At Office Nomads, we like to suggest coworking as an alternative when “working from home isn’t working.”  Too often though, individuals find themselves feeling as if there is no alternative from the isolation they feel in a home office or when working out of cafes because they can’t afford the cost of membership on their own.  These folks are part of the growing number of remote workers who want to join a coworking community but don’t have the support from their employers to do it.  So what do they do?

In May, Shareable.net had a great blog post on this very topic.  A few of our Nomads chimed in and shared some fantastic insight.  We decided to then pose the question to all our Nomads and see how they did it.

One idea that came from multiple people was based on simple math. Nancy Ward explained it well: “For anyone working from their home where the rest of their colleagues work in an office in another city, the answer is obvious.  They pay for office space for those employees, why not you?”

Other people crunched the numbers for their own office space and presented their managers with the final tally of space, printer, internet access, furniture, etc.  As a few Nomads put it, “It’s hard to argue with that math and makes it a “no-brainer.”

Colin Monaghan said that he used the diverse community as a negotiating point.  “I mentioned all the different types of people working here, representing different skill sets and industries,” he said. With over 90 members in professions ranging from software to astrology, there’s always somebody in the space who can be a benefit to you and your work.  “My employer saw this as an additional resource for the company as a whole, as I could learn and possibly even partner with some of these people.”

The most important and positive element that people gain from their time at coworking spaces though, is the productivity.  Over and over again members said that was their number one negotiating point.  For many in the at-home workforce there is a loss of definition between work time and home time.  One employer understood the trouble one encounters when working from the couch. “The blurring of work hours and personal life usually start out benefitting work but ends up hurting it. … If the alternative is home-working then [employers] should recognize that the discipline required to work from home for extended periods is extremely rare.”

Most Nomads talked about distractions in the home or in the cafes where they used to work.  It wasn’t a good fit because they needed a space that was dedicated to getting work done.  Trevor Smith said that he pitched it to his employer by saying, “It’s a good idea because I can usually be more productive in my job when I’m not doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen.”

A few Nomads offered the approach of convincing your employer to try a trial period.  Nancy said, “If the employer … thinks that working in front of the TV with cats all around you is good for productivity, suggest a Part Time 15 membership for a couple of months to prove how great the value proposition is.”

Whatever your tactic, remember that as each person gains something different from his or her membership with a coworking space the same goes for your company. So before you approach your boss about the potential of getting a membership, or even just part of one, paid for, take the time to think about how your it will also benefit the company. Will it increase your motivation? Would it give you a more stable connection to the Internet?

When it’s all said and done, this is just a business decision for your boss to make. Make sure you can provide all the facts and data and then ask. After all, it never hurts to ask.

Have you negotiated your membership? How did you do it?

Before I worked at Office Nomads I worked down in SeaTac.  My morning commute involved leaving my house at 5:45 AM to walk 25 minutes to downtown where I would grab my bus for the 45 minute ride.  The end of my day usually involved a delayed bus and traffic, stretching the commute to close to 2 hours. The only thing I miss about that commute is the speed at which I was able to fly through books.

Now I work 11 blocks from home. Usually less than 30 minutes elapses from the time my alarm clock goes off and I’m walking in the door at Office Nomads.  Working at Office Nomads has eliminated my horrendous commute.

Thinking about this, I became curious about the commutes that members have to Office Nomads.  How are people getting here? How long does it take them?  Are we really a neighborhood location?

Not surprisingly, people either walk, bike, drive or take the bus.  Turns out, nobody drops in via parachute.  What was surprising was that cars and bikes came out as the top modes of transport with each being used by 29% of Nomads.   Seattle likes to talk about its growing bike culture.  Seattle Bike Blog put it, “Of the 25 largest US cities, Seattle has the largest share of people commuting by bicycle.”  That huge number of bike commuters? 3.6%. With 29% of our Nomads commuting by pedal power, our small community is acting as an example for others to follow.

Indeed, 29% do drive in.  The neighborhoods from which these Nomads are coming are not easily connected to Capitol Hill via buses.  While our neighborhood seems to be arranged to discourage cars, some of these Nomads have found well-priced parking lots and or ‘secret’ spots that make it easier for them.  This then allows them the ability to pick up their kids or run those important errands on the way home.

When Susan first thought of opening a coworking space, she envisioned places to work within each of our neighborhoods.  Stroll a few blocks from your front door and find yourself at work.  It appears that 24% of our community is doing just that. One Nomad said, “It’s the perfect 20 minute walk: too short to be taxing even in the rain but long enough to let me stretch my legs. Also, good for both me and the environment.”

18% of the Nomads use the bus to come to Capitol Hill.  Most of the bussing Nomads said it was easier to bus than drive.  Many said they have the ability to drive in but have decided that the bus is the best option.  William Do said, “It’s most convenient for me.  I could drive but parking is expensive.  I could bike, but I’m not into biking.  I also walk part of the way, sometimes depending on how I feel, I’ll walk 3 to 4 miles at least part of the way from Office Nomads to get home.”

We may not be right around the corner from most of our Nomads but the majority take twenty minutes or less to be part of our community.  That’s less time commuting than the national average of 25 minutes.

These sorts of numbers make me more excited about coworking.  If more of us are biking or walking, does that mean we’re healthier?  And if we are driving but our time in the car is less than the national average, are we happier?  I think so.  It’s evident in the way people talk about coming to Office Nomads or any other coworking community.  And it all starts with how we get there.