Adapting to the new normal: Post-pandemic transformations in coworking spaces

Abstract

The transformation of workplaces that has occurred since the COVID-19 epidemic, particularly the increased use of telework, has resulted in the emergence of new challenges as well as opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these trends, using the example of early post-pandemic coworking spaces, flexible workspaces that offer a professional environment, and the conveniences of working from a third place that is neither home nor a typical office. This research uses questionnaires and in-depth interviews with users, managers, and owners of coworking spaces. A hierarchical line-by-line approach qualitatively evaluated the interviews. The surveys were examined using descriptive statistics due to the exploratory nature of the research. According to the findings, the majority of owners and managers of coworking spaces observed a decrease in membership either during or after the COVID-19 epidemic, which caused disruptions in the operations of their spaces, leading to temporary and even permanent closures. They believed that the initial effect was detrimental to activities that took place in person while simultaneously enhancing those that took place in a virtual environment. It was not casual gatherings but rather professional events that were the driving force behind the increase in online connections with people who use coworking spaces. The results of the latter survey, which centred on the perceptions of people who utilise coworking spaces, indicated that the coworking spaces had been steadily recovering from the pandemic disruption. The vast majority of coworkers have stated that they have resumed using these places at a level that is equivalent to what it was before the pandemic, and some of them have even increased the frequency of their visits. As individuals and organisations adjust to the new normal that has emerged in the wake of the pandemic, these data demonstrate that coworking spaces have experienced a resurgence. The popularity of virtual communication and the events that continue to be a part of the new normal for coworking spaces, however, are examples of the pandemic's long-lasting effects.