State of the Art Coworking Spaces Offer Connectivity and Collaboration

BY WENDY POISCHBEG FOR ECONOMIC ALLIANCE SNOHOMISH COUNTY

I first met Tracey Warren, Founder of lnSpark coworking Space, at the EASC Small Business Summit in 2018. I was thrilled to discover Snohomish County had a shared work option as the highly successful models, WeWork and The Riveter were established fixtures in Seattle – but coworking hadn’t caught on here at the time. Today, Tracey is not alone as shared workspaces are flourishing, with seven collaboration hubs accepting membership applications in the Snohomish County region.

When Tracey first opened InSpark, most of her members were entrepreneurs and start-ups with one or two employees who excelled in a shared work environment but were not ready for the expense and overhead of a traditional brick-and-mortar office. Now, it’s remote workers who fill her desks and offices.

“This pandemic changed how people show up for their jobs,” Tracey said.

“For instance, it’s been challenging on extraverts who thrive around other people who are now secluded in their homes. Connection with others is a huge reason why people will pay to work in a communal space instead of working from home for free or renting an uninspiring office.”

“Even now, we serve several people who just need to get out of their houses. They tell me that after working from home and weekending at home – they need to go to another setting to feel rejuvenated and inspired. The people who benefit from coworking spaces may just need a place to do an interview- and you can’t do that at home or a coffee shop.”

A recent survey compiled by CommonUnity, a Snohomish County consulting firm, reports that 70% of workers want to maintain some kind of remote work option.

“It is clear that there is no desire to return to the prior work structure in our jobs,” said Kathy Solberg, CEO.

“There is no normal here. For those employers that have the capacity to explore a combination of remote work and a physical presence in the workplace, they will retain and attract a greater number of employees by creating a hybrid work environment that reflects the individuals in their workforce.”

“Coworking is about community. Hard stop.”

When asked if she thought remote work was a thing of the past, Tracey responded, “I think we’re barely scratching the surface. I believe we’re trending towards more remote options, not fewer. Millennials are demanding different work situations. They are a powerful generation who want change and choice – and companies will have to embrace these options if they expect to attract and retain talent. Offering a coworking membership for your employees gives businesses a competitive advantage and should become part of your company’s strategy to help your employees and your business thrive.”