Coworking - is this the future?

ATRIUM > BUSINESS > Coworking – is this the future?

In a large hall with open spaces to the left and right leading to other rooms, in the foreground large black sofas and low coffee tables, behind them four long desks with one person each working on computers, at the bottom of the frame an open library is visible, lit from the sides by long plumb lamps, and on a suspended wooden ceiling there are numerous circular light fixtures.

Shared office business is not a fad, but a serious investment in a flexible form of work

It wasn’t that long ago that freelancers were limited to the nearest coffee shop to meet a potential client. However, the concept of co-working has turned our familiar business world upside down. Shared offices – cozy, luxurious, specific, are increasing like an avalanche, and no one perceives them as a buzzword that will disappear in a few years. The home office trend is clearly holding its ground, but in parallel with it, the other strong trend – of coworking spaces – is being preserved and developed.

Initially, the idea was perceived as a convenience for freelancers, startups and small companies, but very quickly the very creation and renting of flexible workspaces became a successful business. In just 20 years since the opening of the first coworking, no one sees this venture as a modern obsession, but a serious investment and an innovative form of work. Existing statistics on shared workspaces make it clear that co-working spaces are a real revolution, as they are redefining the very notion of a workplace.

Top view: Five young women sit at a long work table with green plants, a bouquet of tulips, a bowl of bananas, coffee cups and smartphones. A girl with dark hair and a pink jacket is sitting closest, working on a laptop, next to her a girl in a purple blouse is writing on a sheet with a pen, opposite them are three women - two in dark blue jackets and one in a colored shirt, writing on laptops. Behind them is part of another long desk with gray chairs. There is a pot of greenery on the wooden floor. — Photo: Unsplash

Why did the idea become so popular?

Coworking solves all work problems because it offers a place near you where you can meet and talk about work undisturbed, do your daily tasks, choose who to work with and enjoy many options for little money.

All activities are facilitated and for low costs you get a personalized work environment, access to all modern technologies, and high-speed Internet goes without saying. In addition, you can communicate with people who share your views, you have the opportunity for privacy in designated rooms for rest and meditation, as well as free seminars and various extras: yoga, massage and a game room… There are all kinds of conditions for a healthy and a balanced lifestyle.

The deal is a win-win – both co-working office operators and their users are reporting higher productivity, and shared workspaces are becoming not only larger, but also more interesting, as their creators become more inventive, relying mostly on flexibility and accessibility of services.

Coworking hubs are growing like wildfire: in London a new shared workspace opens every five days, in New York every week, in Singapore a new coworking space opens every two weeks. They are the ideal solution especially for freelancers, whose number is increasing worldwide.

Another fact that speaks for itself: in 2022, the growth of coworking spaces is expected to increase at a 13% annual rate worldwide. Currently, there are about 5 million employees in them. Most likely, they are the offices of the future.