Why and How Large Corporations Use Coworking Spaces

Written by Lee Mulkowsky | 04/23/2020

In its infancy, coworking space was likely to bring together a singular type of member: the solopreneur or small entrepreneur, an individual just starting out but in need of the amenities and perks a physical office building can provide. That's no longer the case.

As more and more of the world realizes there's little need for people to be onsite and 'at work' nine hours a day for an organization to thrive, increasing numbers of large companies and corporations are also tapping into the flexibility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness of shared and temporary office space. Here, we list three reasons larger companies have turned to coworking environments to boost their business.

Agility

More than 1 million people travel for work in the U.S. every day. Frequently, business destinations are cities in which a traveler's employer doesn't have a dedicated office. Those who need a professional, well-appointed place to work on those days (even if it's only for a few hours) can get it with coworking, with no lease required.

Here at Metro Offices, agility is in our DNA. We have nine prime locations in and around the nation's capital. We have conference rooms, private offices, and reserved desks available by the day. Being able to find a local office-space solution that's built to accommodate the fast pace and frequent schedule changes of a large company is hugely valuable. How many traditional office spaces are going to be available within hours of a call, or even as soon as someone walks in the door -- and for just a day, week, or month? Precious few, if any at all. That's where coworking really shines.

Untapped resources

The fact more than a handful of companies that are now household names got their start in coworking spaces -- Uber, Instagram, and Spotify, to name a few -- is probably not pure coincidence. "Because coworking spaces tend to have a social and collaborative element in addition to the features of a traditional office in a more relaxing atmosphere, it becomes natural to interact with others," writes Yifu Huang in a blog post for coworkingresources.org. For already established companies and corporations and their employees, this means "access to startups with industry-changing ideas and new talent."

Don't discount the potential for a new environment and its innate culture to reinvigorate an organization. "Moving your development, research, marketing, design, or other teams from a more bureaucratic corporate environment to a coworking culture can breathe new life into these creative types," write Doug and Polly White in a guest post for Entrepreneur.com. "Whether they're making a permanent move or seeking an alternative space for meetings, events, or an occasional day away, employees often find the change of environment energizing."

Cash savings

Then there's what some might find to be the biggest lure of all bringing big companies into coworking spaces: the significant cost difference between using them and leasing or buying (and then running) an office suite or building. As Huang writes in thecoworkingresources.org piece: "Instead of having to rent an office space, buy furniture, pay for utilities, buy office equipment, and provide coffee and snacks, corporations can just pay a monthly fee to the coworking company and notice savings."

Wondering what a Metro Offices membership can save you? Compare what it costs to run your own office vs. simply letting Metro Offices do the work for you. And then learn more about our space options, features and amenities for your next business trip.