2020 is a year that will remain etched in the pages of history, for the unforeseen catastrophe it has brought upon the human race. The world is enduring not only a raging epidemic but is also on a brink of an approaching psychological malady. Depression is the inevitable pandemic that’s going to follow for years. Facts and stats show how the frequency of depression is on a historic rise over the course of time. Apart from the biological causes, it is also triggered by psychological and social stimuli like loneliness, competition, and stress.
Workplace is a major part of one’s life. It is now considered as a source of pressure and anxiety. Heavy workload, strict enforcement of deadlines and office politics, drama and rivalry are all the elements that drain a person of their energy. The topical office culture is such that it suffocates the intellectual creativity and brilliance of employees to match up to a programmed robot. In this age of space exploration and artificial intelligence, mental well-being of individuals has taken a back seat. The need of the hour is to replace the barren and unproductive workroom to a dynamic and constructive one.
The elixir for this is coworking spaces. The shared office space is a universal cure for depression among professionals. Getting glued to the office chair for straight 8 hours in solitary confinement of your cubicle is a shuddering sight. Contrary to this, coworking provides an ideal backdrop for employees to discover themselves and enjoy whilst fulfilling their goal-oriented tasks. The coworking spaces is indisputably a hub of professional networking; however, it is also trending as a spot of informal relationships.
The rationale of how shared office spaces mitigate depression is as follows:
Table of Contents
Social interaction:
Man is a social animal. We cannot work in isolation and detachment. We crave attention and external stimuli to gratify our intrinsic need of socialization. Coworking space provides an incredible prospect of community contact. It is filled with people from diverse realms of life who work under the same roof. This encourages fraternization and enkindles compassion and empathy. The coworkers build friendships, help each other out in times of need and collaborate over work. They mentor one another based on first-hand experience. This interplay unleashes the role of a counsellor among the coworkers because it fabricates affinity and rapport. A we-feeling is generated when the workers are given the opportunities to celebrate, explore and entertain.
Interiors and furnishings:
Mostly, coworking spaces in Mumbai , Hyderabad, Bangalore and other metropolitans are designed in a way that they are wild, energetic and bubbly. Emphasis is laid on upholstery, furnishings and ornamental décor. The color scheme is picked carefully so that it has a positive influence on the psyche of the workers. The location is chosen with an intent to eliminate noise and commotion. This lightens psychological stress due to unpleasant clatter. Herbage and frondescence are purposely integrated in the office design for a pacific and tranquil ambience. The spatial geometry is tactically designed to let the sunlight into the office space. Special importance is laid on paintings, wall clocks and accessories. Wooden tables and flooring are chosen because it produces a naturally vibrant effect thereby healing your mental uneasiness.
Work-life balance:
The prime perk of choosing a coworking space is that, it doesn’t let the workaholic version of you seep deep into your bones and get over your nerves. Thus, keeping you grounded and ensure that you set realistic goals. This prevents you from psychological dejection. Having said that, coworking strikes a perfect symmetry between personal and professional life. Whereas, work from home dilutes the fine line between vocation and vacation. It creates a lack of focus and concentration on work. Thence, hampering our productivity as well as impairing one’s schedule and mental health. Exposure to unhealthy working conditions affect one’s physical and mental health. When you co-work; you savor going to work for fixed hours and come back home in the evening and relax. This boosts your mood alleviating despair, stress and uneasiness.
Depression is pernicious to your venture as well. It reinforces absenteeism, irritability and inadequacy of energy, attentiveness, and engrossment in the employee’s tasks. It steers them into withdrawal from colleagues and renders them unmotivated. The magic bullet for this stumbling block is to replace traditional offices with coworking spaces. Social support is the antidote to depression. In a shared space context, colleague conflicts and tardiness are replaced with peer support and vehemence. Thus, the counter measure for the outspread depression scenario among employees is pitching on coworking spaces.
