Note: Article originally published on Poached Mag.

The word is out: working alone sucks.

Co-working may just about the next wave to hit us in a “When did this even happen?!” way. Simply put, co-working just means you working hard alongside someone who isn’t your colleague. Why would we want to do that? Think about all the potential collaborations between businesses with synergies, the kind of creativity it will inspire, and how much faster we can bring ideas to life. This is exceptionally useful if you’re working for a startup (read: bootstrap) and you don’t have the luxuries of designated departments to take care of each and every single corporate function possible that large organisations do.

Just so you know, there are now an estimated 90,000 people co-working world-wide. And while a majority of them come from the United States (obviously), a new coworking and office workspace concept, The Co launched in the heart of Singapore’s central business district last month to add on to this number. The Co sets out to be a “stylishly designed ecosystem of affordable workspaces” with the aim to give the local startup and business community and start-ups a boost in the right direction.

Their philosophy? To provide a space which value-adds to its members by providing a platform for collaboration by bringing like-minded professionals together.

“The Co was created to bring together people who share the same philosophy of collaboration and flexibility in an affordable space. We realise business needs are changing. Our workspaces should similarly evolve with the newer ways we work,” – Michelle Woo, General Manager at The Co.

A main gripe for local entrepreneurs is the high cost of rental in Singapore. Yes, we can choose to run our little business venture from home or from a work-friendly cafe, but without a conducive workspace and interaction with the right communities, our businesses will always stay as just that – little. So it’s good news for us to know that there is now a place with a flexible range of workspace options, from coworking desks to fully furnished offices to suit our needs. We personally like how their fees are inclusive of WiFi, free flow coffee, lounge area, brainstorm room and use of their three floors of breakout spaces.

Coworking spaces for rental by the day, week or month

Idyllic breakout spaces that make good for meetings

In addition to leasing coworking desks and fully-equipped office suites, The Co also plays host to networking events, workshops, and conferences that allow its members to expand their networks. We won’t be surprised if we start seeing those of you who are in the startup “scene” congregating more often at The Co in time to come. Besides, it’s really just more fun to co-work. Just start by learning how to have at least nine cups of coffee at once to make it all work out.

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The Co is an 8-storey building located at 75 High Street, opposite The Treasury.

Rent a coworking desk by the day (S$45), 10 days a month (S$350), or monthly (S$750). For those who need a private workspace, office suites rent at a monthly rate of (S$800-S$900) per person depending on the type of suite. 

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Image Credit: The Co