Innovative Professional Offices (www.InnovativeProfessionalOffices.com), a top provider of executive offices and support services, is commenting on the growing trend of co-working spaces.
Co-working spaces and shared offices are now the preferred choice of workspace for Millennials, according to workplace consultant Dr. Drew Jones. Co-working spaces—popular with startups for many years—are becoming a popular trend in the workforce, and Dr. Jones predicts they will be an important part of the future of office space. (Source: Mulvaney, E., “Co-working spaces emerge as growing trend,” Chron, November 10, 2015, http://www.chron.com/business/real-estate/article/Co-working-spaces-emerge-as-a-growing-trend-6622001.php.)
“Co-working spaces have long been popular in the niche of tech startups, but we’re now seeing that Millennials in nearly every field prefer them to the traditional office,” says Eshai Hirshberg, director of Innovative Professional Offices. “What we’re seeing is that Millennials have a different way of working that is best reflected in an environment that favours collaboration.”
Co-working spaces allow workers to share an unstructured office space that encourages flexibility, transparency, and collaboration. Workers can connect with peers in their industry, collaborate on projects, and gain access to a wide range of professional technology. The spaces combine the professionalism of the modern office with a more community-focused approach.
“Innovation is key in the technology sector, so that’s why co-working spaces became the predominant workspace for startups,” notes Hirshberg. “However, the benefits really apply to any industry where innovation and improvement play an important role. Studies have shown that traditional offices can really stifle efficiency and creativity.”
Dr. Jones is seeing a growing trend of corporations and large companies using co-working spaces. This marks a shift away from the small startups and self-employed entrepreneurs who typically make up the clientele of co-working spaces.
“For a lot of companies, co-working spaces offer them the opportunity to tap into new talent pools,” says Hirshberg. “They can easily connect with young, talented professionals in a way they couldn’t before. As well, for a lot of corporations, using co-working spaces is now a way to dip their toes into new markets without making a huge financial commitment.”
While Dr. Jones sees co-working spaces as stopping short of becoming the dominant office space, due in part to many larger companies’ resistance to change, Hirshberg predicts that the trend of co-working spaces will only continue to grow.
“Every year, we see co-working spaces become more popular as more companies continue to see the benefits,” says Hirshberg. “A lot of the big innovators, like Google, have really embraced these spaces. It’s going to become important for any company to explore co-working spaces and other innovative approaches if it wants to stay on the cutting-edge of their industry and the workforce.”
Innovative Professional Offices offers virtual office services, office rentals, and administration services in Ottawa and Mississauga, primarily to small- and medium-sized businesses that don’t have a need for an office on a daily basis. To learn more about all of the services offered by Innovative Professional Offices, visit www.InnovativeProfessionalOffices.com.
