In coworking you share office space with other coworkers. Owners of coworking spaces not only offer a desk, but often also an inspiring working environment. This is in contrast to the traditional office spaces you share every day with regular colleagues. You can compare landlords of coworking spaces with providers of AirBnB, but within office real estate. AirBnB rents out a sleeping place on a flexible basis, often original places, where you also share the space with the owner or other tenants. Both concepts have a lot in common.
What makes coworking so popular?
We have all worked from home at times and know that this is not always ideal. There is a lot of distractions, housekeeping that needs to be done, partners and children asking for attention, etc. In addition, not everyone has the discipline to work concentrated all day long. And finally, not everyone wants to sit at home all day. That is why more and more self-employed people choose for an active coworking environment. It has been proven that most people are more productive when they are in an environment where other people are also working.
Travelling and working
Self-employed people or employees who have to travel a lot, also use coworking spaces. Many coworking space providers have multiple locations in the country or even internationally. This makes it perfect for self-employed people to combine work and travel. These coworking spaces can often be booked online via a website or platform, which allows you to quickly make a comparison with AirBnB.
Coworking is flexible
Another advantage of coworking is the financial flexibility by using a coworking desk. You can often rent a shared desk on a flexible basis, i.e. per week or per month, so that you do not have any long-term financial obligations. The advantage of these subscriptions is that you can often switch between coworking concepts or places.
Office comparison sites: the AirBnB for coworking
AirBnB is an online marketplace for the rental of private accommodations. Through this platform you can rent a (shared) sleeping place on a flexible basis. The comparison with coworking is thus quickly made: coworking is the sharing of workstations in office spaces. Many coworking spaces can be booked online via the website of a coworking provider or via office comparison sites. Such office brokers bring supply and demand together, just like AirBnB. The ‘booking’ of a place to sleep or a place to work is perhaps the most important similarity there is, which is why these concepts are so similar.