What the heck is coworking anyway?
You’ve probably heard the term coworking and may have some idea of what it is — you mean like WeWork? Yes, but the evolution of coworking started as a movement and is now a philosophy and approach to working that has a deeper meaning beyond a desk and WiFi. It’s about people.
Coworking defined
According to Deskmag, “Coworking is a self-directed, collaborative and flexible work style that is based on mutual trust and the sharing of common core objectives and values between members. The members treat each other equally, can increase their well-being by working in a collaborative atmosphere, and accumulate through cooperation (not competition) greater economic, social and cultural capital, above that which is possible through an isolated form of work.”
How did coworking get started?
In 2005, programmer Brad Neuberg was working for a startup and was not happy with his job. He had also worked for himself as a consultant and did not find happiness with that occupation either. Fueled by a desire for freedom and independence that comes with being an entrepreneur but seeking the structure and community of working with others, Brad started the first official \”coworking space\” in San Francisco.
Neuberg’s concept was based on open source principles of sharing ideas, information and even allowing others to copy the coworking idea and run with it. The advent of working wirelessly brought workers the flexibility to work anywhere which also created a vacuum for remote workers and entrepreneurs looking for the camaraderie, sharing and collaboration that was missing from working independently, and the coworking concept caught on.
Coworking today
Today, there are lots of others getting on board in the coworking market. People in real estate and the office rental industry have adapted their businesses to a coworking or shared office model after seeing the popularity and shift in this collaborative approach to working.
Yet, the vast majority of potential coworking space members still have not made the shift to coworking. With over 50 million independent workers in the U.S. and even more telecommuting employees, there are only about 1 million members across all coworking spaces around the globe (Tony Bacigalupo, New Work Cities). Lots of people are still not really aware of what coworking is, and even more don’t really know what it could be.
Choosing a coworking space
Coworking spaces vary widely in their style and vibe but many amenities are now becoming standard issue such as game night and even free beer. What matters most to people when choosing to join a coworking space centers on cost and value – do they see coworking as a worthy investment for their business or work satisfaction – location and proximity to where they live or need to work – and if the culture and members of the shared workspace are a good fit.
Social Workplace is a coworking space based on a programming-driven model. We encourage people to join not only to rent office space but because they want access to people and resources that will help them grow their business, troubleshoot challenges and feel a sense of structure, accountability, and belonging.
Ready to get coworking?
If you’re looking for flexible office space and want to be part of a growing community of fun business people who’ve been down the road of startups and also starting new side hustles, come by for a tour at Social Workplace and check out the space!