The first coworking spaces go back to 2005 when Brad Neuberg was working at a startup. He wanted a way to feel the independence of working for himself AND the community and structure of working with others. As humans, we have a desire to work with others, to be around others – to be part of a community. When we work from home or start our own business, we often miss out on that feeling of community. This affects us and, in turn, our business. Research has pointed to the average employee in a coworking environment thriving more in their work than those in a traditional office space.

Coworking spaces provide a collaborative workspace where an atmosphere of relationship and community are created. This fits one of our basic needs of needing interaction with others. Because we have a sense of belonging, it is easier to motivate ourselves to creativity and productivity. Connection to people is something that doesn’t happen when someone works solely from home. And, unlike a traditional office space, the coworker is not in competition with those in that community. There isn’t the sense that a fellow coworker is going to get a promotion that we feel like we deserve.

“Traditionally, society forces us to choose between working at home for ourselves or working at an office for a company. If we work at a traditional 9 to 5 company job, we get community and structure, but lose freedom and the ability to control our own lives. If we work for ourselves at home, we gain independence but suffer loneliness and bad habits from not being surrounded by a work community” (Brad Neuberg, cited in Jones et. al. 2009, pp. 9). Community gives us strength. There is a sense of belonging as you would get from a family. There is a sense of mutual trust.

Coworking spaces are a great choice for those who are working from home or for themselves. It gives people a place where they can be themselves at work. It equips people with an atmosphere where they can thrive in their productivity and creativity. It provides a sense of family and community.

References:

Di Risio, Alberto. (2019, March 12) The History of Coworking. Retrieved from https://www.coworkingresources.org/blog/history-of-coworking.

Jones, D., Sundsted, T., Bacigalupo, Y. (2009) I`m Outta Here – How Coworking is Making the Office Obsolete, Brooklyn/Austin.

Spreitzer, G. Bacevice, P. & Garrett, L. (Sept 2015) Why People Thrive in Coworking Spaces. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/05/why-people-thrive-in-coworking-spaces