When Coworking Stops Working

Another coworking space – not the one I am a member of !

Today I went to my coworking office in the Sydney CBD, and it was a scene of utter chaos. Every single desk was taken, with not a free workstation in sight. And out of the 40 private phone rooms, all of them were occupied - not a single one was available. Even the booths and lounges intended for collaborative work or social interaction in cafe spaces had been commandeered by individuals desperate for any available space. In despair, I ultimately retreated to a nearby café, hoping to at least find a quiet corner to set up and get some work done. But alas, even that sanctuary was crowded, leaving me frustrated and unproductive.

This state of affairs is a far cry from the flexible, community-driven utopia that coworking spaces are so often lauded for. The promise of being able to choose from a range of work settings to suit your needs - private offices, shared desks, quiet rooms, meeting spaces, and more - has become increasingly elusive. As coworking has grown in popularity, the reality is that many locations are now struggling to meet the demands of their burgeoning membership.

So what's driving this shift, and what can be done to restore the original vision of coworking? Is it simply a case of member behaviors and preferences evolving over time? Or is the root of the problem that coworking operators have prioritized growth and profitability over maintaining an optimal user experience? Unpacking these questions is crucial if the coworking model is to continue delivering on its core value proposition.

Coworking spaces have long been touted as the flexible, community-driven alternative to traditional office arrangements. The promise of being able to pay only for the space you need, while enjoying access to a variety of work settings and the potential for serendipitous interactions, has attracted legions of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers. They also increasingly attract large established businesses seeking additional space or more flexible space. However, as the coworking model has become more mainstream, many are finding that the reality doesn't always live up to the hype.

The initial appeal of coworking is undeniable. Being able to choose from a range of workspaces - private offices, shared desks, quiet rooms, phone booths, meeting spaces, social areas, and even meditation zones - provides an enticing level of flexibility. And the opportunity to be part of a broader professional community, with the potential for networking and collaboration, is a major draw for many. Throw in the convenience of reciprocal membership access at other locations when traveling, and it's easy to see why coworking has become so popular. For larger established businesses who have difficulty forecasting their future space requirements coworking can provide a scaleable solution to uncertainty or space for a short term project team.

In many ways, the coworking experience mirrors the advantages of an Activity Based Working (ABW) model in a traditional office setting. In a typical 100-desk workplace, if 101 people are employed, one person will have nowhere to work. But as more people move into an ABW environment, individual choices start to diminish - people can't always get their preferred work setting, and it keeps getting worse until the point where no suitable spaces are available. The promise that was made to people “if you give up your allocated desk you can have a choice of great places to work” is broken and people can become dissatisfied and disengaged.

This is the predicament that many coworking members now find themselves in. After an initial honeymoon period, the spaces can become frustratingly overcrowded, with all the private phone rooms booked and the open desks at a premium, particularly during peak times like Tuesday to Thursday. So what's driving this shift, and what can be done about it?

One factor may be that the behaviours and preferences of coworking members have evolved over time. People who were initially drawn to the flexibility and community aspects of coworking may have gradually reverted to more traditional office-based ways of working. With more of a need for dedicated, uninterrupted focus time, the open, collaborative nature of coworking can start to feel less productive and more distracting.

Alternatively, the root of the problem may lie with the coworking providers themselves. In the pursuit of profitability, some operators may have oversold memberships, prioritizing revenue growth over maintaining an optimal member experience. By packing too many people into the available space, they risk undermining the very qualities that made coworking attractive in the first place.

There are pros and cons to both explanations. If it's a shift in member preferences, then the solution may lie in better educating coworkers about the realities of the model, and encouraging them to adapt their working styles accordingly. But if the issue is one of oversaturation, then the onus is on coworking providers to be more disciplined in managing their capacity and membership numbers.

Either way, the challenge highlights some of the potential downsides of coworking that are often overlooked. While the flexibility and community aspects can be hugely beneficial, the model also introduces some inherent vulnerabilities. Chief among these is the risk of the spaces becoming overcrowded, leading to a suboptimal experience for members.

Another potential pitfall is the lack of continuity and personalization. Unlike a traditional office where you have your own designated desk and storage space, the fluidity of coworking means you're constantly having to adapt to new surroundings. This can make it harder to settle in and feel a true sense of ownership over your work environment.

There's also the question of privacy and productivity. The open, collaborative nature of coworking spaces can be great for networking and idea-sharing, but it also introduces more distractions and potential interruptions. Members who need extended periods of focused, heads-down work may find the environment less conducive to their needs, unless the space is designed to better support individual focussed work.

And while the reciprocal membership access can be convenient when traveling, it also means you're not always working in a familiar setting. This can make it harder to establish routines and maintain productivity, especially for those who thrive on consistency.

Ultimately, the coworking model represents a trade-off - you gain flexibility and community, but potentially at the expense of some of the comforts and continuity of a traditional office. For many, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. But as the spaces become more crowded, it's important for both members and providers to carefully manage expectations and find ways to preserve the core appeal of coworking.

Perhaps the solution lies in a hybrid approach, where coworking is complemented by access to a dedicated private space or meeting room for focused work and important conversations. Or coworking providers could experiment with tiered membership models, offering premium access to those willing to pay more for guaranteed availability of their preferred workspaces.

Whatever the answer, it's clear that as coworking continues to evolve, both members and operators will need to be more proactive in ensuring the model lives up to its promise. By striking the right balance between flexibility and consistency, community and privacy, coworking can maintain its position as a valuable alternative to traditional office life. But if left unchecked, the downsides risk outweighing the upsides, and coworking risks becoming a victim of its own success.