The Importance of Co-working

July 30, 2020

The Kansas City and St Louis metro areas have seen a growth in co-working spaces in the last few years. Resulting in seeing a 34% growth in the second quarter of 2019. The industry has been providing flexibility for businesses for managing their work-spaces. They are providing the office furniture including office chairs, desks, tables, filing cabinets, and amenities you see in a traditional work environment but the ability to have more freedom than a traditional lease. But most importantly, co-working spaces are growing community and connections throughout multiple industries.

Co-working Space featuring Herman Miller Sayl Chairs and Canvas Office Landscape

Co-working building community

With each month passing people are becoming more and more comfortable teleworking. And they are figuring out ways to be as effective and functional as possible. As more employees and leaderships grow comfortable with working remotely it doesn’t mean everyone wants to work from home forever. After months of “stay at home orders” there is a group of people who are wanting to get back to a community workspace. Employers will first need to find spaces that are taking safety steps against Covid-19 seriously. While also fostering efficiency for their clients and employees.

CIC St Louis – Creating a social distance, ergonomic environment with their Aeron Chairs from Herman Miller

Getting people back to work

As start-ups and large corporations are looking to return to work they are wanting to de-densify their offices. And will be looking for places to assemble and have a landing point when collaboration is needed. First, providing space for people who do not have great home offices to work out of. Secondly, for people who are more extroverted and wanting to be around people for their own mental health. Co-working spaces allow for quick move-ins without signing many year leases. Along with providing; multi-tiered memberships, with the option to work from a variety of locations around the city, open desks, private desks and dedicated team space.

Eager to get back into action and start reconnecting with the St. Louis Community. Our very own Zach Mabrey, Freedom Interiors St. Louis, found himself in the very position of wanting to return to his co-working routine. And was pleased to find that CIC St Louis was open and taking Covid-19 safety very seriously. Like many, Zach finds he works best when given the opportunity to have a pulse on what is happen in the metro area.

CIC St. Louis – Screening Station with hand sanitizer and other PPE

Safety at co-working spaces

With Covid-19 on everyone’s minds co-working spaces are taking their clients safety very seriously and CIC in St. Louis has done just that. Co-working spaces are requiring various PPE (wearing makes, hand sanitizer, and gloves) be used while visiting their sites. At CIC they have hung signs reminding people to keep their social distance, wear masks and to disinfect their workstation after use. Plus they have installed antimicrobial door handle wraps, temperature-check tablets to track if anyone has a fever and foot door pulls to reduce touch of door handles. Though none of this can completely prevent Covid-19. But using the provided resources can decrease your transmission rate greatly.

CIC St Louis using technology and hygiene to promote the safest work environment possible.

Lastly, there is a lot of uncertainty with Covid-19, but it is clear that remote workers have to work somewhere. The importance of community is still alive in Kansas City and St Louis. With coworking spaces projected to take up 13% of the United States office spaces in the next decade. They will start to be building blocks for local connections and new networks for companies that are well established or just starting their journey. For our city to rebound we need to grow our community and lean on each other for connections and resources that will help industries recover from these hardships.