Beware Co-working! The Passion for Work's Contagious

Beware Co-working! The Passion for Work's Contagious

Jun 12 , 2021. By Eden Sahle ( Eden Sahle is founder and CEO of Yoda Technology Plc. She has studied law with a focus on international economic law. She can be reached at edensah2000@gmail.com. )

For the past few months, I have been using Adore Addis in the Bole Atlas area as a co-working space. I love the experience they provide. It is not only the glamorous design of the spaces and how green it is, but also the hospitality and care they show to every customer.

From the guards that welcome you with a smile at the gate to the supportive office facilitators and charming waiters, it is heartwarming. Bilen Aynu, the co-owner of the place, usually checks on and greets everyone with a smile.

But one thing was missing. Many of us that frequent the place recognised each other’s faces but never greeted one another. We are always lost in our busy lives. It was something made all the worse by the pandemic, which has complicated social life. But working together in a similar space and not knowing one another, even at our busiest work schedules, was not justifiable.

That is when Adore Addis began offering free coffee and snacks where every space user can take a break to take a few minutes to get to know one another. It is an energising time that I started to enjoy and look forward to subsequently. Coworkers discuss their work and ideas with passion.

They work independently, managing themselves. They do not have their supervisors observe their actions; it is the integrity of delivering work on time that drives their ambition. Hearing them speak about their accomplishments and happiness has become a moment of joy right after lunch.

Indeed, listening to those invested in their career plans allows us to grow personally and professionally. Being around individuals who believe in taking responsibility for their lives makes us inclined to grow in the same direction.

In those valuable few minutes of refreshment, we have learnt to create an impact on one another's lives. The advice and ideas we are sharing will support us on our career journey and move towards actions that help others.

It is a reminder yet again for all of us to do all the good we can, by all the means we can for the simple reason of making someone’s days better. Even during a pandemic, such constructive engagement with others is a source of joy and a learning experience.

Such individuals enhance our strong desire to accomplish something important and gain gratification in helping others. It is wonderful to see people like Bilen take great pleasure in creating opportunities to see people reach their goals by learning from one another.

Such kinds of social activities allow us to develop the grit necessary to stay on track and the mental stamina needed to endure the long process of improving our abilities. No one can achieve much without taking the time to learn from others' knowledge and wisdom.

An individual's strength does not exist in a vacuum, but it is associated with a collaborative effort. Our learning is often based on what we observe around us, and when what we see around us is a strict work ethic, we are bound to grow as well. Dedicating time to knowing others also helps us understand them better and improve our communication abilities by working alongside a diverse team of people. It also gives us a plethora of experiences that will help us as we navigate life.

Kindness in any form is excellent for those who wish to see firsthand the impact of giving back. Supporting our community to make things better in return creates a direct nurturing impact on our own life.

PUBLISHED ON Jun 12,2021 [ VOL 22 , NO 1102]