The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/288462
hope for, and which the coworking translators were already experiencing. The translators considering coworking were especially interested in collaboration opportunities, while those who were already coworking reported that they had experienced three types of collaboration: cooperation in their own profession, the development of a business partnership and sub-contracting opportunities. Additionally, the mixture of expertise provided coworkers with interesting learning opportunities. Some had improved their technological skills, while others were working alongside native speakers of their source language. For young translators this pool of knowledge can be especially helpful. If more translators begin to use coworking spaces, they could share translation-specific knowledge and coworking might even lead to co-working (ie, working together). An interesting finding, especially for me as a translator of popular culture, is that coworking can spur creativity. Nearly 40 percent of survey participants said they would ask coworkers for help with synonyms, 59 percent would look for creative inspiration and 61 percent would test their translations on other coworkers. This part of the survey was based on neurological research looking at how the left brain hemisphere hinders the right hemisphere to think divergently, 4 and 59 percent said they 12 The Linguist APRIL/MAY www.iol.org.uk FEATURES of coworking. Any open-plan office can become noisy unless solutions such as phone booths and sound isolation elements are provided. Nevertheless, these distractions can lead to unexpected synergies: someone else's problem might be a job opportunity for you. Motivations for change Interestingly, some of the survey participants who expressed an interest in coworking had not heard of it before. While the concept is well known in big cities, such as New York, London and Berlin, many people in smaller towns do not know about coworking – yet; the idea is spreading and more and more spaces are opening all over the world. My survey also shows that many translators are not satisfied with their home office and seek solutions – as I did. Two thirds shared my own motivation: a larger social network and reduced isolation. A study conducted by deskmag, found that 93 percent of freelancers using such spaces felt less isolated. 2 According to James House, a lack of in-person social contact during working hours means that home workers are not exposed to the healthy behaviour of other professionals, such as taking breaks and drinking sufficient amounts of water. 3 Further health benefits come from a more clearly defined work-life balance, which is something that 57 percent of the translators in my survey would engage coworkers in unrelated conversation to deal with this problem – known colloquially as a 'block'. Our own perfect workplace Although coworking spaces can counteract many of the shortcomings of the home office, they are not suitable for everybody. This depends on both personality and the type of work (eg, confidential work might not be suitable for a shared office). For me, the advantages certainly outweigh the disadvantages, which is why my husband and I decided to create our own 'perfect workplace' after I completed my MA. We started looking for a property in our home town of Dortmund, Germany, which meant that we were able to use our existing social network to spread the coworking idea – and also to help with renovations. We looked for a building in a residential area, because we wanted to be close to the homes of our customers, but we also needed to be near the motorway and public transport links. We found a suitable space – an extension to a building owned by another company – and the icing on the top was a small garden. The possibility of working outside was very important to me because it is one of the things I love most about being a freelancer. We then created an office design that appeals both to business and creative professionals. ALL PHOTOS: SIMON THON (WWW.SIMONTHON.COM)