On his recent TEDx Talk, Jeremy Neuner, founder of NextSpace, talks about how we need to find a new and improved way to work in order to inspire a more creative, more inclusive, and more productive society.

Neuner begins his talk with a shocking reflection: Americans collectively spend about 30 billion hours and over $365 billion commuting to and from work.

It’s no wonder then that obesity, depression, high-blood pressure, and high cholesterol are more common today than we’d like to admit.

“Why the heck do we do this to ourselves?”

Neuner points out that as we transitioned from an industrial economy to an information one, what we do for work went though a real revolution, while the where and how we work hardly changed at all. The main problem with this issue is that, he says, “the very fundamental idea of how we make a living and make a life has been the central organizing principle with every society in human history.”

In other words, Neuner strongly believes that “if we want a better society, we need a better way to work”.

Luckily, there’s already a work model that can help us create more creative, more inclusive, and more productive communities; therefore creating a better society.

This model is coworking. And according to Neuner, what’s so great about coworking is that it’s bringing the workforce back together even as more people decide to venture and work on their own.

“Just because they work for themselves doesn’t mean they have to work by themselves.”

Humans are social creatures, and we thrive more when we work together. This is something that’s been discussed by many experts–it’s the reason why many choose to work from coworking spaces or coffee shops even when they could be working from home.

But why and how can coworking help create a better society?

In Neuner’s words, coworking spaces are the perfect gateway to drive and embrace the perspective of the many. The perspective of the many is an approach to problem-solving that is based on collaboration, inclusivity, and empathy for multiple points of view.

Collaboration. Inclusivity. Empathy.

These 3 happen on a daily basis on coworking spaces, especially those that are focused on creating and building a strong community.

In his words, “coworking spaces are a great model for the kind of communities we want to create.”

Watch the full TEDx Talk below or through this link.

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