According to a GCUC survey, 84% of coworkers say working in a coworking space makes them more engaged and motivated. And we couldn’t agree more! Here at Gather we see the evidence everyday. In fact, we value personal connections and work to know at least one thing about each community member. We are always looking for opportunities to engage, break the ice and build relationships with one another. And we never stop learning and improving. This is what motivates us and our members!

“According to Alex Pentland, Ph.D., author of Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World, allowing and encouraging workers to socialize with one another boosts both engagement and productivity” (Happy Brain Science, 2022).  While it is true that employees can potentially socialize in traditional offices, as pointed out in the Harvard Business Review, employees often feel as though they are expected to socialize with their coworkers when everyone in the office works for the same company. You’re probably aware of this feeling, right? 

The “obligatory nature” of the experience might make it feel forced. However, at a coworking space, people don’t socialize because their HR manager has told them it’s important for all coworkers to feel like “members of a family.” Simply put, people want to socialize when they want to.

Here at Gather, we pride ourselves in providing the perfect workspace environment that bolsters productivity and manifests greatness for our members. We get how important it is to find the right amount of space for your team, while having access to awesome amenities and resources to maximize your team’s efforts that make them look forward to coming to work every day. This is why shared office space at Gather is so successful.

With the opening of Gather Midlothian earlier this month, we decided to take a look at what the best places to hang out in the area are.

According to a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, “Rates of anxiety and depression have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Maurizio Fava, M.D., Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Mass General, cites numerous reasons for this massive increase in depression, including  unprecedented social isolation and loss of community. Dr. Fava said, “Social isolation, in particular, has made the COVID-19 pandemic challenging. People are not able to leave home for support.”

Where do you like to work? Do you thrive in a creative, relaxed, high-end and concentration-enhancing professional community within a tech hub with tons of amenities? Do you do your best work in a place that fulfills your personal needs so you aren’t sidelined by a time-consuming trip to seek out a brief mid-day meal — unless that’s what you need? Do you crave comfortable, friendly, and collaborative relationships with others working around you that motivate you to reach higher goals?