Ever since COVID-19 pushed millions of Americans into remote work, the question of how to foster community and productivity in the work-from-home environment has grown more pressing. Coworking emerged as a potential solution to the loneliness that arose alongside remote work, but often falls flat in its attempts to bridge divides between workers.
Not only is traditional coworking expensive, but it also can be boring. Traditional coworking spaces do not offer much to do other than work, and 49% of renters do not feel a sense of community in coworking spaces. The over-emphasis on work prevents coworking from building new friendships.
Traditional coworking appears to be broken, so what can workers looking for connection do? One option is the community coworking model. This model prides itself on being affordable, inclusive, and community-focused. It prioritizes social experiences alongside professional experiences, partnering with community organizers, creating niche communities, and providing members with social events, such as happy hour and communal lunch.
Tavern is one example of community coworking in NYC. It uses a sustainable model, leveraging underutilized space in bars and hotels to cut down on real estate expenses. This allows it to have less expensive membership fees, therefore allowing more workers to partake in community coworking spaces.
While traditional coworking has not been successful in creating connection, hope remains. The community coworking model is an exciting alternative, and may be better equipped to nurture socializing and productivity.
Source: Tavern Community