Coworking
Encyclopedia
Coworking is a style of work
which involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office
, yet independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization. Typically it is attractive to work-at-home professionals, independent contractors, or people who travel frequently who end up working in relative isolation. Coworking is the social gathering of a group of people, who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with talented people in the same space.
Some coworking spaces were developed by nomadic internet entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to working in coffeeshops and cafes, or to isolation in independent or home offices.
A 2007 survey showed that many employees worry about feeling isolated and losing human interaction if they were to telecommute. Roughly a third of both private and public-sector workers also reported that they didn’t want to stay at home during work. Coworking offers a solution to the problem of isolation that many freelancers experience while working at home, while at the same time letting them escape the distractions of home.
Many misconceptions abound about what coworking encompasses and how it distinguishes itself from business accelerators, business incubators and executive suites. These types of spaces do not seem to fit into the coworking model because they often miss the social, collaborative, and informal aspects of the process, with management practices closer to that of a Cooperative
, including a focus on community rather than profit. Many of the coworking participants are also participants in BarCamp
and other related open source technology activities.
Coworking is not only about the physical space but initially and mostly about establishing the Coworking community first. The benefits of Coworking can already be experienced outside of Coworking spaces and it is recommended to start with building a Coworking community first before considering opening a Coworking space. However, some Coworking Spaces don't build a community, they just get a part of an existing one by combining their opening with an event which attracts their target group.
A lot of Coworking communities are formed by organizing Casual Coworking events (e.g. Jellies ) that can take place in people's living room or in public places such as suitable cafes, galleries or multi-functional spaces. During these events Coworkers can experience the benefits of Coworking and get to know each other which lowers the barriers to join a Coworking space later.
in 1999, and in 2005 used by Brad Neuberg to describe a physical space which he firstly called '9 to 5 group'.
Neuberg organized a coworking site called the "Hat Factory" in San Francisco, which is a live-work loft that was home to three technology workers, and open to others during the day. Brad was also one of the founders of Citizen Space, the first "Work Only" coworking space, and the space that spawned a global movement. Now, over 400 coworking spaces exist worldwide, spanning 6 continents.
San Francisco continues to have a large presence in the coworking community, and is home to a growing number of coworking spaces including the pariSoma Innovation Loft, HubSoMa, and Citizen Space. The San Francisco-based consulting firm Citizen Agency has actively promoted coworking, starting a space called Citizen Space which rents desks but also allows free drop-ins in the public spaces. Coworking has also spread into many other metropolitan areas, with cities such as Portland, Oregon
now offering several thriving coworking venues.
Several books have discussed the history, scope, and tenets of coworking, including: I'm Outta Here (October 2009) by Drew Jones, Todd Sundsted and Tony Bacigalupo; Coworking: How Freelancers Escape the Coffee Shop Office (February 2011) by Angel Kwiatkowski and Beth Buczynski; and most recently, Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking for Indie Workers, Small Businesses, and Nonprofits (August 2011) by Genevieve V. DeGuzman and Andrew I. Tang.
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
which involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
, yet independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization. Typically it is attractive to work-at-home professionals, independent contractors, or people who travel frequently who end up working in relative isolation. Coworking is the social gathering of a group of people, who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with talented people in the same space.
Some coworking spaces were developed by nomadic internet entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to working in coffeeshops and cafes, or to isolation in independent or home offices.
A 2007 survey showed that many employees worry about feeling isolated and losing human interaction if they were to telecommute. Roughly a third of both private and public-sector workers also reported that they didn’t want to stay at home during work. Coworking offers a solution to the problem of isolation that many freelancers experience while working at home, while at the same time letting them escape the distractions of home.
Many misconceptions abound about what coworking encompasses and how it distinguishes itself from business accelerators, business incubators and executive suites. These types of spaces do not seem to fit into the coworking model because they often miss the social, collaborative, and informal aspects of the process, with management practices closer to that of a Cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
, including a focus on community rather than profit. Many of the coworking participants are also participants in BarCamp
BarCamp
BarCamp is an international network of user-generated conferences . They are open, participatory workshop-events, the content of which is provided by participants. The first BarCamps focused on early-stage web applications, and were related to open source technologies, social protocols, and open...
and other related open source technology activities.
Coworking is not only about the physical space but initially and mostly about establishing the Coworking community first. The benefits of Coworking can already be experienced outside of Coworking spaces and it is recommended to start with building a Coworking community first before considering opening a Coworking space. However, some Coworking Spaces don't build a community, they just get a part of an existing one by combining their opening with an event which attracts their target group.
A lot of Coworking communities are formed by organizing Casual Coworking events (e.g. Jellies ) that can take place in people's living room or in public places such as suitable cafes, galleries or multi-functional spaces. During these events Coworkers can experience the benefits of Coworking and get to know each other which lowers the barriers to join a Coworking space later.
Demographics
A 2011 survey found most coworkers are currently in their late twenties to late thirties, with an average age of 34 years. Two-thirds are men, one third are women. Four in five coworkers started their career with an university education. The majority work now in the field of creative industries and new media. And slightly more than half of all coworkers are freelancers. However, the share of salaried employees increases since larger companies start to experiment with coworking, especially in the U.S., where 35% work as salaried employee.History
The term "coworking" was coined by Bernie DeKovenBernie DeKoven
Bernard Louis "Bernie" De Koven is an American game designer, author, lecturer and fun theorist. He is most notable for his book The Well Played Game, for his contributions to the New Games Foundation, his pioneering work in computer game design, and for his long-running web site, .-Career:In...
in 1999, and in 2005 used by Brad Neuberg to describe a physical space which he firstly called '9 to 5 group'.
Neuberg organized a coworking site called the "Hat Factory" in San Francisco, which is a live-work loft that was home to three technology workers, and open to others during the day. Brad was also one of the founders of Citizen Space, the first "Work Only" coworking space, and the space that spawned a global movement. Now, over 400 coworking spaces exist worldwide, spanning 6 continents.
San Francisco continues to have a large presence in the coworking community, and is home to a growing number of coworking spaces including the pariSoma Innovation Loft, HubSoMa, and Citizen Space. The San Francisco-based consulting firm Citizen Agency has actively promoted coworking, starting a space called Citizen Space which rents desks but also allows free drop-ins in the public spaces. Coworking has also spread into many other metropolitan areas, with cities such as Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
now offering several thriving coworking venues.
Several books have discussed the history, scope, and tenets of coworking, including: I'm Outta Here (October 2009) by Drew Jones, Todd Sundsted and Tony Bacigalupo; Coworking: How Freelancers Escape the Coffee Shop Office (February 2011) by Angel Kwiatkowski and Beth Buczynski; and most recently, Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking for Indie Workers, Small Businesses, and Nonprofits (August 2011) by Genevieve V. DeGuzman and Andrew I. Tang.
See also
- CohousingCohousingA cohousing community is a type of intentional community composed of private homes supplemented by shared facilities. The community is planned, owned and managed by the residents – who also share activities which may include cooking, dining, child care, gardening, and governance of the...
- Hot deskingHot deskingHot desking originates from the definition of being the temporary physical occupant of a work station or surface by a particular employee. The term hot desking is thought to be derived from the naval practice, called hot racking, where sailors on different shifts share bunks...
- Nomad worker
- OutsourcingOutsourcingOutsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
- Small office/home officeSmall office/home officeSmall office/home office, or SOHO, refers to the category of business or cottage industry which involves from 1 to 10 workers. SOHO can also stand for single office/home office....
- TelecentreTelecentreA telecentre is a public place where people can access computers, the Internet, and other digital technologies that enable them to gather information, create, learn, and communicate with others while they develop essential digital skills...
- TelecommutingTelecommutingTelecommuting or telework is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a central place of work is replaced by telecommunication links...
- Collaborative workspaceCollaborative workspaceA collaborative workspace or shared workspace is an inter-connected environment in which all the participants in dispersed locations can access and interact with each other just as inside a single entity....