The definition of coworking

The concept of a coworking space has certainly taken off in the last few years. However, outside of those of us who frequent the Coworking Google Group (the online meeting place for owners of coworking spaces around the world), a definition of what differentiates a coworking space from any other form of shared office may be unclear.

Here are two of the better known definitions of coworking:

“Coworking is a style of work which involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office, yet independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization. Typically it is attractive to work-at-home professionals, independent contractors, or people who travel frequently who end up working in relative isolation. Coworking is the social gathering of a group of people, who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with talented people in the same space.”

Wikipedia

“Coworking is redefining the way we do work. The idea is simple: that independent professionals and those with workplace flexibility work better together than they do alone. Coworking answers the question that so many face when working from home: “Why isn’t this as fun as I thought it would be?” Beyond just creating better places to work, coworking spaces are built around the idea of community-building and sustainability. Coworking spaces agree to uphold the values set forth by those who developed the concept in the first place: collaboration, community, sustainability, openness, and accessibility.”

Coworking Blog and Coworking Wiki

One of the most common questions about coworking spaces are how they differ from serviced or virtual offices, and this confusion is not helped now that some serviced offices have started using the term coworking to help attract tenants. By far the most important difference is that coworking spaces have a primary focus on building a community, whereas serviced offices are primarily focused on creating offices. In other words, the primary benefit to someone working in a coworking space should be the interaction with other small business owners within the space, and how that helps them grow their business. The primary benefit of working in a serviced office is the access to facilities and the professional image it can create for it’s tenants.

While far from a perfect list, here are some other typical characteristics that may help you differentiate between a coworking space and a serviced office and, if you’re in the market, to decide which is right for you: