What will coworking look like in 2030? From only 14 coworking locations in 2007 to over 14,000 in 2019, coworking has been a fast-growing trend in the world of office work for just over a decade. Coworking offers professional office resources and a social environment for people in the rising gig economy and for those who work remotely for traditional employers. These flex workspaces, which often function on a month-to-month rental basis for desks and offices, have obviously helped fill a void for startups and individual working professionals.
Will the trend continue? What will the next ten years bring to this fast-growing and changing field? While no one has a crystal ball, a few possibilities seem to be moving in from the horizon.
Falling interest rates and an inverted yield curve have experts waving flags of warning that a recession could be just around the corner. Recessions often mean that people lose jobs and businesses go under, and coworking spaces may be no exception. Most coworking spaces are not currently turning a profit which leaves these firms especially vulnerable in case of a downturn in the economy. The last U.S. recession ended in 2009, so the vast majority of coworking locations have never had to endure a recession. Their business model also has some wondering about their long-term profitability.
If a coworking space is already on shaky ground financially, it may not be able to survive a decrease in membership revenue due to these conditions. Landlords expect their rent whether or not the desks in the office are filled.
On the other hand, the Great Recession actually helped to create and bolster the rise of coworking. The combination of unemployment and disruptive, portable technology allowed people in all sorts of professions to job hunt or freelance from anywhere with an internet connection. This was how the unemployed bounced back. For some, the freedom was too enticing to go back to a W-2 job, but they missed working in a social environment. Enter coworking, a modern office solution that provided the in-person social network for these gig workers and filled what may have been empty office space.
It is certainly possible that a recession would only see a huge turnover in the clients inside a coworking office, from W-2 to contract workers and freelancers, with old members leaving and new members coming in. It may make for a volatile market and bumpy ride, but it is possible some coworking locations could weather the storm.
The real question may be less about employment/unemployment rates and more about what happens in the real estate market.
If interest rates continue to fall or stay low, it may actually be easier for investors in the commercial real estate markets to turn a profit on their investments. This could keep rents low for both traditional renters and for coworking locations. However, if traditional employers go under and leave their offices, landlords are going to feel the pinch. They may work to entice more coworking into their commercial real estate openings and thus increasing competition. Landlords may feel the need to put pressure on their coworking tenants to pay rent they may not be able to pay if their membership drops. With coworking occupying an increasing amount of office space square footage, there is a lot of uncertainty about how the next recession will impact the emerging industry.
Given how technology has fueled the rise of coworking spaces – and this technology isn’t going away any time soon – it is certainly possible the coworking trend will only continue to grow. Technology has allowed the gig economy to flourish, provided there is an opportunity for small startups to sell products nationwide – and even worldwide – and to facilitate remote workers for companies of any size.
Companies are also becoming more likely to embrace remote workers for the number of benefits it provides to both employer and employee. Since half of the coworking members are actually remote employees of traditional companies, it makes sense that coworking locations will continue to serve an important role for these workers traveling on business, or simply working outside of a regular office.
If coworking continues to rise in popularity, there are a few things we are likely to see:
It is also possible that by 2030, the market will hit its saturation point, and flex workspaces as a whole will no longer expand. Some locations may close due to lack of growth, while others may remain profitable, but stagnant. The goal at this point will be to make sure the business model of each location is sustainable and stable.
Perhaps one of the most interesting trends in coworking is that of the enterprise office partnering with a coworking location. Already, companies like Pinterest, Facebook, and Microsoft are choosing to lease space with more flexible shared office options, like WeWork, to avoid signing long-term leases themselves. This trend may continue, with coworking finding itself the biggest real estate game in town.
Big companies reap several benefits when they choose to work with a flex workspace partner, especially one with a national or global footprint that matches their own employee base.
How will all this enterprise change affect coworking? In addition, how will all this coworking affect real estate?
If enterprise companies stop signing long-term commercial leases, that either leaves the building owner with empty space, or it leaves coworking locations signing for those leases themselves. Coworking locations then accept the risk of the lease, while the enterprise companies get the benefit of the flexibility coworking offers.
Circumstances could really go either way for the coworking world.
Most disruptive could be coworking locations choosing to buy or build their own spaces. If enterprise companies and small businesses choose to continue to work with coworking locations for their flexibility, a coworking company that owns a building outright may be in a favorable position.
This final scenario of owning buildings may only be in reach for the most profitable coworking locations. Continued low-interest rates could make it more affordable, but if property values or interest rates go up, it may be less feasible. And of course, commercial real estate would have to be available and affordable. Currently, WeWork, one of the largest organizations, does not appear to own any of the property it sublets. However, by 2030, it is certainly possible that we will start to see coworking organizations purchasing properties outright and disrupting the real estate model even more than it already is.
Recession, market saturation, or coworking real estate disruption are all very real possibilities in the next ten years. Whichever way the trendline goes, innovation and a financial cushion will help push coworking forward.
Volatility is only likely to increase. Whether a recession is on the horizon this year or ten years from now, organizations that are financially capable of riding it out will be the best situated to increase business with the rise of layoffs and startups.
It is also possible that coworking will rise to greater heights, perhaps reaching unsustainable levels and falling back. Such stability will be welcome for existing business owners.
The real estate market is going to continue to watch as coworking occupies more space. The space required by large, traditional companies will make coworking less volatile, but it also may make it even more threatening to traditional real estate owners.
The least likely scenario is one that is not listed: the disappearance of coworking. It’s been around long before it was ever recognized, and it fulfills a need that is growing with the way work and technology are changing. Coworking is not going away any time soon.