HAYVN promote and encourage tailoring your schedule to fit your own needs, and not the other way around. Through networking opportunities, flexible working spaces, a change of environment, or our community amenities, there’s no doubt that HAYVN can be your new work-home away from home sweet home.
HAYVN Coworking
Founded in 2018, HAYVN is a flexible workspace for enterprising women (and men) to connect, create and grow. Along with a vibrant & engaged coworking community of entrepreneurs and business professionals, HAYVN is a business HUB, offering short- and long-term office space leases, meeting rooms rentals, and events to support local businesses. HAYVN is proud to be a Certified B Corporation™ and a CTNext partner. We believe in using the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy and have met the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. HAYVN’s workshops and signature programs encourage women of all colors and ages and acts as an incubator for developing skills and pursuing funding. HAYVN Launch incubator is a 2021 winner of the SBA's Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC), and the only 2021 winner in Connecticut.
Visit our beautiful safe ‘HAYVN’ in Fairfield County, CT at 320 Boston Post Road, Darien, CT, 06820. Arrange a private tour today, or to learn more about our health and safety response, read through our detailed guidelines here.
