Coworking has slowly been moving up in the ranks of relevancy since its true beginnings around a decade ago. However, the last several months have accelerated the industry into the mainstream.
Many companies have made the commitment to a fully remote workforce, but some employees have expressed issues with this arrangement full-time.
So how will coworking spaces fit into the future of the workforce and adapt to its evolving needs?
For starters, the idea of a big, multi-leveled workspace will likely be a relic of the past. In order to keep employees healthy and safe, occupancy levels will be slashed in half, if not more.
That is why many are anticipating the decentralization of office space in favor of a hub-and-spoke model. Corporations in particular will use this method to keep a main office headquarters, but also add smaller satellite offices outside of large cities.
Adopting this approach is essential to keeping employees happy. Although remote working does carry its own perks, professionals still desire a workspace that helps them connect and collaborate with their colleagues.
Flexibility is key for the future of work, and companies that are listening to their employees’ needs have realized that providing them the choice of where and when to work will ensure success.
Technology has been the lifeline that companies desperately needed this past year. Now, with a more distributed workforce, it will continue to be a necessity forever.
With this, we can anticipate workspaces to incorporate more tools such as automation, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.