The Case for Rural Coworking
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point in society’s relationship with office work. Many people saw firsthand they didn’t need to be chained to an office, but that home office was no substitute for sharing a space with other workers. A wave of new coworking spaces has been providing those new coworkers with the right space for their needs.
A side effect was that workers no longer needed to live in (or commute to) dense urban cores to be close to the office. Instead, they could be located anywhere that people wanted to live.
How is this new reality shaping the coworking landscape?
Cobot-powered spaces leading the charge
Following our visit to Reunion @ Hub Space, we personally experienced the joy of logging off work and being a stone’s throw from stunning natural beauty. We love our home city of Berlin, but there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s nice to be so close to the great outdoors when you check out for the day!
As Jo Black and Maggie Braley explained on our blog, the local community is an integral part of the space. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, the space supports the community and the community can benefit from keeping workers happy.
Not only can working from rural coworking spaces near to home help work-life balance by cutting out the commute, but it is also much more environmentally friendly.
Across the world, from the English countryside to the Mexican coastal province of Oaxaca, Pauline Creative Hub sits looking out on the Pacific Ocean. What better environment is there in which to work, if not in a warm sunny environment opposite the sea?
Rural coworking can be found closer to our home in Germany. Dstation KreativCampus can be found in the rural village of Schöppenstedt, a little over 25km from Brunswick. This space, like the previous two mentioned, are possibilities to escape the hustle and bustle of big cities and gives workers a greater possibility to shape their relationship with work.
On the conference circuit
The Coworking Europe conference this year provided further insight into the rising popularity of rural coworking.
One initiative that jumped out at us is taking place in Ireland. We learned that the Irish government is currently funding the transformation of disused rural buildings into coworking hubs through the rural development fund.
The plan is to create a network of over 400 remote working hubs to boost rural development and provide many commuters with the opportunity to work closer to home. The funding will allow local authorities to take control of disused or run-down buildings, and turn them into spaces to accommodate many workers.
If successful, this will create a bigger market locally for businesses to be created or expanded. The scheme to date has received € 5 million, with more potentially earmarked for the future.
The future?
The buzz around rural coworking and its newfound government support have the potential to further expand coworking to millions more people. Theoretically, following the successes of the already rolled-out rejuvenation schemes, and creating more spaces, these successes may act as a blueprint that can be applied across even more regions.
Rural areas across the world are often not short on unused buildings, therefore providing a good use for them whilst stimulating the local economy is a win-win. As an example, since the end of 2021, there has been the closure of over 200 pubs in the UK. These are spaces that need attention and have much potential to add to the local areas, so why not coworking?
We can’t wait to see what happens next!
If you aren’t already using Cobot as your coworking management software, give it a go! You’ll find that our features can help you run your coworking space more effectively and grow your community. Just sign up for a free trial or a live demo session. And if you have questions, our support team is all ears!
Happy Coworking!