Plants improve the working environment. They lower stress, improve productivity and reduce illness. One of the many pleasant things you’ll notice when you walk into Cohere Coworking is an abundance of happy plants. Vines with broad leaves encircle the fireplace and a thriving snake plant soaks in the sunlight upstairs. You’ll find a scattered succulent or two, a few flowers here and there, and spider plants. Lots of spider plants.
Spider plants are particularly suited to being office plants. Not only are they elegant in appearance, but practical as well, reducing toxins in the air and increasing oxygen levels. Spider plants are also hardy and thrive in a multitude of environments. They are diverse, adaptable, and have hidden benefits—much like coworking communities.
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Diversity
Over 200 species of spider plants are found natively throughout Africa, Asia, and Australia. While almost all varieties of spider plant are hardy and prolific, there is actually quite a bit of difference between species. The narrow, arching leaves can come in straight or curly varieties and can range in color from solid green to variegated purples and oranges. Some produce flowers that are aromatic, while others have almost no fragrance.
One of the most significant benefits of coworking lies in the diversity of people and ideas that it brings together. While everyone is there primarily to work, each individual coworker brings different skills and resources to the table. Due to the coworking values of collaboration and openness, members of a coworking community have greater access to new ideas and information than they would alone.
Adaptability
Spider plants can adapt to almost any situation. They thrive in a variety of temperatures and soils and don’t need a lot of attention to flourish. In addition, spider plants have thick rhizomes that store water, making them better able to handle dry spells.
Coworking communities, like spider plants, are adaptable. Although Cohere Coworking has been in the same fantastic Old Town location for the last decade or so, the community first started meeting in a donated reception area. It didn’t dampen anyone’s desire to work together. In fact, some coworking communities, such as Table Coworking, are more nomadic in nature, taking advantage of space that may otherwise languish unused and unoccupied for much of the week, such as local churches.
A coworking community isn’t about the space we gather in, it’s about the values of coworking and the people that are brought together. Together, we have weathered personal and professional transformations through political upheavals, economic downturns, natural disasters, and a global pandemic. We adapted, we survived, and we thrived.
Hidden Benefits
Most people choose spider plants for their homes because they are effortlessly beautiful, easy to propagate, and once established, fairly hard to kill. Likewise, most individuals looking for a coworking space are looking for a quiet, well-appointed place in which to work. These benefits are surface benefits, however.
Spider plants have a hidden superpower. Along with being hardy and versatile, these unassuming powerhouses are amazingly beneficial for the environments they are placed in. Not only do they increase oxygen, but they are also exceptional at removing toxins from the air like formaldehyde, benzene, molds, and carbon monoxide.
Coworking communities also have a hidden superpower. Connecting with other members and participating in events hosted by your coworking community not only improves your professional productivity but also supports your physical and mental health.
Cohere Coworking supports our members weekly yoga sessions, group Cotivation meetings, and amazing potlucks. Learn more!
Not only do we get to enjoy the spider plants while in the office, but many Coherians have also taken some of the shoots home to grow themselves. One little spider plant from Cohere even went on a road trip with one of our members to the east coast! Spider plants are most commonly known as symbols of good fortune and prosperity, but this is not the only meaning attributed to them. They are also associated with caring, good health, and connection, all worthwhile ingredients for a coworking community as well.
Penny Leigh Sebring is a Cohere member, experienced freelance writer, neophyte speculative fiction author, and gatherer of information and imaginary friends.