WLP157 - When Co-working Spaces Become... something else

Have coworking spaces lost their initial purpose? Maya and Pilar discuss three recent articles about co-working: the diverse types of co-working spaces available, the move of corporations into the co-working space and whether blockchain might well bring back the original spirit of co-working.
 

We love co-working spaces because they allow people to choose to work in spaces that inspire them.

To drive the conversation, Maya and Pilar have focused on three articles:

Part 1

https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/coworking-spaces/ 

We talk about the different type of coworking spaces, how some of them mirror what you would expect what you go into a corporate office.

Now we can find a place to work in that suits us. We can even belong to a coworking space that matches our values/personality, while working for an organisation where we don’t feel so attached to their physical space.

There are even now women only coworkind spaces…
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/the-wing-allbright-women-coworking-spaces

Part 2

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/307085

Note: one of our listeners spotted that the above article is no longer live (thank you, Jenna!). You might want to check out this article instead: https://www.morethanaccountants.co.uk/why-big-corporations-are-moving-into-coworking-spaces/

Big businesses are taking over some co-working spaces for their own employees. So should we still be calling them “co-working” spaces?

IBM has taken over a space for 600 of their employees, vs Microsoft that has provided co-working passes to some of their sales force.

Mingling of employees with entrepreneurs: is it about checking out the competition? And are we in danger of new businesses getting mentored into the traditional way of doing business?

Part 3

How are Cryptocurrencies Changing Coworking?

 http://newworker.co/mag/how-are-cryptocurrencies-changing-coworking/

Maya explains what how blockchain works.

Is blockchain the way in which technology can reignite the original spirit of co-working?

Other episodes in the 21st Century Work Life podcast on co-working:

Episode 83 The Spirit of Co-working with Alex Hillman

Episode 30 Co-working at Impact Hub

Episode 158 (to be released on 22 February 2018) Building Community in Co-Working Spaces with Bernie Mitchell