What are the Basic User Preferences of Coworking Spaces?

The public attitude towards work has gone through a drastic change in the contemporary period especially due to the remarkable development in mobile technology, enormous advancement in computer technology and their accessibility, and universal access and availability of internet. Many people namely freelancers and telecommuters as well as researchers and highly professional workers have maximum utilized this opportunity and have opted to work anywhere they wish anytime and produce or achieve the same or more outcome in comparison to traditional and routine office work. This trend has resulted with the growing popularity of numerous Coworking spaces such as The Hive and many other similar Coworking spaces across the world.

Not many studies have been conducted on the popularity and status of these Coworking spaces, but whatever the few studies conducted on the subject, all agree to certain facts that the basic motivation of co-workers for joining or working in a Coworking space is because they wanted or looking for a suitable place outside their homes where they can avail inspiring environment to work and which they can afford. The studies also revealed that the co-workers also specifically preferred some of the features in the Coworking spaces such as 24/7 accessibility as well as the atmosphere or the interior of the Coworking space.However, one of the basic reason why the co-workers prefer Coworking spaces instead of their home or personal office is basically they feel lonely or isolated while working alone.

Co-working is normally linked to freelancers and self-employed persons, but several studies have established that the Coworking spaces are used not only by freelancers and self-employed but also by small and large firms and business houses, extended workers and students. The co-workers of Coworking spaces highly value casual small talks as well as brainstorming and knowledge sharing by workers as stated and defined by the promoters and users of Coworking spaces as well as by the researchers.

A specific research involving 219 co-workers in 25 Coworking spaces in the Netherlands and published in the journal of “Building Research and Information” in their volume 47-2019-Issue-5, reveals that maximum of the respondents or users of Coworking spaces preferred to work in Coworking spaces because they wanted a suitable place outside their home, a place which can provide vibrant and creative atmosphere, a place that must be affordable, a place where social interaction and networking with co-worker is available, a place where they can get the opportunity of work-related conversation with co-workers, and feel part of the community. They also emphasized their preferences on the flexibility and professional support in the Coworking spaces.