In the last weeks I have been asked a couple of times whether coworking is a trend only popular amongst freelancers and startups or whether it is also affecting how larger companies work. My answer is always ‘have you heard of corporate coworking?’ and the aswer is usually ‘uh, nope’. So, here’s a brief post about corporate coworking!
What is corporate coworking?
Corporate coworking is the adoption of elements of coworking by large companies.
How are corporations adopting elements of coworking?
1. Sharing their workspace with other smaller companies or freelancers.
It is not made with the intention of saving money, but with the aim of learning from the people who is doing things differently, and perhaps attracting talent.
2. Moving some of their team members to coworking spaces.
This is specially useful for change managers, who can see more agile processes use by smaller companies for inspiration; or for creatives, who can run away from their cubicle offices to places that better suit their jobs.
3. Opening coworking spaces.
This is not office sharing, but brad-new coworking spaces, built keeping in mind all the elements of social interaction. Google Campus in London would be a great example, but other companies, including Microsoft, are also working on similar models.
Why are large companies engaging in coworking?
Large companies generally move slow and are risk averse. Mixing up with coworking people and moving to spaces that are open and relaxed can help their workers be more productive and innovative.
What do you think of corporate coworking? Do you think corporate coworking is a collaboration, or rather a competition with other coworking spaces? Which of the above models do you think can bring more benefits to corporate workers? Let us all know in the comments!
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