January 25, 2023
Why Coworking Spaces Are The Future of Office Architecture
One of the most engaging trends that redefined office spaces are coworking spaces. With the rise of soaring startups and small businesses, coworking spaces serve as a launchpad to help to their success. And they inevitably shifted the way how present-day workers and employers perceive office spaces. Even when the pandemic took place and affected many industries, coworking spaces was seen as the immediate response for businesses and offices to adjust to the period of social-distancing restrictions and strict hygiene.
Gone are the days of standard desk-bound and cubicle-covered workspaces, and enter the times of wide-open and ornately-decorated areas that are designed for collaborations are interactions among colleagues. But so does the perception and direction for offices for being the default setting for several occupations. The pandemic has also stamped the identity of firm unity, incessant communication and jovial collaboration as a coping mechanism for the novel framework of work-from-home throughout the pandemic and lockdowns.
Now that the latter setup has gotten more reliable for companies and workers, office architecture has to adapt as well to this phase and see its potential for innovation. Whether they may come from topnotch businesses who invest their resources for coworking spaces, or from office providers who let clients and entrepreneurs use their areas, office architecture veers to a more collaborative and interactive purpose. Fortunately, cutting-edge buildings like GLAS provide the basis for how radical coworking spaces can be set up. Likewise, they see the reasons why coworking is the direction for office architecture:
Allows a Seamless Work-Life Balance
Coworking spaces are usually catered to businesses with small setups and hybrid work hours. But with their rise during and beyond the pandemic comes a new mindset about offices, or namely the purpose of them serving for necessary tasks and onsite meetings. That setup allows workers to achieve a work-life balance, drawing a line between standard tasks at home and heftier ones in the office.
In addition, one of the most notable features for coworking spaces is their relaxing home-like feel, bringing the notion of a live-work-play environment for workers.
Becomes Receptive of Workers’ Thoughts
Employee behavior has changed significantly throughout the pandemic. Companies start to acknowledge that their employees, depending on the nature of their work, would not want an office-based setup. Coworking spaces became the solution for that, investing its resources to tend to the work-life balance for employees and modify their spaces to tend to their needs.
Setting aside the modifications to the area configuration and the technological facilities to assist their employees, this viewpoints bridges the gap and strengthen the connection between companies and their workers.
Brings a More Relaxed Environment
Coworking spaces promote a playful atmosphere that allows strong collaboration, communication and cooperation for workers. It is helped through the elimination of desk-bound or cubicle-surrounded workstations and the addition of joint tables, comfortable seats and colorful furniture. Strong startups and small businesses will find this an ideal platform to start from. And likewise, they will gain from the hospitality that can shape their office culture.
With a more relaxed environment, employees become witnesses to the evolution to a looser framework of office setups, making their job worth going back to.
Condenses Costs and Increase Flexibility
For companies, renting spaces or even buildings add to their operational costs. Then, take into account of the rising prices, and businesses are faced with a challenge to provide the best facilities for their workers.
Coworking spaces serve as an amiable solution for condensing costs. With just a price on renting a space that provides all of the necessary facilities (from computers to desks), coworking spaces are the best option for cost-conscious owners. However, even with its limitations, these areas allow users to adjust the facilities to fit their needs.
Enhances Productivity and Boost Creativity
As mentioned, the loose environment of coworking spaces that replaces desks and cubicles with tables and couches brings the engaging fun for employees upon their work. As such, it boosts their productivity and creativity with the vibrant atmosphere, the fun facilities and the open environment.
For the latter, it achieves one of the core purposes of coworking spaces. And that is the openness for collaborations between workers, bringing an overflow of ideas, thoughts and discourses between them. With the seamless exchange, anyone can be fruitful and inspired within these spaces.
Gains Support from Big Corporations
Even with the restrictions getting loosened during the post-pandemic period, several companies acknowledged the impact and reliance of remote and hybrid work for employees. It makes for one of the most challenging hurdles on bringing back employees to the workplace.
But with the setup of coworking spaces allowing for open collaboration and exchanges between teammates, they gained the seal of approval from both prominent corporations and small businesses. That explains as well the rise of coworking space providers that hit the market. With this support, the framework of coworking thrives.
Opens Networking and Collaborative Opportunities
Coworking spaces gather the best of many worlds who find solace and encouragement within its vibrant areas. Thus, these spaces become a gathering place for many talents, allowing an opportunity for networking. Whether you are a freelancer or a team player using the spaces, their spaces provide the ideal platform to connect to other people and forge arrangements with others. It is like a formal house party, with all your prospects over the area, waiting to be connected.
Thanks to the congeniality of the area, await this within these spaces.
Permits Data-Driven Design for Employees
Coworking spaces have one audience in mind, and that is the employees. Every need and adjustment can be succeeded in one pace. Whether it be from the voices of business owners or the very users, coworking spaces tend to their needs through collating their data.
That setup is a seamless and continuous transaction since employees’ needs change and the technology gets modified to suit running the business. Every thought and opinion goes to the modifications for each space, as well as the operating costs. Conclusively, users become the final beneficiaries.
Provides Access to Essential Facilities
Part of the appeal of coworking spaces is their intent to bring every facility to the provided areas. Like every office, home and personal facility. Include a desk and PC, and complete it with a refrigerator, microwave and comfortable furniture, and these spaces accommodate to the basic needs of employees.
Some space providers even have an in-house café or a restaurant that serve 24/7 food service. Most also offer meeting rooms, complete with a projector, whiteboard and intercom phones. And helping them is a maintenance service to assist any concern.
Uses Net-Zero Measures for Sustainability
But beneath all the investments to the facilities, the design and the infrastructure, coworking spaces utilize green-based measures to lessen their costs and their energy consumption. From the lighting to the ventilation, these spaces use sustainable features, allowing them to promote safe and environmental measures.
The implementation of carbon net-zero measures also make for a wise design choice that adds to the friendly ambiance of the spaces. However, these sustainable practices include the promotion of social distancing, health protocols and hygienic items. Part of sustainability is a secure working environment.
Conclusion
The prominence of coworking spaces does not send a signal that the norms of workplaces are obsolete. But it serves to remind of the urgency to tend to the needs and security of the employees. At a time when the need for work-life balance becomes clear and the behaviour for workers has shifted to be motivated through accommodated needs, coworking spaces became a reminder that the core of every workplace and its functions goes back to those who have been operating them.
Although, it opens numerous possibilities where workers can be productive with these perks, and companies can reinvent their image as a champion to workers and an advocate to a good built environment.