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In 2012, Dragos Roua launched an event called Open Connect. Using Starbucks as a platform, Dragos transformed the coffee shop into an environment that nurtured connection, where individuals could communicate and give feedback to one another. According to Dragos, this type of environment was missing in Romania, and this was an attempt to change the scene.

Yet, even though the coworking structure was pretty much non-existent at the time, a lot of people showed up, leading to 4 more years of meet ups and eventually in 2014, Connect Hub was born. We caught up with Dragos to learn more about Romania’s coworking growth.

Hi, Dragos. Please tell us a bit more about the story of the initial meet up leading to the birth of Connect Hub.

When I launched the first event in 2012, I wanted to create an environment where people would easily give feedback to each other, something which was lacking at that time in the online scene and, to some extent, still is. To my surprise, a bunch of people showed up, and over the last 4 years, a community of more than 5000 people grew around the event.

In addition to a community, a lot of business started to happen between them, from partnerships, clients exchange, service exchange. It was a vibrant community and in 2014 2 angel investors helped us to make Connect Hub a reality. Today, the coworking space has grown beyond the initial community, although we still have Open Connects each Thursday.

What are some of your other projects you are working on connected to the space?

I have written a book, titled: “Being A Digital Nomad“, which tells the story of Open Connect.

How familiar are people with coworking spaces in Romania? 

Connect Hub was actually the third coworking space in Bucharest to open and since 2014 at least 10 more have opened.

Did people embrace the concept ? Or were there some challenges in the beginning? 

I would say the concept was very well received. The first hub was opened in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2012 that things really picked up, so it took some time.

Dragos Roua, Connect Hub

What kind of community do you foster?

We are a generalist hub. Everybody who has a business can come to work and enjoy the community. We have e-commerce consultants, public speaking coaches, raw vegan fast food owners, programmers, web designers, marketers, professional photographers.

Would you say that Connect Hub played a role in changing people’s opinions about coworking in the region?

Coworking was already a reality when Connect Hub launched. Our presence may have been accelerated the adoption of the phenomenon and also contributed to the launch of other, more specialized, hubs.

Are there more spaces popping up and do you yourself collaborate with them? 

Yes, we have many hubs opening. Although because of the hype, the concept was somehow diluted. For example, if you have some office space to rent, then it is understood as being cool to name yourself a “hub”. But, sometimes we do collaborate with other coworking spaces.

If so, what are some of your projects that involve connecting the Romanian community with the greater European one?

There is a Romanian Association of Coworking Spaces in the works right now, and Connect Hub is one of the co-founders of that association. Things are moving a bit slow at the moment, but eventually, we’ll get there.

Are there any specific struggles in Romania, economically and socially that coworking can help to alleviate? Can you give some examples, if so? 

As a matter of fact, Romania had the highest GDP growth in Europe, which was at 5% in 2016 and it’s expected to keep that position in 2017 as well, with a 3.2% growth.

But, coworking is still in its nascent stages, so there is a lot of room to grow. There is potential for many wonderful things to happen, and the most important among them may be the apparition of the first real incubation / acceleration programs centered around the reality of Romanian economy and culture.

Is there an increasing freelance population in Romania? If so, why do you think that is and do you think it is positive?

Yes, freelancing is becoming quite popular. While I salute the trend, I don’t see it necessarily as a good thing, because I am more interested in the next level of freelancing, which is entrepreneurship. We’re still experiencing a lot of short-comings in this area, as freelancing is not very conducive to economic growth in the long term in the way that entrepreneurship can be.

Currently, the mindset is still frozen, and that is something that has to change in the coming years.

Has coworking in Romania helped other business sectors improve/become more innovative, such as real estate?

Not necessarily real estate, but for consultants, it has been an interesting and innovative way to expand their business.

Like many coworking projects, Copass was created out of necessity. Three years ago the coworking membership program, that now has a network of 700 plus individuals and companies around the globe, was born. Since the majority of Copass founders have been involved in the coworking movement since its very beginning, creating a network came naturally. With friends and fellow coworking space owners all over the world, it seemed natural to develop a way for people, not just digital nomads, to easily work from any of the numerous unique spaces around the world.

Sophie Ozdzinski, one of the four Copass founders, spoke with us about what it means to be professional in a time where we can work from anywhere.

Hi, Sophie. Can you please tell us a bit more about what Copass offers to coworkers? 

Today we are capable of working from anywhere.  Our platform offers freelancers, independents, digital nomads and remote workers the ability to work everywhere. This is the freedom to work across the street, across town, across the country or across an ocean, today. For companies, this flexibility means to go global. We offer startups and firms an elegant solution to their low-overhead, high-flexibility workplace needs. This is the simplicity of one worldwide membership to hundreds of spaces, today.

We still have a lot to achieve and a lot of exciting features to develop – with our recurrent question: Does it make the access to coworking communities easier for our members?

How did you realize that there was real digital nomad community developing that would allow for a platform like Copass to be successful?

Well, when we started Copass we didn’t even focus on the digital nomad community. There actually wasn’t even a name for this community. We’ve developed Copass to answer a need we already had ourselves, and we guessed that there would be more and more people willing to travel and work at the same time. We were right on this prediction!

Copass Camp

Our focus is on everyone who needs flexible and enjoyable places to work from. The majority of our users actually use different spaces in the same city and aren’t digital nomads per say. Some do use it in many countries, but this is just a part of our users. We want to facilitate mobility at work and this is not limited to digital nomads.

That being said, the digital nomad community definitely exists today and it keeps on growing at an impressive rate. As a team, are part of this amazing community. We’ve met many people from this movement during the camps we’ve been organizing around the globe. Our camps act as temporary coliving/coworking communities based out of cool places like Lisbon, the Canary Islands, San Francisco, Bali and more…

Copass has been active long enough to see the coworking community grow and change. What are some of the major changes that have taken place?  

Soon after we launched Copass, we took part in the Digital Nomad (DNX) Conference in Berlin. Since then, we’ve attended the event multiple times. The last one for us was in Bangkok. The kind of people attending those events has clearly changed a lot over the years. We went from a vast majority of people dreaming of being digital nomads to a vast majority of people actually living the digital nomad lifestyle. We went from an idea to a reality.

That being said, there are different breeds of digital nomads. Some stay more than 6 months in each place and some only stay for a few days or weeks. Some travel full time, others only travel 3 months or less a year. Some have a place they call home, some don’t. What they all share is a desire to explore new places while getting some work done and having the flexibility to work anywhere.

Sophie Ozdzinski

As for statistics, it’s hard to find to find concrete ones concerning the movement. Digital Nomads are hard to define, as they are scattered over the globe and they are pretty independent people who aren’t in a permanent state. I am convinced the vast majority of digital nomads will only be full-time nomads for a small time in their lives. Probably somewhere between 1 and 5 years. At some point, people can get a bit tired of the loneliness or might want to settle down and have a family. Right now, it’s still pretty complicated to combine family and nomadism, although some people do it, it’s still very niche.

Overall, growth in the digital nomad movement is mainly something we all feel and experience, not something that produces concrete numbers. It’s definitely something that would help the movement.

In your opinion, why are coworking spaces so important to the development of remote professional communities?

When you work remotely, you can quickly suffer from loneliness and procrastination. In fact, loneliness and isolation are by far the number 1 problem that digital nomads report. That explains why camps like Copass have been so successful. It’s the best of both worlds.

Working from a coworking space helps remote workers to meet new people, and get their work done in a stimulating environment. Coworking spaces are fantastic gateways to new places where you can quickly meet like-minded people from around the world speaking several languages.

What are some of the current demands of digital nomads today?  

The digital nomad movement is at a stage where the term is now being taken seriously. It is intriguing to a lot of people. Some are in a more traditional job and dream of becoming nomads, some run large companies and can see the trend of nomadism and remote work.

How have they created a standard for remote work?

I believe digital nomadism and remote work can be a real chance for companies, especially those who struggle to recruit and retain talents in the younger generation, to grow. From our experience, and for many millennials, being offered the opportunity to work anywhere, at least part time, is a huge advantage. Some say it also is a good way to cut real estate costs for companies, but most of the time new types of expenses like company retreats will diminish this advantage.

What do you see as the potential workplace norm for the majority of employees in the future?

The problem with the word Digital Nomad is that it doesn’t reflect the big trends behind this movement. Not everybody can / wants to / will be a digital nomad. The big trend is that today a lot of work can be done from anywhere on a laptop as efficiently if not more than in a traditional office. This is the real new thing.

Whether people choose to travel the world, settle in the countryside, work from the local café, keep on going to the office is another story. We simply cannot ignore this new fact and organization and individuals can choose to redefine the way they work with this in mind. Offices will stay, but their form will change to match this new reality. Digital Nomadism is simply an extreme and very visible part of this massive change.

The digital nomad community has been criticized as only catering to a more elite class of workers. Do you think that there is a way that remote work could be available to more people? 

Becoming a remote worker is not so much a question of prices or revenues, it’s more a question of mindset and opportunities. All professions can’t be done abroad and some never will be. For example, the fact that being a digital nomad is expensive is a total myth. In fact, most nomads are nomads because the money they earn can afford them a much better lifestyle in Bali than in Paris or NYC. With 1500€ in Bali, you can live a very comfortable life, whereas you’ll struggle in Paris.

The limiting factor for digital nomadism is more about who CAN be a nomad, meaning who has the profession and freedom that allows it, and who WANTS to be a nomad. Not everybody wants this lifestyle.

After many years of working around the world, Joe Griston joined freelancer.com as the Director of People & Talent. For the last 3 and a half years, Joe has been responsible for all HR and Recruitment operations globally at one of the biggest job finding portals for freelancers. In this time, Freelancer.com has grown to have 500 staff in 7 offices across the globe.

After moving back to his hometown of London earlier this year, Joe is now focusing on the growing user numbers and operations in Europe. We spoke with Joe about how freelancer.com is changing the way freelancers find work, but also about how these digital platforms will greatly contribute to overall innovation and growth in Europe’s professional landscape.

Hi, Joe. Many freelancers today use online platforms to find work. Since there are so many out there, how does Feelancer.com provide results and also protection for independent workers?

Our freelancer profile pages act as an effective CV, but one that provides thorough and detailed metrics to promote the freelancer’s skills, abilities and past successes to potential employers. Traditionally, a freelancer’s CV will say they are ‘hard working’, ‘dynamic’ and ‘good at solving problems’, but these words actually prove nothing. But, our metrics do. It is up to the freelancer to make sure these metrics are as strong as possible, which in turn allows for greater results in being hired.

We also have similar metrics for employers, ensuring security in every way possible. Our desktop app tracks hours worked and we also recommend using our Milestone Payment System, which gives payments to freelancers throughout their work rather than just upon completion of the project.

You are based in London. Why do you think that the freelance community in London is not only growing but also thriving when compared to less successful communities around Europe?

The gig economy is upon us and England and London are very expensive places to live. However, average salaries in these areas have not increased in the same way rent and living costs have. Therefore, we have a number of freelancers also in full-time employment who earn money to supplement their existing income. We also have a number of freelancers who started this way and quickly realised that they can earn more money than provided by their regular traditional employment. They also saw that earning money in this way and being your own boss was a far better lifestyle for them when compared to the 9-5 grind.

This is one of many reasons why London and the UK and growing in numbers, however, I do not think there are any unsuccessful freelancer communities in Europe. This is a solution for everyone and growing in all regions. We facilitate the connection to employers from all over the planet, this greater choice of work benefits everyone.

Do you believe freelancers need a community, like a coworking space, to help them grow? 

It depends on the freelancer. We have many who are working remotely, with the likes of companies like Udacity, etc. Thus the wealth of the world’s knowledge is now online, allowing anyone to learn and up-skill themselves. Their social situation or cultural background may prohibit any other form of work. However, teams of freelancers can be very happy physically working together and that is why coworking spaces are now all over every major city around the world.

Joe Griston

Also, many communities in London support themselves, not only in working together but in how to grow a successful business and then become employers of freelancers themselves. Barely a day goes by where I am not visiting a coworking space and the communities here are very supportive to one another. The choice of how to work has never been greater. Studies vary, most claim 50% of all workers should be completing some form of freelance work by 2020.

What does this mean for the future of work?

It means that platforms like freelancer.com are the future of work. How do you get a job by sending in a text CV that sits in a pile of 300 other CV’s on someone’s desk? Trying to get a job in a big corporation in a big city is far harder than trying to get a job on freelancer.com. Technology allows us to work together in a far greater capacity than ever before.

Do you believe that an increase in freelance workers overall is better for innovation and professional progress? If so, why?

Yes. Imagine that you are a small business and you would like a logo designed. Do you employ a full-time graphic designer permanently that you can’t really afford? Do you allow yourself to be pitched by a design agency for enormous amounts of money? No, it would be better for you to  post a contest on freelancer.com and have greater choice and knowledge about with who and how you want to collaborate. Working together with freelancers in this way allows business to grow and makes room for greater flexibility on how to spend your revenue.

Also, we have seen a number of businesses now totally operate on freelancer.com. The product is designed, the website created, the SEO and sales all arranged and completed online. The only limit to work in this way is your imagination. You mentioned professional progress, and this is an example of how to help both the employer and freelancer to work in a far greater capacity. To illustrate the scale of working successfully, we, for example, partner with NASA, who use us to aid in space exploration. So, freelance platforms are not just for low-paying small job. High quality and well-paying work is everywhere. This is the absolute future of work.

It’s no surprise that there are now several active coworking spaces in the Canary Islands. The combination of scenic beauty and the relaxed and warm local culture is not only perfect for a vacation but attracts more and more digital nomads and freelance professionals. One of the most international spaces is CoworkingC, based in Las Palmas. The small yet vibrant space aims to build an international community while also changing work culture in the region.

CEO and local, Nacho Rodriguez is working to create positive change in the community via CoworkingC as well as strengthening the position of the Canary Islands as an international hotspot.

Hi, Nacho. Can you please tell us a bit about your history with coworking and also about CWC’s history?

CoworkingC  started two years ago, first as an office space to host a spin-off of the IT department from one of our companies. Eventually, it turned out to become an international workspace, which currently hosts local entrepreneurs and digital nomads that are working remotely from Las Palmas. We pivoted heavily during the process and keep learning and trying to improve every day.

You are very involved in the coworking community. As the moment has developed substantially over the years, what observations have you made? 

In my opinion, the coworking market is starting to mature. After some years of substantial growth, it is now starting to become more sustainable and at the same time it keeps growing. It’s remarkable, the fact that some administrations start regulating their public offer in order to avoid unfair competition with the private sector, which has been a problem in the past.

What are some of the most exciting and novel directions you see coworking moving?

I am very enthusiastic about all the transcendent changes that go along with the coworking movement. Remote Work, Distributed companies, Coliving, and Digital Nomads are all changing the way we understand work, collaboration, and human interaction.

From these observations do you see coworking as a viable option for the standard office space, or do you think it’s better to have coworking remain as an alternative option, in order to preserve more community-oriented models?

In my opinion, coworking must be part of the DNA of a company or business. But, I don’t see this work philosophy in many sectors just yet. While it is rapidly evolving as more and more people realize the benefits of coworking, some sectors will most likely remain traditional.

We all know the Canary Islands are beautiful and are also rapidly attracting digital nomads. What percentage of your community is comprised of nomadic workers?

70% of our community are digtal nomads that arrive attracted by the weather and beauty of the Canary Islands. They also decide to stay longer when they realize that we have much more to offer than just the beach and sunshine.

How do you accommodate their needs and help them integrate?

The official language at CWC is English, although we encourage our visitors to learn Spanish, which helps long-term visitors to fully integrate with that local community.

Nacho Rodriguez

We also recently activated a coliving center to help facilitate our visitors integrate, and also help in finding them affordable housing in an efficient and flexible way. We also organize Meetups and events to accelerate the generation of value within our community.

What impact does a more internationalized community have on the locals, and is coworking responsible for this international wave?

Our market is fairly small, and opportunities for locals scarce. Having an international community allows locals to have a broader perspective on the global market and also gives them the chance to access new opportunities, while also helping them to improve their English skills.

Currently, some of our local members are working abroad with other international coworkers, taking advantage of the Erasmus+ programs and enjoying a great personal experience.

You describe your space as intimate and personal.

Intimacy allows us to cover the personal needs of our visitors, offering a much better value proposition than bigger networks. As long as we manage to provide effective networking and opportunities to our members, we believe we provide a better service than larger spaces .

Our maximum capacity is 25 people. We believe that there are many advantages of having a small space. Although we do understand that smaller in size makes is more difficult to become profitable. Currently, we are planning to expand, not in size, but rather in the number of spaces across the Canary Islands. We are also thinking to expand internationally as well.

Daftar was inspired by a trip taken by Suleman Fatimie, the space’s founder after a trip to New York City when he visited a friend’s space in the city. 7 months ago, Daftar opened its doors and since then the waiting list has grown while also inspiring a wave of socially oriented projects.

We caught up with Syed Kamal to learn more about the future of coworking in Afghanistan.

Hi, Syed Kamal. Can you tell us a bit about what kind of community you have grown so far and are they mostly freelance or do they work for established companies?

Mostly they are working for companies, who don’t have an established office. They are new businesses and startups that tried to work at home or in other spaces, but they were in need of a more sophisticated work environment. Of course, we want to cater to freelancers and even foreigners, but that will take some time for us to generate that type of community.

Tell us about the clients you have so far and is there much demand for the space?

In the coworking space, we have several clients. We have members from the Microsoft the others we have Environment Watch Afghanistan (EWA), a social movement started in Kabul environmental issues, we have founder’s institute businesses and starts ups to function in Kabul they provide advice we have given the desk and we have graphics branding technology for the Center for excellence. We also have given space, free of charge, to the Kabul model of united nations which we provide them space for free.

What are some of the challenges startups and freelancers face? And, how can coworking help them overcome these obstacles?

There are few reasons that workers need to find a space where they can work in peace, which isn’t readily available in Afghanistan. Daftar provides much needed professional amenities, such as a fully equipped space, which is also a very secure office.

In addition to the physical space, we are all professionals who have been running the ACE for the 3 ½ years, we can also offer much-needed advice to our clients along the way, helping them to grow their business and customer base.

What can you say about the security in Kabul?

Security is a big concern for many professionals in Afghanistan, especially when you are in the initial growth stages. Offering a secure physical space is essential for young business and entrepreneurs in order for them to host their clients as well as meetings.

We always make sure to keep a low profile to ensure a safe and professional environment. And since security is so important, it is also part our competitive edge, allowing our members the freedom do business smoothly and professionally.

Do you think coworking could help relieve some of the stresses caused by job losses and financial strains in your country?

Unemployment is high and as result freelancing and startups are something people are starting to explore. I wouldn’t say that everyone is exploring freelancing but many of them are because they have no other way. Another problem is that currently our government is not very structured and while there could be employment opportunities available, it could take another 5 years for people to actually get hired.

In terms of relieving these stresses, I would also say that coworking can give people the chance to reach global markets, I can tell you people are interested, and they get a chance to connect and grow through digital communities.

As coworking is quite new in Afghanistan, what was the initial response to the space?

Trust in Afghanistan is a big part of working together. Many businesses are family based, so it’s all interconnected, and much of the trust built is through face to face interactions. At the Center for Excellence our team is established and very well known in the community, so people know that we are trustworthy.

A major challenge for freelancers is that their idea might be taken from them, as is common when people are introduced to new styles of working and collaboration. As we are known to support individual and intellectual rights, we make freelancers feel safe and supported. Thus, as a result, the response to Daftar has been great. And, we can see now from emails and requests that people are more and more interested. The trust is there and it’s mainly because we built a trustworthy hands-on community. This local connection has also helped the word spread internationally.

Do you expect more coworking spaces to pop up now that you have laid the foundation?

I don’t see any immediate competition in the future. In Kabul, maintaining security and space can be expensive, and people would have to pay around 600 per month. We currently offer space for around 175 a month.

We have also offer our community a certain exclusivity. We allow them to work together, sit together creating their own community, but at the same time, we are always available to help. In this way, we are only of the only workspaces that make room for this type of organic professional growth.

In the future would you be willing to collaborate with other spaces, or offer them advice?

Yes, we absolutely believe in growing with others in whatever way we can. Our knowledge is still in the early stages, but the idea to start a coworking space was already there 2 years ago.

We believe in constructive competition, and if a project will have a positive impact we are always willing to help. Some advice that we could already offer is helping other space identify their market and locations. In our space, we support out members and provide them space, while also giving them the chance to become out clients. This experience has given us experience in providing strategic resources and we understand that business in Afghanistan needs that information in order to expand their opportunities.

Do you see coworking as a platform that could push for positive change in Afghanistan?

I would say Afghanistan is new to a few things. There are so many issues within the country that it can be difficult for professional to have access to opportunities and the coworking space model is still developing here. But, we actually already see that social initiatives are taking place in a big way.

For example, we have one client working on environmental issues and they had an open call for everyone to participate in the event, which was a social gathering focused on discussing how can we conserved water, electricity, air pressure, and everyone was discussing the issues and everyone was contributing. It was wonderful to see. We also were joined by media and several civil society organizations.

How important is social responsibility for Daftar?

We are of course business, but we believe deeply in social responsibility and I happy to say our clients and model allows for social change. We see a lot of giving back to society.

We offer one of our clients, the Kabul model of United Nations, space free of charge, and this also contributes to our community as we have the privilege of being a part of such positive social movements We see the future value in offering services that don’t necessarily have to generate profit right away.

We also have an initiative that called “Don’t let good food go to waste” where we go to wedding halls who at as our social partners and when there is a wedding we go and take the good food which is healthy and fresh and used by the guests and we take them this food to the less privileged community in Kabul. We have been doing this for the past 5 months. In addition to that project, we have a similar one, which is a winter initiative aimed to help the less privileged, especially for those who run their business on the streets, where we bring warm clothing. There are all projects that we believe in giving back to the socially and creating a like-minded community that will grow and be sustainable in the future.

The Latin American coworking scene is growing. 6 Years ago Urban Station coworking  was founded in Buenos Aires and has since then continued to strengthen its leadership position in the Latin American coworking market. With 10 Latin American locations,including Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, the coworking franchise plan to expand to the USA and Canada.

Urban Station has also embraced corporate coworking, and has signed agreements with companies like Heineken, Motorola, Samsung, Microsoft, among others, with the aim to launch events and other networking opportunities for developing a market conducive to double-digit growth. We caught up with one of Urban Station’s founders, Florencia Faivich to find out more about Latin American coworking developments.

Hi, Florencia. Can you please tell us a bit about the Urban Station project and your role within the space?

We developed Urban Station to be aligned with our users’ needs. That was what motivated our four founders, Juan Pablo Russo, Marcelo Cora, Claudio Bisurgi and myself, to create this Project.

Coming from leadership positions in based in various corporations, our vision was to become the world’s first network for mobile workers, while also leading the development of the coworking movement in Latin America. Our business venture is one that unites modern design, every type of office service, a flexible system and the possibility of belonging to a like-minded community: these were all components of the initial setup’s “combo.”

As Urban Station is a network of spaces, what is the at the core value system of your network?

Our mission as a company, as stated by creator Juan Pablo Russo, is to democratize the office. We work every day to facilitate a daily office space for everybody. We don’t have memberships, we keep our doors open to all,  and our motto is “enjoy working differently”.

Can you tell us a bit more about the Argentinian coworking scene?

The scene has evolved over the years, developing and gaining followers every day . Today there are more than 60 spaces throughout the country and the movement just continues to grow. The growing trend not only adds customers from the independent world, but also companies of all kinds are also working in such spaces.

Today, coworking spaces are part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, which also involves universities, accelerators , organizations such as Endeavor and the National Government

What has been the impact Urban Station has had on the community?

Urban Station Coworking

Our proposal was well received in the market and we installed a different concept in the coworking market. Our flexible format allows our clients to use our spaces to work or meet differently by the time each one needs.

Our pillars include flexibility, cutting-edge design, and networking. So far, our concept has been very well received by both local and international press

Has there been a rise of freelancers in Argentina due to the economic crisis?

The economic crisis has been here for the last ten years, so the rise of freelancers is not only related to that issue. It’s more related to global trends that include a new generation of objectives sparked by the Y and Z generations, are more related to freedom in the workplace as opposed to the more corporate model.

Have freelancers, like in some other countries, been criticized for not having a “normal job” and has that improved?

Not at all. Being a freelancer is considered to be normal here. There have been and still are a lot of success stories regarding entrepreneurs and independent workers.

Are there still challenges for self-employed individuals?

Yes, of course. One of the big ones is being able to maintain stability. People here are open to working on different projects, so they manage at the end of the day. They are also open to finding solutions in order to maintain financial stability, by combining different things. Yet, like many places, we need more laws and benefits that will protect independent workers as well as the market.

And what are the benefits of having a franchise model, rather than a singular space?

The franchise model allowed us to expand quickly, inside and outside of Argentina. Today, we currently have branches in Argentina, Chile, Colombia , Mexico and Egypt and for the users, it gives them access to a wide network and this is key for them to develop their activities and skill sets. Today, work includes mobility in many cases, so to offer our members a network is a huge advantage.

What types of members do you typically host?

Our audience is very heterogeneous. From freelancers to startups, as well as designers, journalists, architects, consultants, human resources experts, web designers, and translators. Our spaces are also home to various companies of all sizes that use our meeting rooms, auditoriums, and access programs.

Do you have any corporations that also use Urban Station? If so, why do they choose to cowork?

Yes, there are several companies who choose to work with us for different reasons. For example, they use coworking as a way to install part of their teams for special assignments.

Flexibility and economic advantages introduce them to the space and thus they share it with other entrepreneurs who nurture their creativity and spirit by working together. We also have developed different programs for companies on top of our offer of a remote office for their employees

Can you elaborate on the “Your office will follow you” program?

We have changed the paradigm. People spend a significant amount of time in their office, so we are trying to make a more dynamic work environment by creating different spots, kind of like subway stations so that the office can follow you wherever you choose to go. Our business model allows to spontaneous work of meetup area whenever and wherever our corporates clients want it.

You offer transition spaces. Have you ever had cases where a company would rent on a flexible basis and decide to join Urban Station as members?

Yes, it happens often. Many companies come to work on a project, but would prefer to extend, which is not always possible. Thus, enjoy the space, the environment, flexibility and good energy that is generated!

Finding a place to work in a major metropolis like New York City can be a challenge and an expensive one at that. At first glance, options may seem limited, but if you look a little closer, maybe the perfect place to work was there all along. Preston Pesek, co-founder of Spacious Coworking, saw past property challenges and found that there was actually plenty of space, depending on how you look at it.

Setting up coworking spaces the City’s restaurants during the day, Spacious takes a novel approach to how we get the most out of urban landscapes. Realizing that many of these top eateries are pretty much empty until 5PM, until the after work rush, Spacious aims to combine business and pleasure.

Hi, Preston. What inspired you to start Spacious?

I have a background in commercial real estate. It was through this lens that I began to realize that beautifully furnished, street-level retail space, which often stays closed until 5:00pm or later, is actually some of the highest value property that has been programmed the least efficiently.

With the rise of an independent workforce, in the context of a technological culture where people can stay productive and connected from anywhere, the opportunity to tap into the potential of these under-used spaces quickly became obvious.

Does the coworking element offer any specific benefits to the restaurants, such as financial incentives?

Not only do we share our profits with our restaurant partners, but they also benefit from greater visibility through our digital marketing efforts. In addition to more exposure, the restaurants can also serve food and drinks to our members during the day as well if they want. In most cases, our partners are very excited about the opportunity to serve small plates during the day, and our members love it too.

How long do you occupy each restaurant? And, does the offer change after a certain time, or do you have a set network of restaurants ?

We open at 9:00am, and for anyone who lingers after the restaurant opens, can simply choose to stay and order from the menu, or from the bar. Most of our restaurant partners like to have a few early customers to jumpstart the evening.

When we add a new partner, we expect that it remains in the network through the remainder of the restaurant partner’s lease. The network grows over time, so we will be continually adding new locations, resulting in increasing network coverage in each city where we operate.

Coworking communities rely on their hosts to help members integrate and build community. Since your hosts aren’t with the coworkers for an extended period of time, is it harder for them to connect with members?

On the contrary, the hosts who greet and  help to check-in our members are dedicated Spacious employees, so they are there every day. They get to know our members quite well, and as they are with them throughout the day, they act as a friendly concierge and reception for both our members and their guests. All of our hosts know almost everyone by name, creating a friendly and hospitable experience.

Are these hosts already experienced coworkers or are they also new to the concept?

The Spacious hosts are a diverse mix of independent freelancers, theater and film actors, designers, etc. who understand the need for an affordable place to meet and work that also acts as a social space. Some of them are new to Spacious, of course (because we are new), but everyone already has previous knowledge and experience with coworking.

Who are your typical members? What are their professions? 

We have a diverse membership. We have independent designers, makers, and developers, as well as members of small to startup teams. We even have employees coming from larger organizations who have a “work from anywhere” corporate policy, who enjoy the fact that Spacious offers an experience that is more hospitable than the typical office.

Do they work from home, or are they also experienced coworkers?

Many of our members have also worked out of other coworking communities before joining us. The value of what we can offer, because of our unique business model, matched with high-touch quality experience, is something that sets us apart from many others in the space. Not many other coworking spaces can say that they are connected to a Michelin star kitchen.

What are some of the things that professionals in NYC need but doesn’t have access to through the established coworking networks?

Objectively, we solve the problem of finding a reliable network of places to host face-to-face meetings. While we don’t offer a permanent workstation where you can leave your computer overnight, we do offer a network of places where you can meet with others in a space suitable for any client, colleague, or friend. At Spacious you can choose to stay quietly productive at a table of your own, or engage in collaborative conversations in a space that is designed for social interaction.

Of course, you can also choose to stay quietly productive at a table of your own, or engage in collaborative conversations as we create an atmosphere designed for social interaction.

NYC has a lot of coworking spaces already, what did it take for you to realize a concept that would stand out and ultimately thrive amongst the competition?

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Grzegorz Drozd is a policy officer at the European Commission, DG GROW, focusing on topics such as internal markets, industry, entrepreneurship, and SMEs. Grzegorz is currently exploring the issue of industrial modernization in regards to new business models and the future of work in Europe. As coworking is increasingly taken seriously by local municipalities and governments, we wanted to see what the movement looks like through the lens of these initiatives, not just space owners and operators.

We caught up with Grzegorz to speak about the future of work in Europe and what some of the numbers tell us about the freelancing and coworking today.

Hi, Grzegorz. Can you please tell us about your work and some of your current projects?

In addition to working as a policy officer at the European Commission, I also explore non-technological innovations, concentrating on workplace innovation. I am in charge of the European Workplace Innovation Network, also know as EUWIN. Prior to working for the EU Commission, I worked in the Polish Ministry of Economy, focusing on innovation support systems, industrial & SME policy.

European Workplace Innovation Network (EUWIN) aims to animate and sustain workplace innovation within the EU. How exactly does the program focus their efforts?

EUWIN was launched in 2013 to improve the performance of organizations as well as the quality of jobs in a sustainable way. Today we are connected with more than 10,000 companies and other stakeholders, such as policymakers, trade unions, academic experts, al with whom we are sharing know-how and experience.

And what steps does EUWIN take towards increasing innovation in the workplace?

Some of the key elements of EUWIN:

• Distributes evidence on the benefits of modernizing the workplace and working conditions.
• Focuses on raising awareness via dedicated regional workshops and social media.
• Provides a valuable resource for managers and employee representatives through the Knowledge Bank.
• Is open to practitioners, social partners, policymakers, representatives of intermediary organizations, and others with an interest in the workplace.

As the concept of coworking is spreading, a majority of these networks are now located in Europe. Does the European Commission also consider coworking to be revolutionizing the workplace?

Coworking spaces can be a part of the solution aimed at making the best use of employee potential. In this context, they are part of the wider concept of workplace innovation.

In addition, workplace innovation can mean many things, such as a change in business structure, human resources management, relationships with clients and suppliers, or even the work environment itself. It improves motivation and working conditions for employees, which leads to an increase in labor productivity, innovation capability, market resilience, and overall business competitiveness.

All enterprises, no matter their size, can benefit from workplace innovation.

In addition to coworking spaces cropping up, the number of freelancers in Europe has dramatically increased in recent years. Does EUWIN, or the EC, look at ways to assist and protect remote workers?

New technologies have changed the way we live, consume and meet people. As the internet has changed our lives, the industrial internet is now transforming the way we work and produce. The digital revolution is happening, which of course affects employment.

In this context, the European Pillar of Social Rights was announced by President Juncker in 2015. The Commission put forward a first preliminary outline of the Pillar in March this year and a public consultation is open until 31 December 2016. The results will inform the final proposal, which will be presented early in 2017.

One of the main aims of the consultation is to reflect and propose answers to these new trends we are now seeing in work patterns, as well as our societies. It also looks at the challenges that they pose to employment and the welfare state, due to the impact of demographic changes, innovation, technological change and digitization.

What might be some of the ways that workplaces in the EU could accommodate the rising number of freelancers without taking advantage?

Alternative work arrangements, such as telecommuting or telework, freelance or independent professional (iPro) work, crowdsourcing and employment in the shared economy ultimately create jobs and new opportunities for the self-employed. By lowering entry barriers to service provision and to new forms of employment or activities this can be achieved.

However, there is a tension between new and emerging types of occupations and business models and the existing contractual arrangements that question the current definition of workers, both statistically and economically as well as legally. For instance, the dividing line between “worker” and “self-employed” is becoming more blurred, particularly in platforms within the collaborative economy. Platform work questions the identity and responsibilities of the platform/employer in triangular relationships with the service provider/employee and the customer. It questions the definitions of contracts and relationships, and their impact on undeclared labor.

Today there are many questions regarding this topic, such as the volume or duration of work, the capacity to identify the employers as well as the associated level of social protection, notably in terms sickness, unemployment, and pension benefits. This can raise legal uncertainty and insufficient information on the applicable regulations and rights. Almost one in two employees on permanent contracts receive training compared to 32% of employees with fixed-term contracts and 19% of self-employed.

All of those aforementioned issues need to be addressed in order to make a full use of the potential offered by alternative working arrangements.

Have freelancers and coworking spaces played a noticeable role in helping the EU become more professionally dynamic?

Under alternative work arrangements, workers are gaining more autonomy and improved work-life balance, but also inherit more responsibility to optimize their career paths. Decentralised, self-organised forms of work can also boost business development.

In addition, more strain and faster pace of change are likely to lead to higher stress levels, as well as psychological and mental health risks. In the future, work stress could be a major occupational health and safety. In order to counterbalance stress in strained work environments, increased worker autonomy and flexibility are key.

In general, what have been some of the changes you have seen in the current workforce, such as job growth etc. and what has been the biggest catalyst for positive change?

The employment situation in the EU is improving. We observe an increase of the overall employment rates, for both the EU and the Euro area, which is an increase representing 3 million more employed people in the EU than in 2015. Yet, the overall long-term unemployment rate has decreased by 0.6 pp compared to a year before and now makes up 4.3% of the labour force. This is the largest reduction since the first decline in long-term unemployment observed in 2014. In addition to these number, for the first time since the start of the economic recovery, the number of very long-term unemployed (unemployed over two years) dropped more drastically than the number of people long-term unemployed for less than two years.

Finally, there is also a continuous improvement and convergence amongst Member States regarding youth unemployment, which has also strongly decreased in the countries most affected by the crisis.

On the same note, what are some of the major issues that still need to be overcome? And do you think that coworking, for example, could act as a solution to these challenges?

The new industrial revolution will have a serious impact on our current social models. Automation and artificial intelligence will transform the way we work and produce. New types of employment are emerging. They impact standard job patterns, they transform the relationship between employers and employees, they revisit work organisation.

The overall impact of automation and artificial intelligence in regards to job quantity is unclear. Studies show that the net effect is expected to be positive, with more new jobs being created than being replaced. However, a reallocation of human resources to more productive uses will not happen automatically. The new jobs created will require different skills and competencies over those jobs that will eventually disappear. Without complementary action to prepare the workforce for the future, there is a risk of unsuitable skills, unemployment, and social tensions.

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Hungary’s first coworking space opened its doors in 2009, setting a new standard of work in the country, and since then, they’ve never looked back. Loffice, like most coworking spaces, wanted to create a space where people could come to work, connect and relax with access to knowledge and space sharing.

The first location opened in Budapest in a former printing house and since then they established five locations, 4 in Budapest and 1 in Vienna. And their work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Honored with various awards, such as the Young Entrepreneurs of the Year 2010, Green Office of the Year 2011, Coworking Office of the Year 2014, etc. Loffice has had a positive impact, not just in Hungary, but on the European coworking scene.

We spoke with Loffice’s cofounder, Kata Klementz, to learn more about Hungary’s scene and how they are actively bringing Europeans together through their various cross-border collaborations.

Hi, Kata. Can you please tell us a bit more about Loffice’s Mission?

We provide companies’ growing needs in-house resources, to make sure that they develop and expand by securing their constructed community. We also make sure to help individual entrepreneurs make connections to micro and mid-size ventures, as well as enforce their national and international presence.

We also host various events; the majority of these are primarily located in open space factory buildings, characterized by industrial design, recycled furniture, and environmental awareness as a way to integrate contemporary art into the work environment. We also offer a lot of other activities and thematic events, where community members can speak about their success and failures, as well as present best practices for young entrepreneurs, women, families, startups, mothers, migrants etc.

Can you tell us about some of the cross-border projects to come out of your space?

Our aim is to help entrepreneurs and startups with regular business consultancy and in-house training. With our “cross-border” programs and events, we provide professional support to companies who want to enter a new market. As part of our export advice activity, we provide professional support in the context of cross-border business.

We are also in partnership with an accelerator called OXO Labs and together we have a regional startup competition called CEE Lift Off. Our aim is to expand the domestic borders of the startup ecosystem and become a dominant market member in the CEE region.

In addition to those projects, we are also active members of the European Coworking Network project, which was started in August 2015.This project connects different coworking providers (from public, private and civil sector) in order to create diversified network and cooperation that aims to enhance and boost the self-employment possibilities of young people. It’s an effective tool for supporting entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on supporting young people who are interested in starting their own business. Our main goal with this project is to promote and inform young people about all the aspects of social entrepreneurship, as entrepreneurship is an important driver of economic growth and job creation.

All of these projects aim to show that coworking is the best platform to perfect start-up business ideas, by letting them grow in an inspirational environment, with a goal of sustainable growth.

What was your experience in the early stages of establishing a coworking space and when it came to introducing people to the concept?

At the time there wasn’t even a Hungarian expression for “coworking”. Our mission was to spread the word, explain the importance of this new way of working and make it available to help people better understand why it’s beneficial.

We have been involved in the launching of the European Coworking Assembly with coworking entrepreneurs and professionals who were looking to improve Europe’s economy and society via coworking. Another aim was to help and promote collaborative working to allow it to reach its full potential.

Hungary was hit hard during the financial crisis in 2008. What were the needs of people in Hungary at that time in regards to employment and jobs?

Declining exports reduced domestic consumption and fixed asset accumulation did hit Hungary hard. But we experienced a quick recovery and when the country’s GDP started to grow again, Hungarian businesses found their way out of the crisis.

In fact, Hungary and Budapest are considered to be the perfect home for self-employers and entrepreneurs. While multinational businesses do take up a significant amount of labor power, the current conditions are good for mid- and micro-sized ventures, in regards to investment, workforce and markets, national and international as well. From the coworking perspective, our aim was to motivate people and show them useful examples and best practices. We wanted to make entrepreneurship sexy for them!

Coworking spaces are the best channels to connect people and all types of professionals, these hubs for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and budding organizations are building the future economy by providing jobs and innovation. And this is exactly what people need to be able to move on from the crisis.

Today would you say that there are more freelancers in Hungary than before, and is it a term that’s generally accepted?

Yes, “freelancer” is a generally accepted term and also appreciated. These people are mostly working independently and have different reasons for freelancing, like freedom, flexibility, family, passion, or even because they can’t find a full-time employment. At Loffice there are definitely more freelancers than before.

Budapest considered one of Europe’s Startup capitals, can you give us some examples of how is it different from the other major cities like London and Berlin?

Budapest has changed a lot in the past years; for example, today innovation receives special attention and support. We can see that from the numerous accelerators that have launched and achieved great success. Hungary can show off several global successes in the startup scene, such as Ustream, Prezi, etc., which is something we are very proud of considering our population and economic conditions.

In addition to the new economy receiving support, Hungary has a lot of professionals with excellent qualifications and unique mindsets. Unfortunately, they still often leave the country. Hopefully, this will change, as Budapest is on the now at the top of the list of the world’s trendiest cities and you can really feel how incredibly vibrant the city has become. Today, we have multiple festivals and events, from musical, cultural, business, etc. There is a real sense of a newly developed freedom.

Do you feel that coworking communities in cities like Budapest are overlooked because of the attention given to bigger “tech capitals”?

I wouldn’t say that coworking communities are overlooked here. Moreover, they are the foundation that allowed Budapest to become such a tech and startup capital! We recommend everybody to experience coworking. It can really change the way people think about their job, entrepreneurship, sharing, and success. We want to encourage everybody to try coworking and open their world to new experiences, new approaches, knowledge, inspiration, and community.

What have been some of the major social, economic changes that have come about from the rise of coworking in Budapest?

The coworking concept has a major role in evolving sharing economy in Hungary. It encompasses many aspects of sharing in the world of working, such as space, ideas, experiences, costs, projects etc.

Coworking and sharing changes the way people think about working and their jobs, for both employers and employees. Today, Hungary is a good place to work and live, as the ecosystem is stabilizing and the new principles of employment are securing the rights and conditions for employees.

You also have a space in Vienna. Does having a space in another country help develop your vision as a coworking operator?

I lived and studied in Vienna for a time and got to know the city’s cultural and business scene. So when it came to expansion, Vienna was the obvious choice. One of our investors is also from Austria.

I really love Vienna because the business and public safety highly functional. It’s like a Swiss watch: Branded, durable, stylish, and prestigious. Being in Vienna always shows me new directions as well, and whenever I return home I am filled with fresh ideas. I have also noticed that is has helped with creating a positive change in willingness to cooperate with local organizations and businesses.

What do you see for the future of business in Hungary because of coworking’s influence?

Coworking is a very innovative concept. We believe that it holds the key to success for Hungarian businesses on the international scene. It’s all about sharing, cooperation, and community, and we believe that these are values that move forward not only our economy but our society as well.

A creative, intellectual atmosphere comes to life where workers can share their experiences, information, and knowledge with one another.

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As the coworking movement is built upon a collaborative foundation aimed at exchanging knowledge and resources, turning classrooms into coworking spaces seems to be a logical step, right? Well, not exactly.

Ryan Burwell, a former high school teacher, and dedicated coworker at the Center for Social Innovation in Toronto has given some serious thought to the topic. While he does believe that the two can go together, it won’t be as simple as setting up a coworking space in a classroom and expecting everything to go smoothly. We spoke with Ryan about some of the ways coworking can benefit education, without disrespecting the traditional classroom setting.

How coworking helps to reimagine education outside of the classroom

A high school teacher for 9 years, Ryan worked in alternative schools, which gave him plenty of room to experiment with different teaching methods. But after the financial crisis in 2008, many institutions that provided a more innovative approach to education were shut down. As governments around the world decided to take the barebones approach by slashing alternative programs, such as arts and music, these cutbacks also affected student’s ability to access resources and in many cases, also affected teacher salary. After Ryan’s school shut down, he found himself moving on to CSI coworking space in Toronto, to work with 21 Toys. He soon fell in love with coworking, and also began to realize how isolated he had been while in the classroom

“I wouldn’t go back to teaching,” explained Ryan, “and not because I didn’t absolutely love it, but what I realized after I became a coworker who was also exploring education outside of the classroom, was that you can get a lot more accomplished when you are a part of a more open network”. Ryan is now using coworking to better the educational experience, not just for students, but also for teachers. 21 Toys creates various tools and games to help teach kids of all ages how to be more open and collaborative. “A lot of my work still has to do with education, and the naturally collaborative environment in CSI really help identify how we can work with people in more isolated communities, like educators“.

Ryan continues to explain the way that we tend to easily identify the skills that you need to be creative dynamic communicators, but at the same time find difficulty putting into practice, and why the core of their work “is to give a tangible experience to these somewhat abstract skills.”

How to implement coworking within an established space

Ryan Burwell

When it comes to implementing the coworking model in more traditional settings like the classroom, Ryan is already two steps ahead, recently running experiments regarding coworking in classrooms, the most recent in collaboration with the Toronto catholic school board. “We set up challenges for the students that would push them to question how they view the classroom, and also to come up with solutions as to how they can help their teachers understand what we define as ‘21^st century skills’.”

In the spirit of coworking, the students came together from three different schools to meet and create natural connections by forming teams. They were then asked to propose various solutions to their teachers regarding how they could best implement collaboration and “coworking” in the classroom. “Like coworking, you can’t just force a change and expect results, so we experimented with different models which would then be practiced in between the meetups, which took place every three months or so leaving room for trust to build”, explains Ryan. “This experiment really aimed to tear down the walls, stick people together, and validate the experience have students work together while teachers get the chance to witness their student’s progress, and subsequently grow from this experience”

In addition to his work with 21 Toys, Ryan also works wth the MaRS Discovery District which “prepares students to become tomorrow’s leaders by providing K-12 teachers with the resources, networks, and mindsets
 to build 
a 
culture 
of
 entrepreneurship
 and 
innovation
 within
 their classrooms.” For Ryan his work with MaRS has been bolstered by his work with entrepreneurs, transferring these skills to teachers and ultimately students. “At it’s very center this project aims to push individuals to seek out others who think differently, and showing them ways that they can work together effectively, seeing differences and disagreements outside of a negative light, which is really an important skill for the future of work.”

Coworking as a solution to educating future workers

As startup and tech culture is on the tip of every other potential employer’s tongue, where does traditional education fit in?

“Schools and coworking spaces have different mandates that should be respected, but that doesn’t mean that the collaborative value system can’t be embedded into the day to day classroom experience,” says Ryan.

From his experience coworking, Ryan also understands that implementing a different system of communication certainly wouldn’t work if there was someone from the top coming down to simply tell teachers how to do their jobs. “In the spirit of coworking, we want to show people how they can create space for collaboration while also respecting individual boundaries, it’s just another education process.”

While school might not look like coworking spaces (yet), that doesn’t mean the value system can’t have a real impact on the way we treat the future of education. “It’s very easy to equate coworking space with a physical space, but the movement is actually more about the community and growth through collaboration, which is what makes it work so well,” explains Ryan. He mentions the community managers at CSI, and how important they are to facilitating communication, and overall growth within the space. “

Rather than getting someone to come in from the top to instruct teachers how to do their job, which wouldn’t go over well, we can instead bring coworking to classrooms by sharing our own knowledge and experiences, and ultimately show teachers how they can be also community animators to form better communication with their students.”

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