There has been a boom of coworking collectives in the countryside. Those entrepreneurs who do not need to be in a busy city office, when given the choice, are often opting for the tranquil setting of the countryside.
There are a number of reasons for this move.
Cities are overcrowded and the noise and hassle is thought to affect brain retention as a result of too many stimuli. Quietness and silence is known to be beneficial. One school of thought is that silence replenishes our cognitive resources. No wonder people are choosing not to commute to the city which may also take hours out of the day and increase stress levels too. For those considering their carbon footprint, this may also be a deciding factor for not travelling to the city for work.
We all know that the air in the countryside is cleaner, there are more likely to be lovely views, and sounds of a river babbling or birds singing. There is the scent of cut grass and flowers which all play a part in heightening the senses, which in turn can help quieten the mind. According to Nisbet: ‘We found that people were significantly happier when they walked outdoors, even for 15 minutes. Studies by Ulrich, Kim and Cervinka https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing show that times in nature, or scenes of nature, are associated with a positive mood and psychological wellbeing, meaningfulness and vitality. A healthy mind and body will increase levels of productivity.
Many people are looking at their work – life balance and the affordability of places to live. It is now commonplace to work remotely and with the improvement in WIFI and Broadband connections this is now achievable. So long as all the facilities are in place to enable a business to thrive, the benefits of working in the countryside may for many outweigh the benefits of working in the city.
It could be argued that many families with young children tend to live in rural areas and it is often the case that the worker may wish to take a day or two away from the family home and meet like-minded people in a professional environment. Sometimes it is just about getting the correct work – home life balance. Having an office space available in the local area is also advantageous if there are school age children to take and pick up from school, or should that unexpected call from nursery arrive and a parent/guardian is required there quickly.
It is thought that bonds between people are stronger when working in a small team, and coworking communities within a rural setting tend to enable a feeling of community and inclusion.
There is the argument though that rural coworking spaces may offer traditional services only, such as the provision of a hot desk, or fixed desk, a meeting room for hire and a networking lounge. It is therefore important that rural coworking should have the presence of a community, rather than just a physical place to work.
Cromford Creative Business Hub in rural Cromford, Derbyshire has a lovely community of coworkers. Most live locally but may have their Head Office further afield in a city or large town. The facilities are all here, superfast broadband and WIFI, meetings rooms, and a comfortable lounge. We have regular network meeting and are also having coworker meet-ups to determine the needs and wishes of the team. There are shower facilities for those who like to cycle or even run to work and we are fortunate to have such beautiful countryside literally just on the doorstep.
What better place to work?