At Hubble, we can find the ideal work environment for all size and types of companies, regardless of whether there’s 150 of you or you’re flying solo. That’s because we offer a wide range of hot desks, fixed desks, and private offices, in all parts of London, with all kinds of set-up.
For bigger companies, the decisions to be made are pretty standard. Where do you want to be? What facilities do you need? What’s your budget? But when there’s just one of you, one of the main questions may well be whether or not to find yourself a workspace at all.
People who choose to hot desk are often freelancers, remote workers, or single person companies. So many may wonder – if you’re an individual, why spend money on a workspace when you could just work from home? After all, you don’t necessarily have regular colleagues to interact with or have meetings with in person. And yet, many will still choose to hot desk, shunning the idea of staying at home in pyjamas and choosing instead to battle the daily commute and invest in desk space. So, why?
The coworking revolution
The coworking revolution is one of the primary contributors to this phenomenon. Workspaces are now tailored to exactly this type of individual, offering them networking opportunities and social gatherings galore. Working alone can be isolating, and there’s a lot to be said for the casual conversations to be had in a communal kitchen, finding new people to bounce ideas off, and being open to those random encounters that turn into fruitful partnerships.
They’re also workspaces. That’s a space made for work. Not a home made for sleeping, washing, cleaning, eating etc. Everything within the space is optimised to make you more productive, providing all of the facilities that you need to power on and get things done. At home it’s all too easy to get distracted, do housework, or go for a snooze.
Boosting productivity
Martin Lea, a freelance photographer and the name behind Martin Lea Photography, recently took a hot desk through us at Hubble, at 3rd Rail Print Space in Peckham Rye. As the perfect example of somebody who – as his own boss – could work anywhere, we decided to quiz him on what led him to make such a decision, and how it has transformed his work life since.
Have you ever worked from home?
Martin: Yes, I have worked from both home and workspaces – I much prefer working in the latter. I was working from home before getting this workspace through Hubble.
What inspired you to take a desk through Hubble?
Martin: I just wasn’t getting enough done at home, and I also enjoy the human interaction of a workspace. As humans, we all need social contact!
As you’re working alone, why did you choose to find a desk instead of working from home?
Martin: I don’t really enjoy spending too much time at home. I feel much more inspired and more motivated when I get up and go to work. There are far too many distractions at home, and I enjoy the little chats with other freelancers and small business people at a workspace.
Tell us a little about the space that you chose and why you chose it.
Martin: I chose 3rd Rail PrintSpace as it’s within a short bus journey or short cycle journey of my home. I used to work in another workspace close by, so I know the area well – and there are also lots of other SMEs in the area. 3rd Rail PrintSpace is within the Peckham Levels too, so it’s nice to be part of a new creative community as well.
Also, the lighting for my monitor was great without any strip lighting reflecting or glaring on my screen. Although I have put this last, it was actually the most important factor for me. I went to view other workspaces but the lighting wasn’t anywhere near good enough to edit images, as I need to without the glare or reflection of window light or overhead strip lighting. 3rd Rail PrintSpace was ideal!
What benefits have you experienced from working in a workspace?
Martin: I love being around the other people and businesses here, and really enjoy the little chats, shared cups of tea and joint lunches, too. I also feel more relaxed in myself, and much happier to have that separation between work and home.
How do you feel it has affected your productivity?
Martin: I have definitely become more productive since starting at the workspace. I do still take my laptop home and do a few things there, but it really helps to get up and go to work. I am also hopeful that I’ll be able to collaborate on creative projects with other freelancers that I meet there. Most businesses need images and the services of a photographer at some stage or other – so if all goes to plan, I can generate some additional income whilst working there too.
Finally, how did you find the Hubble experience overall?
Martin: I found Hubble great to work with for finding a desk space. I had previously tried my luck with another platform, but Hubble had far more options – and, more importantly, they responded very quickly to all of my enquiries and questions. With some online platforms it can be really difficult to get to speak with human support staff, but I found that that wasn’t the case with Hubble. It was a good mixture of being an online, user-friendly website, as well as having really good and friendly human support to back it up.
I would happily recommend them to others, and use them again in the future.
