The Harsh And Unspoken Rules

There’s no doubting the popularity of taking an office or a desk in a coworking space. One need only look at the aggregate of coworking spaces in Bangalore in the past few years to see that. 

There are of course, those also who might have been working out of their apartments for so long that they’ve forgotten that ‘coworking space’ means that there are other humans around, in close proximity, we might add, and that while there might not be a formal list describing coworking etiquette, it’s there. You’d think that it is an unwritten code would be good enough, but there are those who need it spelled out.

And hence we have decided to oblige with a few.

1. The office manager is not your personal secretary. Do not treat him/her as if he/she is.
2. Don’t assume that the items that are available for public use are there solely for you. That’s why it’s called a ‘shared’ space.
3. Not everyone is interested in hearing your phone conversation. Keep it down. Or find a spot away from everyone.
4. When you’re having a conversation, try to keep the volume down. There are other people working around you. That’s not what people are talking about when they’re suggesting that you be disruptive.
5. Don’t slam doors.
6. Keep your interoffice affairs private. Watch the PDAs especially.
7. Remember that Happy Hours generally start after working hours. Don’t start getting raucous mid-afternoon, just because it’s after working hours for your team.
8. Keep the ringer on your cell phone at a civilized level.
9. If you’re at a shared table, contain your mess. Don’t assume that you can spread your stuff out across the entire table.
10. Don’t take three seats at the shared table when you’ve only rented one.
11. Be friendly.
12. Don’t take someone else’s personal coffee cup. Or anything else that doesn’t belong to you.
13. When a friend stops by and you decide to have a natter, go out for coffee, or move the conversation to the cafeteria. People around you are trying to work and aren’t really interested in your conversation.
14. Don’t readjust the temperature to suit you. Bring a sweater. Or take your sweater off.
15. Throw business to your fellow coworkers, if you can. We’re all in this together.
16. If someone looks like they are busy and concentrating on something, they probably are and do not want to be interrupted by whatever is on the top of your mind.

These rules may seem harsh to some people, but it is what makes coworking so congenial and amazing!

Let us follow them all!