At first, co-working spaces were established in order to provide individuals (entrepreneurs, students, and businessmen) with a good environment to work from. With time, especially now, these spaces have become something much bigger: they have become the main meeting point for large scale brands and companies. So what brings them to these spaces?
Convenience
In co-working spaces, the company does not need to worry about cleaning services, organizing food for employees, making sure the WIFI is working, etc. All of these are taken care of by the employees of the working space. All the workers have to do is come in, and start working on their projects.
Efficiency
Maintaining an entire office is not easy, especially when not all parts of the office are actually in use. In shared spaces, you rent spaces in a focused manner, and pay accordingly. You pay for what you use. Simple and economical.
Ambiance
An employee who works in a deserted office will most likely be bored, and maybe even a little depressed. When he comes to a place where many people work together, at any hour of the day, he will be more satisfied and more productive. The general ambiance in the workplace will do him good and therefore do the company good.
Location
Company offices are not always located in the most accessible places (usually to save money). When you have the opportunity to choose your office, it will probably be a co-working space in a city center: more accessible, closer to the best restaurants and most importantly - closer to other business people and business meeting places.
Networking
These co-working spaces are much more than just spaces to work from. The spaces offer guest lectures, meet ups with investors and so on. Meeting with fellow workers outside of the workday also adds to the many upsides of working from a co-working space.
The author is the CEO of Urban Place