After ten years, essence is about to make the move from a traditional office to a bustling co-working space in Britomart. But why?
We’ve been pondering our next move for some time now, so we thought we’d share some of our rationale (and hopefully wisdom) for anyone else out there considering something similar.
$X per sq. metre is so last decade
First of all, there is of course nothing wrong with leasing a space and we’ve loved where we’ve been for the last ten years or so. But the more people and companies we’ve spoken to, the more we’ve seen a trend towards co-working for small to medium sized businesses. In fact, even the likes of Xero are embracing the open-plan culture with their recent co-working space announcement.
The trend is almost a mirror on a grander scale of what we saw happening within big corporates around a decade ago – from members of staff at all level of seniority having their own offices, to open plan working spaces that encouraged collaboration and cohabitation.
Intrigued? Take a tour of a new place.
The co-working buzz
One of the main draws of co-working is feeding off the energy you naturally get when sharing an office with other similar-minded people and companies.
With the space we’re taking we also have access to some great breakout areas and more private meeting rooms, depending on the type of work we’re doing. And if all else fails there’s of course the trusty headphones to block out distractions (a tactic I’m currently deploying to write this post!).
Opportunities to collaborate
Another significant benefit to us is the opportunity to rub shoulders with potential collaborators. This could be anything from getting some advice, to co-pitching for some new work, to delivering a full-blown project with another company that compliments what we offer.
With the likes of Facebook, Getty Images and Salesforce under the same roof as us, not to mention myriad of specialist agencies, the opportunities mount up.
Flexibility to flex
Our agency model has always been one that allows us to flex up and down, depending on the needs of our clients and volume of work. With our new shared working space, we’re able to quickly and seamlessly add resource (whether it’s freelance or permanently) without having to necessarily move around or find new space.
What’s more, if our clients need access to a space for a workshop or event, we also now have access to that, also in the same building.
As you can probably tell, we’re pretty excited to get in there, plug in and start a new chapter. If you’re around the Britomart area in Auckland, pop in to say hello and check out our new digs!
If Essence can assist with your healthcare advertising and marketing needs then please don’t hesitate to reach out. We would love to chat.