Coworking helps strike a balance for at home workers returning to the office
The end of the COVID19 pandemic is in sight. More people are getting vaccinated and restrictions are slowly lifting. The thought of a return to normal is leaving many asking: is the office a thing of the past? Working from home has been surprisingly easy for employees and organizations alike. But many employees are recognizing that home office also comes with a downside. How do we utilize the best of what the office has to offer while maintaining the benefits of a convenient work-from-home concept? Flexible spaces like Spielfeld could be the answer. Coworking offices offer an important alternative to both traditional offices and working from home — a “third place” to work. Because these spaces are focused on community, collaboration and creativity, they are often fertile ground for new ideas and high-impact networks.
Working from home is appealing because of its comfort, flexibility and convenience. A full year of staring at the same four walls has soured that sentiment for many at-home workers. But many workers do not want to go back to a regular 9–5 schedule either. According to a survey by Linkedin-News, only 4% want to work exclusively in the traditional office in the future. 73% of respondents want a mix of both. In other words, many workers would like to adopt a hybrid model. Companies like Porsche, Twitter, Microsoft and Facebook have all indicated that they will be encouraging hybrid work. Flexible coworking options can provide the necessary flexibility for this transition away from a 9-to-5 office environment. Convenient day, week or month passes provide needed flexibility. Daily and weekly passes are often more attractive than a traditional long-term contract. At Spielfeld teams can use spaces for weeks or months at a time. Many of our members assemble larger remote teams for week long design sprints and project development workshops. Our co-founders Visa and Roland Berger each have designated studios where full-time Berlin employees sit beside colleagues visiting from elsewhere in Europe. As the popularity of hybrid work continues to rise, so will the demand for physical spaces where teams can connect.
Home offices often lack the infrastructure that keeps the day-to-day going smoothly. Coworking places provide this structure and are equipped with necessary office materials — from printers to pencils — so teams can focus on what really matters. Spielfeld also serves as the postal address for many startups. Members can send and receive mail with our front desk team. Stylish open plan coworking spaces provide comfortable and convenient places for individuals and small teams to work. Larger desks mean more creativity and more space to innovate. There are a variety of different meeting and workshop rooms for hosting external guests. Telephone breakout rooms allow for private conversations and concentration. We also offer customizable studio offices for larger teams looking to curate their own space. Coworking spaces have all of the amenities that make a traditional office attractive, but are a creative and flexible environment where teams can turn creativity into practical business.
Over the past year we’ve seen a boom in online collaboration solutions. Our team is passionate about digital solutions and has organised and participated in some truly productive sessions. But it’s also clear that some collaboration just can’t be done remotely. There are important aspects of face-to-face interactions that can’t be replicated online. Despite the popularity of remote work, alternative “third place” working environments serve as a venue for collaboration and exchange. Spielfeld meeting rooms have white boards, pin boards, workshop materials and teleconferencing tech to encourage exchange. We have made a point to let members book our workshop rooms free of charge. That way, they can get the creative juices going anytime and without limit. Our building also features community kitchens on each floor and a ground floor space (complete with ping-pong table) where members come together to share a coffee or host clients.
Some claim that flexible work may impact company culture. But culture isn’t necessarily tied to a physical space. In a recent PwC poll, 44% of top executives believe that companies can maintain company culture with only two or three days a week in the office. Coworkings spaces boast their own unique social ecosystems. For example, the Spielfeld community is a mix of individuals, teams, corporates and startups. Startups like Talentspace, Ninebarc, Liist, N3XTCODER and the LFCA work alongside corporates like SKP, Netcetera, Visa and Roland Berger. We think this mix maximizes our community’s potential and creates a unique culture with a variety of perspectives and business experiences. Many of our members have been with us for years and collaboration is common.
Our members don’t just work side-by-side — they work together to great success. The insurtech startup Ninebarc (who recently raised their seed round) launched from Spielfeld in 2020 after consulting and collaborating with other successful startups in our network. The logistics solution provider Sennder was founded by former consultants at our co-founder Roland Berger and spent their first few years growing in our offices. The company was recently valued at over $1B making it the first unicorn to grow out of Spielfeld. Our co-founder Visa joined with long-time member N3XTCODER on a variety of projects. Their #FinTech4Impact Challenge was won by the sustainability fintech — and Spielfeld community member — Ecolytiq. Ecolytiq and Visa recently paired up with Tomorrow to help consumers track and compensate their emissions while banking. Our space was launched as a collaborative effort between our co-founders Roland Berger and VISA. Collaboration is simply in our DNA. Coworking spaces provide an innovative and cooperative culture where anything can happen!
The Spielfeld team takes the importance of community seriously. In contrast to larger coworking chains where members interact with office staff over a digital platform, our staff is available in-person on site. We curate the working experience to fit each team and individual and our size allows us to be agile and to implement new ideas. The online career platform Talentspace recently completed a $4M investment round and had to expand quickly. Our team worked with them to find a new designated office for their growing team. These close relationships create a working environment where members feel at home — even while they’re at the office.
So to answer the question: is the office dead? No — it’s in a transition phase. Workers want flexible spaces, collaborative structure, a great community and the practical infrastructure to make things run smoothly. “Third spaces” and hybrid models are the future of work, and coworking spaces are uniquely positioned to get workers back into the office.
Schedule a tour with our team and experience it yourself.
Learn more at our website: www.spielfeld.com
