How coworking is changing the corporate world
Corporate coworking is an innovative work environment that companies are starting to implement.
Nowadays there are 7.800 coworking spaces worldwide where half a million people are working (source 2015 Deskmag Survey).
Entrepreneurs, startups, freelancers join coworking spaces because they want to interact with like-minded professionals, increase professional networks and benefit from more business opportunities. Moreover, this new generation of workers is also looking for social values like collaboration, learning, transparency, sustainability and belonging to a community.
After a decade of coworking, the corporate world has understood that the traditional office is no longer working. Organisations, companies, governments and public administrations have started to realise how important coworking culture is to increase flow, productivity and revenues.
More companies are sending their employees to work in coworking spaces to gain inspiration and understanding about what is happening in the startup and freelance ecosystem. Others are implementing the coworking or social environment into the workplace to increase flexibility in its business structure and boost team building, and workers happiness and productivity.
The first organisations to implement social environments in the workplace were Google, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb and UBER. In Europe, we also find companies that did it too, such as Barclays, Orange and Endesa. Social workplaces also have a positive impact on the real estate sector, playing an important role in urban regeneration, bringing life and businesses to neighbourhoods.
Corporate coworking transforms an office into a social workplace
Most coworking spaces have a mix of flexible desks, fix desks and private spaces, with meeting rooms, event rooms, rooms to rest or even play, and often a coffee shop. They also organise weekly events to network and workshops to acquire skills and knowledge. Why can’t all offices be like that?
The corporate coworking concept comes when applying the coworking formula in an office, the result will be the social workplace:
Corporate Coworking= Community building + design and layout of an open space = The Social Workplace
Community building in an organisation stimulates communication, interaction and collaboration between employees, which strengthens the team and creates a better workflow.
The design also plays an important role, it is not about having nice tables and chairs. It is about improving the working experience by stimulating interactions and creating an atmosphere of identity in a place where people want to belong.
In conclusion, corporate coworking comes when the social workplace environment in a company dramatically increases employee satisfaction, and consequently the productivity and creativity. At the same time, the company increases revenue and becomes more agile and flexible to the market changes.
If you want to know more about how the coworking movement is changing the corporate world, don’t miss the upcoming Social Workplace conference 10th of June 2016 in London.
This article has been written by Vanessa Sans of HWL and published later on her Linkedin.
Featured image provided by Kubik.