Bringing people together was what Madeleine Gummer v. Mohl sought out to do when she created Berlin-based coworking firm betahaus. Having a sense of community at work has countless benefits, such as accountability, unlikely collaborative opportunities and building relationships that extend beyond work.
Betahaus currently has locations across many locations in Europe, including Barcelona, Hamburg, Sofia and others, and the company makes sure to cater each facility to the needs of those members. For instance, betahaus works with local partners to design and operate each space in order to best represent the communities they serve.
Now, as the company faces the consequences of the coronavirus outbreak, it is working to ensure their members and staff are safe.
“With more time, we’ve been able to acclimate ourselves to this new way of working,” said Mohl. “We’re really investing in our online community and virtual events. And it’s been an opportunity to rethink how we work and experiment with new ideas and formats. No one has the playbook, so the stakes of making a mistake are much lower than they were before.”
Once the dust has settled, Mohl believes that coworking will play a bigger role than ever before as businesses look to cut overhead costs and people will be eager to get out of their houses and back into a work setting.
