Workshop 17: Do clothes influence our success at work?

Ballito people embrace their accents, celebrate their coastline and very much have their own sense of style. They take the casual beach vibes attire and escalate it to showcase their individuality.

Workshop17, the first coworking offering that has now officially launched a beautiful space in the recently renovated Ballito Junction Regional Mall, has put special thought into the way their environment can inspire local members. From the layout, making full use of the light and views, to the furniture design, supporting local craftsmen, suppliers and food options, it’s clear that they’re putting their “plakkies” where their mouths are and want to interact with the Ballito community.

The offering

Workshop17 Ballito offers a combination of grand workspace solutions and retail convenience all under one roof. Members can enjoy the privacy of 7 meeting rooms, 120 hot desking areas, 35 private offices, eventing and turnkey office spaces to keep their businesses connected 24 hours a day.

With a total capacity of 428 members, providing them with after-hour entertainment and networking opportunities, Workshop17 proudly supports local entrepreneurs and use neighbouring suppliers. This strategic location has been chosen for its high business visibility and central location, making it accessible to freelancers as well as corporates.

Feel good work great

Partly owing to our more flexible and hybrid work environments, we pride ourselves on our casual and comfortable outfits in the office. But when entering any professional context, your appearance, attitude and behaviour can play a key role in the way people perceive you, often giving you a competitive advantage.

It’s easy to dismiss this as superficial, however, perhaps we should look less at how our clothes let others perceive us and more at how our clothes make us feel about ourselves and behave at work.

This address looks good on you

When Workshop17 recently redesigned their team’s work uniforms, they kept in mind the three main aspects of boosting positive self-image, productivity and morale. They shared their tips with us and how they used this philosophy to give the location an identity that sets it apart from their other nine venues.

1. Aesthetics – Does the clothing appeal to the senses? This includes how comfortable and breathable your clothing is, and how it allows for free movement, which naturally boosts both work and social performance.
   The Ballito Way – The large space was designed to allow for flexible flow within the areas so that you can organise your workday and keep inspired by the furniture and equipment, like the phone booth. Sections such as the library lounges encourage movement and allow for chill time.
2. Conformity – Is the style of clothing similar to what coworkers wear? Conformity has the biggest social influence – the more contact you have with other employees, the more this forms a sense of belonging and gives you a boost to interact with more people.
   The Ballito Way – Not only can you meet and make new connections at the café or pause spaces, through the member directory and themed events one can benefit from partner discounts and advice from other key businesses from the area.
3. Uniqueness – Uniqueness, when your teams look good and their clothing different in some way, improves self-esteem and makes people more confident and even goal-orientated.
   The Ballito Way – The location is ideal in its proximity to facilities such as shopping, restaurants, the King Shaka International Airport, the N2, nearby towns, schools, medical providers and an outdoor beach lifestyle. This allows for a convenient work–live-play balance.

Workshop17 Marketing Director Penelope Meniere says: “We are big believers in offering our members opportunities to benefit from our many partnerships through networking or discounts. So it makes sense that after visiting Ballito we would take into consideration how the community prioritises their day. Working in a beautiful workspace should only enhance how you already feel.”

LAUNCH PROMO:

Sign for six months and get one month free; sign for 12 months and get two months free; sign for 24 months and get three months free. Visit workshop17.co.za

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