Coworking companies have had to be creative in their marketing strategies in the age of COVID-19. Rooftop bars and foosball tables aren’t the ideal amenities for professionals looking for a safe, healthy workplace. Now, coworking spaces are offering workers a place of peace, solace and privacy — an 180 degree turn from its usual collaborative modus operandi.

So why would a worker opt to pay a monthly fee for a workspace when they can continue to get work done from home for free?

“There are a couple of things that people don’t really like about offices and it’s less about the offices themselves, it’s about the commute and having to work with people they don’t relate as much with,” said Michele Cuccovillo, managing director and cofounder of London-based coworking firm Salty Commune. “We thought if you’re in a company and you’re in the design department, you’re much better off spending time with other professionals in the space and bouncing ideas off them. It’s a way of enriching themselves.”

For the Salty Commune, Cuccovillo noted an uptick in inquiries from people who work in creative departments for large companies.

Although working remotely has its perks, this can be hindering for those who live in smaller spaces and do not have the ability to create a separate workspace for themselves. That is why offering an office in more suburban areas may just be the key to finding the balance between in-office and remote working arrangements.