5 Reasons to Start Coworking in 2026
There is no bad time to join a coworking space, but there are some particularly good times. January is one of those times. It’s the start of the year and the ideal time to get your professional life on track. Motivation tends to be high, yet business has not ramped up for the year, meaning more time to focus on goal setting, organisation, and planning for the year ahead.
If you decide to begin coworking in January, you will not only have the time to get yourself settled in but also the added motivation of being in a space purpose-built to support you and your work. Since the start of the year is already a period of growth and transition, launching your coworking journey at the same time is the ideal way to leverage your opportunities for positive change within your business.
If you’ve been considering joining a coworking space, now’s the time to do it. Don’t wait until work gets more hectic and shaking up your routine gets harder. Here are a few reasons to start coworking and why it is one of the best decisions you can make for your professional career in 2026.
Unlike formal offices and public workspaces (such as libraries or cafes), coworking spaces do not require you to work within rigid time constraints. At United Co. coworking in Melbourne, we give you the leeway to come and go as you please at the times best suited to you. Whether you want to work every day from 9 to 5 or three days a week from 10 pm until 2 am, a flexible coworking membership can provide the adaptable schedule you need to thrive in your business. The best part is that memberships vary depending on how often or how little you need to be there.
More and more employees are seeking holistic work environments that offer wellness benefits and help them achieve the ever-elusive work-life balance. While not all companies – especially small ones – can afford or prioritise , coworking hubs have the resources to allow for this. They foster community engagement, which is beneficial for mental health. Many of them (including ours) offer other perks like free fruit and filtered water, community yoga classes, an on-site gym, and even standing desks.
One of the biggest benefits of joining a coworking space is that it provides an optimal environment for networking. When you’re sharing a kitchen and common area with other professionals from all walks of life, it’s hard not to connect. And with a rotating schedule of events on offer, coworking spaces make networking even easier. But the key is that you need to be open to it. If you’re going to join a coworking space in 2026, prepare to put yourself out there and foster new relationships – you never know what kind of great professional connection you may make.
Working in a traditional office means you’re mostly surrounded by the same kinds of people doing (more or less) the same kinds of jobs. But in a coworking environment, there’s plenty of diversity across backgrounds and industries. This is great because a) it keeps the workplace more interesting and b) it provides inspiration you may not receive in a typical work environment. Often, it takes surrounding ourselves with a community of like-minded professionals who think differently than us and have different skills and levels of experience to help us form great new ideas.
Aside from the aforementioned free snacks and office gym, coworking spaces provide plenty of other perks you wouldn’t find at a traditional office. For one, many coworking spaces such as United Co. offer unlimited high-speed WiFi along with on-site tech support. No more waiting on the phone to chat with an IT consultant when you’ve got one on hand to help whenever you need. Other perks you may encounter (at least at our coworking space) are secure bike storage, on-site parking, member showers, and discounts on local products and services.
As you can see, there are many benefits of joining a coworking space including (but not limited to) those listed above. The sooner you join the coworking community, the sooner you can take advantage of these assets. If you’re ready to get started, review our flexible coworking options today or contact us for more information.
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