A Google search of “coworking space” returned 909,000 results. Here’s a look at the rise of coworking spaces, the future of offices, office workers, and other trends that this concept is inspiring.
When I worked at Sprint’s headquarters in Overland Park, KS over a decade ago, they were exploring flexible work spaces, as opposed to “assigned” offices or cubicles. With the rise of the gig economy, increase in freelance and remote workers, and those who work one or more part-time jobs, paying rent for a desk vs a whole office makes sense for many of today’s workforce.
Companies like WeWork capitalized on this niche. Their website pitch states “whether you need a desk, office suite, or entire HQ, we create environments that increase productivity, innovation, and collaboration.”
With a $35 million Series B investment led by WeWork, The Wing tweaked the coworking model to encompass an entire community designed for women. With a waitlist for their NYC flagship site rumored to be in the thousands, they just opened another NYC location, and will open additional outposts in Brooklyn and DC this year.
Startups seek to disrupt existing business norms, and coworking spaces are no exception. Prior to the existence of coworking options, short-term office leases were virtually non-existent. A business would need to sign at least a three year lease, if not longer, to negotiate better terms, then select office furniture, wait for internet and infrastructure installations, and other tedious, time-wasting tasks.
Today’s options allow just about any sized company to hit the ground running from day one. While companies like PivotDesk and LiquidSpace concentrate their locations on the coasts; sites like instantoffices.com allow you to search and compare over 10,000 offices around the world; desksnear.me enables you to search for a work space by city or address.
Seeking to stand out from the coworking crowd, peerspace.com expanded their offerings to include film and photo shoot locations, as well as sites for birthday and launch parties, performances, and more.
In Kansas City, MO, coworking spaces have spurred two additional trends: co-living and food halls. A January post on startlandnews.com introduced a co-living concept planned for a downtown luxury apartment tower. With businesses on the lower floors and living spaces above, you can literally be minutes away from your workplace, spending less time on a commute and more time focused on your business.
And with all of those workers concentrated in one area, they’re going to want some lunch choices. In June 2017, the Kansas City Star reported on the announcement of a food hall for the city’s Crossroads area planned for a 2018 opening. “Designed for chefs who want to expand without a lot of overhead,” the 18,000 sf building will have “three kitchens, a lounge area, and a main bar on the first floor, and four kitchens, a bar and an outdoor deck on the second floor.”
With so much momentum, these workspace trends are sure to continue evolving.
Brenda Marion is Director of Corporate Communications for Fulfillment.com.
This article appeared in issue 42 of FeedFront Magazine, which was published in April 2018. https://issuu.com/affiliatesummit/docs/feedfront-42