These trends are redefining the way we work
For a long time it seemed as if employees were expected to thrive on no other then awful coffee, bad lighting and soggy cheese sandwiches, but times have changed for the better. Office spaces are now the number one tool to attract and retain top talent.
Adopt these trends that have redefined the way we work in 2018 to facilitate the perfect work environment for your members and employees.
Adopt these trends that have redefined the way we work in 2018 to facilitate the perfect work environment for your members and employees.
Now more then ever workspaces are being used as part of recruitment strategies. Those who are born between 1980 and 2000 are a tough generation to retain as loyal employees. Attracting and retaining this generation called ‘Millennials’ as a company all comes down to creating an experience rather than just an office to work in.
Meeting new people, a vibrant atmosphere and room for creativity are highly appreciated by this younger generation.
The competition between companies to captivate this age group has peeked tremendously past year, taking into account these relatively young people are fast to leave when a ‘better’ opportunity arises
The term ‘googlization’ is therefor mockingly used by the baby boomers: The generation that came before Millenials took over the workforce. Babyboomers tend to assume Millenials are not in touch with the reality of what companies are actually able to offer them, and in some cases they are right.
There’s a fine balance between a playground as an office and depressing grey cubicles underneath TL lighting. For the baby boomers that are used to the old school 9 to 5 ‘work hard, and then work some more’ work ethics it can be a turn off to work at a company designed for millennials which tend to be noisy and chaotic: Where the young people thrive the old won't survive.
To get a head start over competition and retain both your Millenial and Babyboom members and employees, make sure all your lines of communication are open and focus on lasting trends like health instead of purchasing another ball pit. Take into account that if the workplace isn’t right people tend to go elsewhere instead of stating their concerns. Support wellbeing and healthy lifestyles with benefits like fitness centre memberships, childcare centres and a special place to pick up parcels so you are ahead of the game.
To get a head start over competition and retain both your Millenial and Babyboom members and employees, make sure all your lines of communication are open and focus on lasting trends like health instead of purchasing another ball pit. Take into account that if the workplace isn’t right people tend to go elsewhere instead of stating their concerns. Support wellbeing and healthy lifestyles with benefits like fitness centre memberships, childcare centres and a special place to pick up parcels so you are ahead of the game.
Applications used to increase productivity are becoming more popular by the minute. With technology like video calls, online synced calendar planning, and even integrating with a cloud-based access control product like SALTO KS to book (meeting) rooms in advance, meetings can be organized in an agile way: Reducing a lot of frustration.
Another upcoming trend is using sensors to measure capacity and productivity to personalize the space to the needs of the employees. Together with two yearly surveys that will be sent automatically to the workers, you may end up with room dividers in your open space plan to increase focus.
Using technology to automate your space means more flexibility and personalization, which will be highly appreciated among any group of people.
Using technology to automate your space means more flexibility and personalization, which will be highly appreciated among any group of people.
The trend that goes a long way: Running an environment-friendly space. To control costs but also to attract and retain employees that want to be associated with an environment-friendly office and, of course, to give back to mother earth. By choosing an HQ close to most employee’s homes so people don't have to drive to work will take your environmental friendly reputation to the next level.
Adopt technology to help you run a fully environmental friendly space:
There’s a growing and valid pressure from society to make workplaces more environment-friendly, be sure to follow this trend to collect extra karma points.
There’s a growing and valid pressure from society to make workplaces more environment-friendly, be sure to follow this trend to collect extra karma points.
All of the above contributes to the health of your employees. Embracing companies that will help you collect hard- and soft data from your space like happiness, health and many more details you can use to turn your office space into the best possible version of itself. Monitor your employee’s behaviour and habits. With this workplace analytics, you can adjust your office space accordingly. Some employees might feel the need to take a stroll in the office garden every hour or need a noise-cancelling headphone. Enable a work environment where people feel encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and increase productivity and a positive atmosphere!
All of the above contributes to the health of your employees. Embracing companies that will help you collect hard- and soft data from your space like happiness, health and many more details you can use to turn your office space into the best possible version of itself. Monitor your employee’s behaviour and habits. With this workplace analytics, you can adjust your office space accordingly. Some employees might feel the need to take a stroll in the office garden every hour or need a noise-cancelling headphone. Enable a work environment where people feel encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle and increase productivity and a positive atmosphere!
Embracing flexible workspace is a big trend that keeps evolving. Spaces, where collaboration is encouraged but also have room for deep focus, are high in demand. Choosing a corporate setting with break out spaces for collaboration or rooms for formal meetings are popular. Depending on your preferred kind of appearance the design of your space can be adjusted accordingly. A trendy open space designed tech office will attract millennials for example. If you are looking for more corporate audience go for the corporate setting. Always be aware of the need for flexibility among your employees. Even though the company is corporate some people will like the thought of working with flex desks. Offer variety, no person is the same: Each skillset deserves to have the proper environment to flourish!
The workplace is changing rapidly. It’s not just about the building it’s about enabling an experience where collaboration and creativity have room to expand.
Want to read more on creating a healthy work environment? Take a look at our previous blog post!
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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
GCUC Shanghai 2018
The last month of 2018 the teams from SALTO Hong Kong, Singapore and China visited our favourite event in coworking: GCUC. This time the GCUC team touched down in Shanghai, which made this the most cross-border coworking summit in history!
With the theme "Work Better, Work Smarter" GCUC China used this opportunity to showcase the innovative model of coworking spaces and the way this will fit perfectly in the lifestyle that young Chinese people will experience in the future.
"When I feel the vibrancy of the co-working scenes in NYC, Singapore and Shanghai, it makes me very happy we are part of this coworking wave" - Bryan, SALTO Systems Singapore
Some people still think of the coworking community as something that’s hip and trendy now and eventually will fade, but not many people are aware that coworking is not a new concept. In just a little under the past 2 years, coworking has revolutionized the traditional office space and will continue to revolutionize the way real estate has been used, which will make a big impact on the way people are working on a global scale.
Many world leaders embrace open borders, globalization and free trade. They envision the benefits of the co-sharing economy this will eventually lead to. Air travel, the Internet and technology have made us more connected than ever before. This not only applies to the geographical regions of Europe, Asia, the US or China, but the world as one big connected geographical area.
"More and more corporates are looking to use flexible offices not only to reduce costs but to get closer to innovation, in China, this trend is already happening. They are moving into spaces and getting a closer look at startups." - Bob Zheng, founder People Squared (P2)
This year’s event focused on optimizing and upgrading traditional work methods taking the entrepreneurial spirit and the team working style of coworking spaces as a basis and look to extend concepts to leisure time and hours outside of work. The event incorporated aspects of lifestyles related to coworking spaces, real estate, entrepreneurship and design. New lifestyle trends related to fashion, music, entertainment, new retail and other fields brought a more in-depth perspective on coworking space models that represent a growing trend for young Chinese people going forward.
GCUC Shanghai was hosted by Shanghai-based coworking space brand People Squared (P2). Founded in 2010 by Bob Zheng coworking space brand P2 was the first space that introduced coworking to China and has opened 30 spaces since then. P2 merged with smaller coworking space Walnut founded in 2015. Together they need to stand up against the greats of coworking like Ucommune and WeWork. Zheng says this is not necessarily a problem since people are looking for more unique and independent spaces. With GCUC as the binding factor coworking spaces will continue to unite and work together to eventually change the way, we work everywhere.
GCUC is the world's largest coworking space industry summit. Attracted by China's original coworking space brand People Squared (P2), the event came to the country for the first time in 2015. GCUC China assembles domestic and international coworking brands and leaders from related industries to discuss the future trends for the sector as well as changing lifestyles in China.
Take a look at our previous blog post about GCUC UK that was held in September last year!
Looking into ways to raise your coworking space to the next level? Contact us for more information about how we can help you take care of access control, which with SALTO KS will become one of the main benefits of your space!
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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
Securing your coworking space
As a coworking space owner, you have a long list of responsibilities, including protecting your space and members. It doesn’t come as a surprise that a high level of security is one of the most valued selling points of a coworking space. Taking care of multiple variations of security enables your members to work without a care in the world, and that should be exactly what you are aiming for! If you already adopted a cloud-based access control system like SALTO KS you are ahead of the game: Having knowledge on who goes where and when 24 hours a day.
We defined the most important focus points for you to consider when securing your coworking space:
We defined the most important focus points for you to consider when securing your coworking space:
Every space has doors you rather don’t have an unfamiliar person walking into, such as your server room storing delicate hardware. By providing your members access to the SALTO KS app they get automatically restricted from going wherever you don’t want them to go. Creating an access group for a certain category of people enables you to decide during which time frames certain doors can be unlocked and by whom.
Every space has doors you rather don’t have an unfamiliar person walking into, such as your server room storing delicate hardware. By providing your members access to the SALTO KS app they get automatically restricted from going wherever you don’t want them to go. Creating an access group for a certain category of people enables you to decide during which time frames certain doors can be unlocked and by whom.
It goes without saying it’s important to create a protected environment against break-ins or theft. Unfortunately, even in the most loving communities belongings get stolen or just lost. In that case, you are lucky if you have a (cloud-based) video surveillance system installed! The SALTO KS integration with Eagle Eye Networks makes it possible to even record your space 24 hours a day so you have everything on film, and watch in real-time to see what is going on in your business.
It goes without saying it’s important to create a protected environment against break-ins or theft. Unfortunately, even in the most loving communities belongings get stolen or just lost. In that case, you are lucky if you have a (cloud-based) video surveillance system installed! The SALTO KS integration with Eagle Eye Networks makes it possible to even record your space 24 hours a day so you have everything on film, and watch in real-time to see what is going on in your business.
In that same light, it’s helpful to set up your own visitor policy. Some spaces prefer a simple check-in or a wearable badge handed over by the receptionist. But all this takes time, effort, and an extra employee. With SALTO KS you are able to simply grant access to a visitor for a specific timeframe. Ensuring you this visitor is only able to visit the spaces you granted access to and in the timeframe of your choosing.
In that same light, it’s helpful to set up your own visitor policy. Some spaces prefer a simple check-in or a wearable badge handed over by the receptionist. But all this takes time, effort, and an extra employee. With SALTO KS you are able to simply grant access to a visitor for a specific timeframe. Ensuring you this visitor is only able to visit the spaces you granted access to and in the timeframe of your choosing.
All spaces need a solid alarm installation that protects your venue from break-ins. Not only to protect your space and members but also to protect your carefully accumulated reputation. With SALTO’s unique door guard unit, your emergency exits are protected at all times. You can use your tag to open the door, without setting the alarm off. In case of emergency, you’ll open the door without presenting your tag and the alarm will be triggered, informing everyone that there’s an emergency.
All spaces need a solid alarm installation that protects your venue from break-ins. Not only to protect your space and members but also to protect your carefully accumulated reputation. With SALTO’s unique door guard unit, your emergency exits are protected at all times. You can use your tag to open the door, without setting the alarm off. In case of emergency, you’ll open the door without presenting your tag and the alarm will be triggered, informing everyone that there’s an emergency.
One of the most important aspects of security is your staff. They are the ones that will make that life-saving difference in the case of an emergency. A well-trained staff that has the knowledge what to do when for example a fire breaks out is crucial. Always make sure your members are aware of specific information like where the emergency exit(s) are situated. Having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and first aid kits present at all times and providing knowledge of their whereabouts is just as important.
One of the most important aspects of security is your staff. They are the ones that will make that life-saving difference in the case of an emergency. A well-trained staff that has the knowledge what to do when for example a fire breaks out is crucial. Always make sure your members are aware of specific information like where the emergency exit(s) are situated. Having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and first aid kits present at all times and providing knowledge of their whereabouts is just as important.
Being smart about locking your coworking space and reducing risk at emergencies isn’t the only way to make sure your space is fully protected. Unfortunately, we live in a digital world where it’s also possible that your coworking space security network might be attacked. By providing your members' information on how to safely surf the Internet will be of tremendous help in keeping a secure network. Purchasing an IP filtering system could help keep your space protected online. While your members surf the Internet in a safe way, you should also make sure your network is secured by a difficult password. The name of your cat just won’t do. Make sure you have a second network set up for your members and update the password every six months.
Want to learn more about protecting your coworking space? Learn all about what SALTO KS can do for you.
Get in touch to learn more about how we can integrate smart locks into your business!
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SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
Add smart access technology to locker rooms
Besides privacy, security is one of the most crucial factors in a locker room, as lockers are primarily designed to keep personal belongings and valuables safe while people work, study, exercise, and use other facility amenities. When considering a locker lock solution, it is important to consider security, convenience, effective management, and ultimately what is best for your guest experience and property operations. With the SALTO XS4 Locker Lock, smart access technology is expanded to locker rooms adding both ease and efficiency to the entire guest digital experience, from checking in to checking out.
“With the world becoming more digital every day, the need to introduce the latest technology into the workplace, retail market, healthcare, and education sectors has never been greater,” says Aznar Sethna, CSMO SALTO Systems.
Most recently, the SALTO XS4 Locker Lock was awarded ‘ 2020 Product of the Year’ by Security Today magazine in their annual competition. Read ahead to find out more about how you can add smart access technology to your locker rooms.
Where BLE technology meets locker locks
The capability of effectively extending real-time, online, and mobile-enabled smart electronic access control to lockers and cabinets has long eluded the hospitality market, until now. By incorporating BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology into electronic locker locks, SALTO KS now delivers a product that extends up-to-date comprehensive electronic access control to lockers, cabinets, and essentially anywhere on the peripheral.
The ability to deliver real-time smart access to locker rooms and cabinets wirelessly and to link it to guest services has been long anticipated, to elevate the guest experience and to provide personalized service and extensive amenities. Adding BLE capabilities to the XS4 Locker Lock solution not only offers the most up-to-date protection for lockers and cabinets, but it also enables guests and staff members to control these devices with their smartphones. The SALTO BLUEnet Wireless engine allows the operator to monitor live access control events and provides the ability to unlock the locker lock, change the opening mode, monitor live door status, or change physical access rules in the access plan—all wirelessly and in real-time. This technology can, therefore, be optimized by hotels and building management, to ensure guest satisfaction.
Automate and optimize your guest experience
One of the primary benefits of a smart electronic access control solution is the ability to easily incorporate mobile access use. This makes it possible to take advantage of all the features smartphones can offer. Being able to check-in and out, unlock a guest room, order room service, and make amenity bookings will all be possible for guests to perform via the guest mobile phone application.
“The new SALTO XS4 Locker Lock with embedded BLE technology makes this product an excellent solution for all of those projects that require a locking solution for a controlled, easy-to-operate, and fully-integrated mobile access technology system.” - Aznar Sethna, CSMO at SALTO Systems
Create a more seamless and secure stay
SALTO XS4 Locker Locks are highly durable and have been constructed to withstand the unique environments often found in locker rooms. Security, hygiene, and cleanliness are a crucial element in the maintenance of locker room spaces. Locker locks allow access to space underneath lockers, ensuring your whole floor space can be cleaned thoroughly and to an immaculate standard.
The SALTO XS4 Locker BLE is an ergonomic design based on the same housing and mechanisms of the original version. A locking thumb turn makes for easy use—even with wet hands. The outer thumb turn, with a red and green indicator for the availability of the locker, has an electronically-managed release. Ready-to-install into pre-existing doors, the XS4 Locker Lock BLE is designed to be the ideal product for the replacement locker lock and can be used to quickly secure any pre-existing cabinet.
And in times where contagious viruses and bacteria dominate the headlines, it is valuable that the XS4 Locker BLE comes standard with BioCote® Antimicrobial Technology that can reduce bacteria and viruses by up to 99.99%. This is especially crucial as Locker-room environments are often more susceptible to contamination.
The impact of SALTO BLUEnet technology
The advanced SALTO BLUEnet generation smart lock technology that SALTO has integrated into every SALTO XS4 Locker Lock BLE model also permits battery status management and audit trail recovery in real-time. With the same features as an online SALTO BLUEnet wireless door, users of the SALTO XS4 Locker Lock BLE can:
- Monitor online the status of the locker.
- Know if the locker was opened (i.e. card presented).
- Monitor online the battery status.
- Open the locker remotely.
- Perform an emergency opening.
The SALTO MyLock online configuration tool—which allows users to select and preview potential door configurations for access control projects prior to purchase—has added the new XS4 Locker Lock BLE to the platform. MyLock users can now visualize their next access control project that requires real-time wireless protection for areas like locker rooms, dressing areas, and cabinets.
To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control systems are easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
Our top 5 picks for new trends in Coworking
As the Coworking industry continues to evolve, new trends are emerging to answer the progressing demands. From pet-friendly offices to futuristic space design, innovative and interesting concepts continue to surface in coworking spaces around the world.
Not too long ago, we put together a blog post on ‘5 niche Coliving spaces to look out for’. Now we turned to Coworking and set out to find the exciting options these spaces offer their visitors.
Read on to discover our selection of the top 5 new trends in Coworking.
Coworking with on-premise childcare
A growing trend in Coworking is offering full-time childcare on-premise. Finding effective, affordable childcare has become a major hindrance for parents to return to the workforce, and mothers in particular. Women disproportionately take on caregiving responsibilities when their family cannot find or afford child care, with damaging results to their careers. Thus, coworking spaces offering childcare not only make themselves an attractive option to parents of young children but also contribute towards gender equality.
Providing on-premise childcare offers numerous other benefits, including reducing the commute that parents traditionally have to make to pick up their child. This increases the valuable free time parents have with their children, while reducing the impact on the environment. Additionally, helping parents re-enter the workforce contributes towards economic growth and prosperity. Due to the positive outcomes of childcare in coworking spaces, we predict that this trend will continue to grow over the next years.
Niche coworking spaces
As is the case for niche coliving spaces, niche coworking spaces are becoming increasingly more popular. There has been an emergence of sites targeting different industries and professions, such as coworking for developers or musicians, spaces for entrepreneurs that encourage networking, and even locations dedicated to construction workers. Offering services tailored to the needs of the specific profession has evident benefits for the workers, as they can have ready access to everything they need in their line of work.
In addition to industry-targeted spaces, there has been an increase in coworking spaces catered to specific social groups and demographics, such as LGBTQ+ or women-only spaces, or different ideologies, like wellness-oriented spaces. Bringing together people with the same interests increases the feeling of community and enables collaboration with people working towards the same goal.
For the coworking spaces, targeting specific segments of the coworking population allows them to stand out from the abundance of spaces available. Spaces focusing on niches also tend to deliver faster growth and profitability. This trend has already been established in many major cities but is sure to grow even further in the future.
The corporate shift
Corporate coworking is a rising trend with many benefits for both businesses and their workers. While earlier, the Coworking industry tended to target entrepreneurs, freelancers, and digital nomads, today’s coworking spaces have set their sights on bigger targets as well.
Over the past few years, the historically rigid corporate environment has started offering more flexibility to its workers with remote working and fluctuating work schedules. Permitting employees to be in charge of their own work hours offers more work-life balance while increasing trust between employees and employers. Now, in the aftermath of COVID-19, this trend is expected to increase as even more corporations move towards coworking spaces.
For this shift towards corporate coworking to be successful, the spaces need to be able to offer different kinds of working environments to the corporations. Depending on the business, it might need access to meeting rooms and conference spaces, desk clusters for collaborations, and individual work desks.
Coworking for sustainability
With the climate crisis at the top of everyone’s mind, many have started to consciously take actions to reduce their carbon footprint. Among actions like reducing meat consumption and opting to buy second-hand rather than new, many only choose retail or service providers that have clear sustainability initiatives. This includes coworking spaces.
As an answer to the demands of sustainable-minded workers, there has been an emergence of green coworking spaces. To reduce their carbon footprint, some of these spaces get their power from renewable energy sources such as solar panels, others practice zero-waste, and most use energy-saving devices and appliances. By enabling the sharing of resources and services, they also reduce waste and unnecessary consumption.
As the need for sustainability will only grow in the coming years, we predict that the number of green coworking spaces will continue to steadily increase, and that many existing coworking sites will retrofit sustainable solutions to remain competitive.
Smart technology and management platforms
With the recent popularity of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and IoT (Internet of Things), many sites have started to utilize smart technologies to provide their tenants with a seamless coworking experience.
Smart technology and integrations with various tools can automate certain operational tasks, creating a self-service culture within the space. For the tenants, streamlined operations can greatly enhance their coworking experience. Features such as smart printers and meeting room booking reduce or eliminate waiting times, increasing the workers’ productivity and satisfaction with the services provided.
For operators, management software helps manage the space and its resources, freeing up time and funds for other initiatives. Smart sensors can be used to save costs by turning off lights or ventilation for unused rooms and smart access control can provide instant access to the tenants while increasing security. Ultimately, effectively managing the coworking space with the aid of smart technology increases profitability, efficiency, and sustainability.
This concludes our list for the top 5 trends emerging in the Coworking industry, but we’re excited to observe even more trends that might make their way into your local coworking space. Now that you’ve seen our predictions, will you jump on the bandwagon and implement smart technology at your coworking space?
If you’d like to know even more about Coworking today, check out this unique book project by Coworkies: “Around the world in 250 coworking spaces”. The book contains carefully curated stories of people, spaces, and products that are actively transforming the workspaces of today, offering a comprehensive understanding of the diverse coworking world.
To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control systems are easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
The top 5 Coworking podcasts you should be listening to
Last year, in honour of #InternationalPodcastDay, we published a list of our top 5 podcasts in Coliving that dive into contemporary issues and innovations in their own unique ways.
It just came to our attention that we have not yet put out our list of the best podcasts for 2020, and moreover, we have not covered the Coworking landscape. If you are familiar with the community, you will know that coworking is more than just a growing trend and that it has the potential to change the way we experience our working environment. Whether you are a fan of flexible workspaces or prefer to work from home, coworking discusses values and practices for entrepreneurs, freelancers, full-time professionals and more.
On a global scale, podcasts have emerged to challenge existing norms and push the boundaries for creativity and innovation in the workplace; covering a range of topics from software and integrations to streamlining your membership plans.
Read ahead to find out which of these podcasts made our top 5 list, who they are hosted by, and where you can find them:
Host: Jamie Russo
Where you’ll find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Podbean.
Why we like it: Host and Founder Jamie Russo promised in-depth industry insights and interviews and this is exactly what she delivers. Described by Cobot as “The giant of the coworking-podcast world”, this weekly podcast sets the agenda for the coworking community with operators, vendors and experts on a global scale. While there is a focus on the traditional real estate market, you’ll also find a variety of expert features from different industries and backgrounds which keeps the content fresh and exciting.
2. The Allwork.Space Future Of Work Podcast
Host: Jo Meunier, Ceci Amador and others
Where you’ll find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, TuneIn and Podbean.
Why we like it: Approaching its one year anniversary, this podcast was started by its namesake Allwork.Space, an online publication that is dedicated to the future of work. The podcast was inspired by the shift in media consumption and its implications for the coworking movement. Described by host Ceci Amador as a “holistic, very robust, comprehensive podcast” the podcast features flexible workspace experts from leading investment companies, prop-tech, the technology sector, traditional real estate, marketing, HR leaders and more.
Host: Cat Johnson
Where you’ll find it: Apple Podcasts, Podtail, Spotify, Podyssey.
Why we like it: Storyteller Cat Johnson hosts the Coworking Out Loud podcast which sheds light on her passions of coworking, community and content marketing. Cat’s mission is to “help workspace operators humanize their brand, create authentic content, and tell better stories.” This is precisely what she does in her podcast which features exciting guests and original topics which would engage anyone regardless of their affiliation with coworking.
Host: Kelly Konya
Where you’ll find it: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play.
Why we like it: True to its roots, the Coworking Insights Podcast is rich in its information, data, and key takeaways. This podcast is recommended to those who want to learn more about the industry and gain access to reports and resources. Topics such as ‘2020 Global Coworking Growth Study: Key Insights’ and ‘What the Future Holds for Coworking and Remote Work’ illustrate the quality of reliable in-depth interviews you will be listening to with this podcast.
5. GCUC Community Coworking Podcasts
Host: Liz Elam and Tony Bacigalupo
Where you’ll find it: Apple Podcasts, MyTuner, Soundcloud
Why we like it: The GCUC Community Coworking Podcast is 5th on our list and one we highly recommend. Guests include technology leaders and industry experts, however, their content is even more impressive with topics including ‘Diversity & Inclusion in coworking’ and ‘Where’s Coworking Headed Post-pandemic?’ which covers the equally important societal landscape of the industry.
Special mentions! If you can’t get enough of coworking content and are craving more to listen to, check out Coworking with Iris, and the archives of Coworking Conversations and The Coworking Weekly Show.
To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control systems are easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
How Coworking enables Digital Nomads to work from anywhere
The number of people working remotely is said to have grown by 44% in the last five years, with 7 million people working remotely in the USA before the arrival of COVID-19.
As we speak, about 42% of the U.S. labour force is now working from home full-time, mostly forced by the COVID-19 regulations. The global trend is similar, with most countries having adopted teleworking. But work from home doesn’t necessarily mean work from a room in the eyes of some people.
The whole remote working trend (telecommuting) is not something new. “Digital Nomads” have been amongst us for a while. They are location-independent people who use information and communications technology to perform their job. You might have seen them in coffee shops or the tech hubs in Bali with their MacBook and portable hard drives.
To investigate this subject further, we offer up our platform to Andrew Williams, Founder of Remote Tribelife, an online magazine for Digital Nomads and remote working. Read on for his views on how coworking enables Digital Nomads to do their jobs from anywhere.
A lot of Digital Nomads, who are freelancers, are regular customers of coworking spaces around the world. They make up the majority of people working in these spaces and are usually under the age of 40 years old, typically from the Millennial generation. They mainly work in the IT industry, followed by PR, marketing, and remote sales teams. Overall, freelancing is probably the largest occupation you will find in the coworking space according to Ergonomic Trends.
Looking closer, working from a shared office space makes sense for sole entrepreneurs and freelancers. The individuals working from coworking spaces have been found to feel less isolated and lonely. Moreover, they also have been reported to expand their professional network since joining a coworking space.
The rise of flexible office space and remote working
The flexible workplace evolution continued to pick up speed until 2019 and slow down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. The coworking space market has seen a boom in the last 6 years; Between 2014-2018 there has been an increase of +205% in the number of workspaces globally.
The industry’s rise was driven by a combination of factors like the flexible structure of employment, the rise of the tech and gig economy, shifts in corporate culture on how they work and use space which all led to a direction of further growth. Increasingly, millennials and graduates view companies’ offering ‘well-designed/cool’ flexible space options as very desirable companies to work for.
In the race for talent, flexible workspace options could be a deciding factor. Also, the evolving Millennial workforce likes change, and many expect to move jobs within a 2-3 year timeframe or have more than one job in an increasingly collaborative world.
“The demand for flexibility, cool design and space on demand has enabled companies to develop this entire ecosystem for freelancers and digital nomads.”
How can Coworking and Digital Nomads blend together?
The answer is quite easy: it’s where flexibility and community belonging meets the eternal travelling generation.
Digital Nomads are usually millennials, aged between 25 and 35, who love travelling but are also no stranger to loneliness. They are very digitally savvy, entrepreneurial-minded and oriented towards exploration and experiences.
Most of the Digital Nomads are freelancing or own a small business online so they still need good working conditions (and stable internet) to be productive.
Travelling represents a big benefit of this lifestyle, but it can also be a curse. Changing countries, working in weird time zones and being away from the family are just a few of the disadvantages of this dreamy way of living.
Because of these challenges, Digital Nomads crave for a sense of belonging to a community and for some short term stability when it comes to the work environment and accommodation.
“In general, the working conditions are paramount due to the nature of how they earn their bread: reliable internet and productive environments.”
And this is exactly where digital nomads and coworking meet each other and form a symbiosis. Some of these remote entrepreneurs prefer to rent a shared desk in a coworking space that can offer good working conditions, but mostly one that has a network of support and a vibrant community.
And the fight for hosting them is bigger than ever. According to Forbes, more than half of the entire workforce in the US could be made of freelancers by 2027. A good chunk of them will be millennials eager to be mobile and travel around.
For example, the coworking marketplace Coworker now offers a Global Pass, which allows people to access thousands of coworking spaces in more than 100 countries. No wonder the coworking space industry and the number of Digital Nomads are growing so much lately.
Moreover, there has been an explosion of Coliving companies in the past 2 years or so which try to offer the best of both worlds: living premises as well as coworking offices under the same roof. Coliving networks have grown quite a bit in the last 2 years by offering this successful model to Digital Nomads.
The COVID-19 crisis has been a major disruptor in the workforce by pushing people out of the big corporate offices located in city centres to either work from home, or just from anywhere. In megacities like New York and London, flexible workspaces outside the city are seeing all-time highs in demand. It is estimated that the majority of businesses that have most of their employees commuting into the city are exploring flexible workspace options in the suburbs. This could be another nail in the coffin of cubical working, but also a bright new chapter for the coworking industry’s future as it could see more clients in the rural areas and hence expansion.
Ultimately, for Digital Nomads, the world truly is your oyster. Despite the ups and downs, today the distance between countries appears smaller and differences between time-zones appear shorter, allowing for a flexible and global workforce.
Thank you, Andrew, for taking the time to give us your insights into the life of a Digital Nomad and walking us through the significance of modern Coworking. If you are curious for more of Andrew’s insights, visit Remote Tribelife.
Looking for more? Click here to find out if your skills are up to date for the future of work and click here to learn more about how 2020 has changed remote working forever, and finally stop by here for our top 5 picks for new trends in Coworking.
Don’t want to miss a thing? Sign up for our monthly newsletter on our homepage (look out for the blue banner on top), or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. We love to welcome you there.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
Discover 'Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces’ by Coworkies
If you follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn, then you might have come across our post announcing a new feature we are a part of which we’re particularly proud of. This is the brand new coffee table book project: ‘Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces’ by Coworkies.
What makes it special? The unique book project about coworking, community & design, represents Coworking in all its capacity on a global scale; showcasing a personal journey around the world of modern workspaces. With a purpose to “inspire the curious, give knowledge to the seekers and encourage the indecisive”, the book is carefully curated with stories of people, spaces and products that are actively transforming the workspaces of today.
Our readers know of our admiration for Coworking and the community who stands for its values. 'Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces’ offers a comprehensive understanding of the diverse coworking world. A guide of how people build new work environments through collaboration, interior design and community activities.
Read on to find out more about the book, its conception and makers, and our involvement in the project.
Why make a book about coworking spaces
For Dimitar Inchev and Pauline Roussel, Co-founders of Coworkies, travelling and visiting coworking spaces has become a way of life. A journey sparked from pure curiosity in 2015, led to a movement and collective that would redefine the significance of coworking and all it has to offer.
From Milan to Barcelona, London and then onto the next (eventually reaching a total of 82 cities), it became clear that Coworking looked different across the map, each with its own culture and reasoning in the respective city. This led to a saying they often use now to describe this:
“Coworking is the same dish that everyone cooks differently”
As of today Dimitar and Pauline have visited more than 250 coworking spaces in 82 cities around the globe.
After accumulating in-depth findings, statistics and surveys of their experiences, and contributing to a variety of leading publications, the pair were often told the phrase: “You should write a book!”.
The rest is history and has resulted in the book project which we crossed paths with.
“The main reason was to welcome people to join us in the journey of meeting the coworking people of the world and hear the stories of their spaces.” - Dimitar Inchev and Pauline Roussel
Ultimately, the purpose is to inspire the general public to learn more about these innovative spaces, for coworking professionals to inspire each other, and to offer readers a valuable, collectable book with information that cannot just be googled.
Where SALTO and our technology comes in
'Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces’ has 350 pages of inspiration, interiors and stories of people who started and grew coworking, coliving, makerspaces and flexible workspaces, allowing communities to thrive at work in different corners of the world.
Among these pages, was a platform offered to us to contribute our findings as a technology provider and thought leader: Designing an experience around access control systems in Coworking spaces.
This can be done by simplifying operations, connecting to existing management tools and growing coworking communities together, thereby creating a unique journey for a visitor, owner, or manager of a coworking space.
Access control systems are not typically the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Coworking, yet they are also a constant variable when it comes to these spaces.
In the book, we unravel our motto: “Old ways won’t open new doors”. Put simply, access can be smartly managed and controlled. This is explained by Sales & Business Development Manager of Coworking at SALTO Systems, Christian Schmitz who says in a small excerpt taken from the book:
“The new way of living and working has changed based on the decision-making level and has turned into rethinking concepts. Coworking spaces are based on a really customer-centric approach. What does it mean for us and for access control systems? Being able to provide data which allows applications to improve the customer experience.” - Christian Schmitz, Sales & Business Development Manager of Coworking at SALTO Systems
Where you can find the book and bring it to your coffee table
As of a week ago, the book was launched by Coworkies and is available for pre-order via a Kickstarter campaign that has nearly reached its goal!
Have a look at the campaign to discover how you can back the project and get involved!
For more information, don’t miss the Instagram Live interview below hosted by Pauline, interviewing Christian on SALTO to learn more about access control systems and how they can transform the overall experience in a coworking space for operators and for members.
Thank you, Pauline and Dimitar for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us in this passion project which reflects the world of Coworking in all its forms. We are honoured to play a small part in this project with huge significance.
Looking for more on Coworking? Click here to find out if your skills are up to date for the future of work and click here to learn more about how 2020 has changed remote working forever, and finally stop by here for our top 5 picks for new trends in Coworking.
Don’t want to miss a thing? Sign up for our monthly newsletter on our homepage (look out for the blue banner on top), or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. We love to welcome you there.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
Transform tenant experience with the SALTO KS and Spaceflow Integration
Spaceflow: making smarter buildings
Seamless access and movement between buildings where you may live or work are key in curating the best possible tenant experience. Spaceflow, is the integral puzzle piece who can make this happen, delivering software and community engagement services to landlords and building operators across the globe.
How do they achieve this? By combining the physical and digital in order to elevate the experience for occupants; connecting local services, smart building features, and community life in offices and residential buildings, all in a single app. This includes offerings from any local service, like restaurants or wellness providers, booking meeting rooms, receiving news about the building and local events, and of course using the right access control system. This is where SALTO KS steps in.
We spoke with Head of Marketing at Spaceflow, Petr Boruta who has been with the company for more than 3 years. He says, “It has truly been great to see the progress from the very beginning and our first implementation to where we are now with 100+ buildings launched. Our product, the team and the company as a whole have since developed tremendously.” In this blog post, Petr discusses all things Spaceflow and gives us insight into the integration with SALTO KS.
The team behind Spaceflow
Spaceflow app: how it works
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Spaceflow:
Could you please introduce your company to our readers?
Spaceflow’s mission is to empower landlords to create the best tenant experience possible across their portfolios on a global scale.
Spaceflow was created to make buildings smarter and more community-oriented. Through our mobile app and community engagement program, we offer a single link connecting building services, amenities, smart building features, and community, all in one place.
Today, landlords‘ top priority is to minimize vacant space whilst increasing asset value. We solve this problem by boosting tenant loyalty with customized programming and enhanced tenant experiences, effectively increasing tenant satisfaction and retention.
Spaceflow can be summed up as “Your building in one app”. How does the app achieve this?
Spaceflow connects local services, smart building features, and community life in offices and residential buildings which improves integration, collaboration and simplifies daily life.
The app itself has four core modules: smart technology, such as touchless access systems that we integrate from partners like SALTO KS, communication from the landlord and building management via the newsfeed, ticketing and messaging, access to services, amenities and bookings, and finally the possibility to get to know your community better– via events (even virtual!), news from other occupants and neighbours and community sharing.
Simply put, Spaceflow fills that missing gap between you and the building you work or live in.
The Spaceflow engagement program
Community engagement seems to be a vital component of Spaceflow’s offering. Could you share more about the Spaceflow Engagement Program and efforts to drive tenant experience?
We always strive to build communities in which tenants can thrive, by integrating an effective engagement program with the help of our experienced community team. In order for landlords to meet the surging demand for smart solutions and community, we craft experiences for tenants in various shapes and sizes, both on and offline. This means working side by side with clients during the adoption process, organizing regular success meetings, and in-depth training, followed by a tailored marketing strategy and campaign to raise awareness, engagement, and adoption prior to launch.
Once Spaceflow is live, our community team can help with anything from organizing launch events, pop/ups, finding local offers and perks, and tailoring timely, relevant, and engaging content for your community.
The Spaceflow mobile and web app
“We recognize that in a time of increased disconnectedness and loneliness in society at large, it is now more important than ever before to utilize technology as a way to build bridges between people, emphasizing the great need for a community-oriented approach to life in order to motivate optimal tenant health and well-being.” - Petr Boruta, Head of Marketing at Spaceflow
Buildings' digital layer
What is the role of Spaceflow with respect to building management and tenants respectively?
Spaceflow is here to help the building operator or owner with managing the whole building-tenant and building-occupier relation. Today, buildings need to have a digital layer as well as a community engagement strategy in place in order to differentiate from the competition and appeal to tenants.
We also help our clients manage the value of their space by providing data for more precise decision making and enable additional revenue from all transactions by providing their building as-a-service for tenants to enjoy.
Integration of Spaceflow and Salto KS
How does the integration of Spaceflow with SALTO KS benefit the end-users?
Seamless building-access and movement are one of the key cornerstones in creating the best possible tenant experience. The integration of SALTO KS as a provider of digital access control, and Spaceflow as a tenant experience platform, enables just that. Building occupiers can now use the tenant experience app in their mobile phones to unlock doors throughout the building they live or work in.
What would you like to see for the future of this integration with Salto KS?
The next step for our integration is to allow administrators to manage Salto KS users through the Spaceflow admin console and thus reduce the number of apps they have to use on a daily basis.
Thank you, Petr and the rest of the team at Spaceflow, for giving our readers an in-depth understanding of your solutions, products, and services, as well as your view on the future of technology in optimizing tenant experience. We look forward to seeing this unfold, and are equally excited for the future of our partnership.
For more on Spaceflow, you can visit their website here, request a demo, or have a look at their official blog.
If you want to learn more about our KS Connect partners, explore our integration page. To read more about SALTO KS, click here or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest product features, team updates and news from the industry.
SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control systems are easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!
