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The capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow has come a long way from being pioneers in the kite-making industry to becoming a hotspot for entrepreneurial enthusiasts. In fact, recent years have witnessed the paradigm shift of the business scene from conventional office spaces to shared workspaces.
Furthermore, the culture of the gig economy has also seen a boost, helping many professionals work independently, without giving in to the dullness of the regular 9 to 5 job. This has also contributed to a better work-life balance for many individuals who prefer working with flexible schedules. As the coworking culture is making gradual progress towards popularity, many more intellectually-charged coworking spaces are in the offing.
What is the work culture in Lucknow?
Like many other Tier-2 cities, Lucknow’s source of revenue largely depended on small businesses and tourism, until a decade ago. However, to match the technological advancement of the rest of the country, the city tried its hands at better business opportunities, and fortunately, the change in perception has been advantageous.
Today, tech giants and multinational corporations such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and HCL have set up their base in the city, providing ample job opportunities to skilled professionals. The entry of these firms has also improved the fabric of business in the city, urging those with a knack for entrepreneurship to experiment and execute their start-up ideas and run them successfully.
While the work culture pertaining to the city remained aloof from the effects of globalisation until recently, the city has now joined the forces to bring global acclaim through innovative start-up ideas.
What is the approach of Lucknow towards coworking spaces?
Since globalisation and technological advancement are known to walk hand-in-hand, the concept of coworking and the gig economy culture made its first appearance in the city only a few years ago. However, given its success across the globe, the city has warmed up to the idea and is making long strides towards comfortably accommodating independent professionals and start-ups.
The city, which today has only a few coworking spaces to its credit, is expected to soon house a decent number of shared office spaces in the coming years. With the employment rate taking a hit, it is only natural for professionals to seek individual contributor roles to advance their careers and coworking spaces play a major role in helping them achieve their goals.
Why are coworking spaces right for you?
Coworking spaces have been instrumental in changing the landscape of the business world, encouraging start-ups to begin their journey to becoming a well-established corporation without having to worry about the cost they would incur in renting a space. In fact, the rise of the coworking culture in the country has opened up avenues for many entrepreneurs who would have otherwise been hesitant to commit to establishing a start-up or work as independent professionals. If you are a start-up owner, an entrepreneurial enthusiast or a freelancer, here’s why a shared office space could be the answer to all your worries.
Network with like-minded people: Networking skills are held in high regard, whether you are working for a corporation or handling a business of your own. However, finding the right circle to network with could be a tedious task, especially in a world where competition is on an upscale. Coworking spaces are established to create a community of professionals who are innovative, growth-centric and constantly looking to expand their network. In fact, many coworking spaces are known to host networking events that its members can benefit from and subsequently grow their business. The value of a strong professional network is often undermined; however, it has proven to be the key to successful endeavours in many instances.
Pay less, get more: Shared office spaces are designed with top-notch facilities to make the experience of working out of them, comfortable. Moreover, these services are inclusive of the price you would pay to book a desk or workspace, making it a sweet deal. The cost of renting an entire office space is very likely to burn a hole in your pocket, whereas a coworking space allows you to work, collaborate and experiment in a creative space at affordable prices. This is one of the major reasons why the coworking culture is picking pace in the country.
Flexibility: How many times have you woken up in the morning only to rush through your daily routine and make it to work on time? Well, you don’t have to bat an eye about fixed, monotonous schedules while working out of a coworking space. Most coworking spaces allow you 24-hour access to address your needs. So, if you have a client that lives in a different time zone, you can always drop in at the coworking space and work at night. Furthermore, there is no obligation to work for a fixed number of hours. When you come in and when you leave is completely at your discretion.
Best coworking spaces in Lucknow:
Home to a diverse set of professionals from backgrounds ranging from techies to writers, Lucknow’s progress in terms of the coworking scene has been measured but phenomenal. In fact, the coworking spaces set up in the city are setting benchmarks, thanks to their impeccable facilities and affordable plans. The areas in the city that are raking up with coworking spaces are Gomti Nagar, Hazratganj, Meera Bai Marg, Indira Nagar, Vibhuti Khand, Kapoorthala, Qaiserbagh, Aliganj, Shalimar and many others. Take a look at some of the coworking spaces that are responsible for strengthening the concept in the city.
SPRINGHOUSE Coworking
Spread across a 3000-sq ft. space, SpringHouse Coworking Lucknow offers 360-degree managerial solutions and is located in the prime location of Gomti Nagar. This coworking space is open to professionals of various strata, starting from entrepreneurs to freelancers and offers the perfect environment for professionals to interact, collaborate and network. Apart from one centre in Lucknow, SpringHouse also has several centres in cities such as New Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida.
The products offered at the Gomti Nagar centre in Lucknow include private cabins, open desks (Rs. 5,500 per month), day passes (Rs. 500 per day), meeting rooms (Rs. 750 per hour), event spaces as well as virtual offices. The centre is well-equipped with amenities such as seamless Internet services, printing and scanning provisions, in-house pantry, a continuous supply of tea and coffee, housekeeping services and break out zone. The coworking space is designed to optimise productivity and promote a collaborative atmosphere.
Collab Cowork
Located in the rapidly developing area of Lucknow, Gomti Nagar, Collab Cowork has redefined the rules of the coworking culture. With affordable infrastructure, an ideal environment for collaboration and community engagement and state-of-the-art facilities available for members, this coworking space has hit all the right chords with the modern professionals.
The products offered by the shared office space are fixed desks (Rs. 5000 per month), team cabin (Rs. 18,000 per month), day passes (Rs. 400 per day), weekly passes (Rs. 1500 per week), meeting rooms (Rs. 300 per hour) and meetup space (Rs. 750 per hour). Apart from the long list of products, the office space also offers various amenities to make your working experience worthwhile, such as modern workstations, resilient WiFi, private lockers, breakaway zone with board games, pantry with products from Café Coffee Day, open parking space for members, discounted access to events and meetups and housekeeping services. Interestingly enough, this coworking space was started by a team of entrepreneurs to create the perfect workspace for up and coming entrepreneurial enthusiasts.
Millenial Worx
An incubator, accelerator and coworking space all-in-one, Millenial Worx is the answer to every entrepreneur’s doubts. Whether you need an investor for your idea, a mentor to guide you through the process of establishing a start-up or simply a comfortable space to work, this coworking space has it all. The products offered by Millenial Worx include open or hot desks (Rs. 5,500 per month), dedicated desks (Rs. 6,500 per month) and private desks (Rs. 7,500 per month).
This coworking space was established to nurture and promote budding entrepreneurs in the city. In fact, it is known to host a range of events, workshops and meet-ups, all to the benefit of the members. They also have a fully-equipped in-house pantry to tingle your caffeine buds when you need it. Furthermore, meeting and conference rooms are also available for members to use at affordable prices. Millenial Cowrx is located at Meera Bai Marg, it aims at shaping start-up ideas into becoming well-established businesses.
Qworky
Qworky is, hands-down, one of the well-established and affordable coworking spaces in the city. Its centres are situated across eight locations in the city, such as Indira Nagar, Gomti Nagar, Vibhuti Khand, Kapoorthala, Hazratganj, Qaiserbagh and Shalimar. The products offered at the centres are workstations or desks, which can cost you anywhere between Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 10,000, and private cabins, whose cost varies from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 35,000. The costs vary depending on the centre you choose and the capacity of the private cabin you opt for. Apart from the products, the centres also offer basic amenities such as the high-speed Internet, event spaces and meeting rooms.
Regus Lucknow
As a serviced office space market leader across 3000 locations in about 120 countries, it was only natural for Regus to step into coworking industry and in Lucknow too. Regus has established two centres in the city of Lucknow, one at Gomti Nagar and the other at Hazratganj. The products offered at the two centres include office spaces (starting at Rs. 420 per day), coworking space (starting at Rs. 367 per day), meeting rooms (Rs. 1,150 per hour) and virtual offices (starting at Rs. 900 per month). Apart from these products, Regus also offers other benefits to its members such as pan-India access, day-care facilities, dedicated parking space and a business lounge.