This week I'm reflecting on whether co-working spaces have lost their lustre for us fintech folk, and whether a more professional community focus might bring them back.
Great read! My previous job was in a wework as it was always just filled with people spending all day in the one person cubicles, a random dog always running around, and the beer taps always being the main event of the day but sucks for people who don’t drink beer.
Thanks Sophie! I am in a WeWork now and I do enjoy it as a space but I can't say I chat to anyone as much as I thought I would have, But maybe that's on my part!
Absolutely, I was also thinking about how generally work life has steered away from after work drinks... which could have been the chance to replace it for something non alcohol related, but instead everyone literally just goes home... Ah, Britain..
I always thought WeWork was a functional solution pretending to solve a cultural problem - and was never really a community… not enough ‘curators’ because they were too expensive, not a collaboration platform unless you count beer taps and ping pong
I know that a day in the office will mean I am less productive, for good reasons and not so good. (I hate trying to find a meeting room/booth to the point where I will move meetings to another day if I am going into the office, but chatting to colleagues is always welcome!)
I personally love the addition of dogs (and cats?!), but I would agree that co-working spaces are losing their lustre.
I'm also not a fan of people leaving their dirty cutlery and crockery everywhere!
And do not get me started on coffee machines on your floor that are always our of order!
I hate beer too!
As such, I am ready for co working spaces with a professional community focus!
Come for the dogs, stay to catch up with colleagues, leave because of the mess and noise… it’s interesting how all those practical points really overtake any cultural advantages sharing a space might have for so many of us with our current needs!
Great read! My previous job was in a wework as it was always just filled with people spending all day in the one person cubicles, a random dog always running around, and the beer taps always being the main event of the day but sucks for people who don’t drink beer.
Thanks Sophie! I am in a WeWork now and I do enjoy it as a space but I can't say I chat to anyone as much as I thought I would have, But maybe that's on my part!
Absolutely, I was also thinking about how generally work life has steered away from after work drinks... which could have been the chance to replace it for something non alcohol related, but instead everyone literally just goes home... Ah, Britain..
I always thought WeWork was a functional solution pretending to solve a cultural problem - and was never really a community… not enough ‘curators’ because they were too expensive, not a collaboration platform unless you count beer taps and ping pong
Absolutely agree, the curation model is very costly and hard to scale. I love the way you've put this.
I know that a day in the office will mean I am less productive, for good reasons and not so good. (I hate trying to find a meeting room/booth to the point where I will move meetings to another day if I am going into the office, but chatting to colleagues is always welcome!)
I personally love the addition of dogs (and cats?!), but I would agree that co-working spaces are losing their lustre.
I'm also not a fan of people leaving their dirty cutlery and crockery everywhere!
And do not get me started on coffee machines on your floor that are always our of order!
I hate beer too!
As such, I am ready for co working spaces with a professional community focus!
Come for the dogs, stay to catch up with colleagues, leave because of the mess and noise… it’s interesting how all those practical points really overtake any cultural advantages sharing a space might have for so many of us with our current needs!