The coworking boom has come to Taipei in a big way as both startups and corporations flock to modern workspaces that support flexibility and well-being.
The Executive Centre in Taipei’s Nanshan Plaza is a prime example of this. It offers designer furniture, city views, a dedicated barista at the coffee-and-tea bar, meeting rooms and more.
According to CBRE, coworking took up 20% of Taipei’s commercial leasing in 2019 and brought occupancy to an 18-year low of 3.3%.
“As we have seen in all major markets in the world, a new working style is coming to Taiwan,” said Shingo Nishioka, chief executive officer of Regus Japan and Taiwan. “Companies expect more flexible, cost effective, and productive workspaces for their employees. At the same time, workers expect a more creative, motivative, collaborative, and mobile working style.”
Corporate expansion and demand drove monthly office rental rates up by 2.7% annually in the third quarter of 2019. A big reason big firms are adopting flexible offices is due to the fact that they can cut costs rather than taking out expensive long-term leases.
Overall, analysts are optimistic about the future of flexible working in Taiwan and expect it to continue growing this year based on a rise in demand.