Coworking
Additionally, coworking helps workers avoid the feeling of social isolation they may experience while remote working or traveling[2] and eliminate distractions in home office.
Major companies that provide coworking space and serviced offices include WeWork, IWG plc, Industrious, and Impact Hub.
[4] However, some coworking places have no community building; they just get a part of an existing one by combining their opening with an event which attracts their target group.
Players target freelance professionals, remote workers, and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) who need a space and seek a community with a collaborative spirit.
[15] Some coworking places were developed by remote workers and entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to working in coffeehouses and cafes, or to isolation in independent or home offices.
[citation needed] Another major factor that drives demand for coworking is the growing role of independent contractors, digital nomads,[16] and remote or hybrid employees.
[17] Coworking in Asia has become very popular as space is limited in regions like China, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
[18] The major metropolitan cities in each of these regions are every day coming up with new coworking ideas and spaces, promoting emerging startups and business to adopt the trend.
Research from commercial brokerage firm JLL found that flexible work space in Asia-Pacific, including both serviced offices and coworking, surged 150% from 2014 to 2017.
[19] In Hong Kong for example, dozens of coworking spaces have been set up to foster the rapidly growing startup community; according to Forbes it is among the leading tech locations in the world, along with New York City and Silicon Valley.
[21] The Malaysian state of Penang, long regarded as the Silicon Valley of the East, has also witnessed an increase in coworking spaces.
[22][23] Aside from privately owned startups, the Penang state government has embarked on a drive to convert colonial-era buildings in the capital city of George Town into coworking spaces.
[26][27] According to a 2017 report by real estate firm CBRE, there are 350 shared office operators present in India spread across more than 800 locations.
[33][34] Now many major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Chennai have coworking spaces and they are increasing by the day due to the startups.
[38] Camden Collective is a regeneration project in London that re-purposes previously vacant and underused properties that opened its first 'wire-less, wall-less' coworking space in 2009.
[39] In June 2013, the Government of the United Kingdom announced it would be applying coworking principles to a new pilot scheme for its 'One Public Sector Estate' strategy covering 12 local authorities in England, which will encourage councils to work with central government departments and other bodies so that staff share buildings.
The building Hommiku 5 was renovated and funded for digital professionals by Chi Keung Ivan Wong from Hong Kong.
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of suburban and rural coworking spaces including Amarillo, Texas,[53] Des Moines, Iowa,[54] Independence, Oregon[55] and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Similar to trends outside of coworking spaces, the share of female members drops, particularly in the age group of 30 to 50 years, after marriage due to child care.
