By Dan Zakai, co-founder and CEO at Mindspace

The term “coworking” once conjured up images of budding entrepreneurs and “creatives” brainstorming casually in hip offices, but the concept has evolved radically over the last few years into a completely new approach to business operations. With the booming growth of technologies as influential as AI, companies are under pressure to constantly innovate and it’s become clear that the office environment is a critical factor in the success of any business endeavour. Beyond the obvious practical benefits of having an office managed by an external dedicated service, coworking helps technology leaders stay competitive, hit targets, and nurture a unique company culture.

Breaking out of the Headquarters Mold

Dan Zakai

An established company should have its own building, preferably on a nice plot, with an impressive sign outside, right? Well, when you consider the current business technology ecosystem, you have to ask whether that approach is still relevant. After all, our world is becoming more and more connected every day. It’s hard enough keeping track of innovation as it is without secluding yourself from everyone else. AI represents our most forward-thinking research into what the future will look like. Since coworking presents such a versatile and open-ended approach to company management, it’s only natural that these two sectors have formed such a snug fit.

Let’s Call in the Experts

Coworking isn’t just about offices that look good. Leading coworking spaces offer an holistic approach to the life of a business. While interior design is a central part of what coworking spaces offer, there’s a lot more that companies can earn from using this type of service. For example, a good coworking company will understand the importance of community in the workplace.

Employees, especially those that fall into the millennial category, are understanding that because our work hours take up so much of our lives, they should be spent well. This means in an environment that is not only beautiful, but also inspiring, welcoming, positive and human-centric. This approach is not something that can usually be undertaken by an in-house HR department. The fact that coworking firms can focus on nurturing business culture at this level, makes them invaluable to companies that need to perform well, every day.

Office Organization Goes Modular

The ‘set-and-forget’ style of office organization is still used by the majority of businesses. When you consider that flexibility is one of the core characteristics of good business leadership, it’s surprising that companies don’t make more of an effort to optimize their office layouts. Flexibility is key in AI, where unchartered territory is the norm. Coworking gives companies the agility to organize and reorganize as projects progress, or as a product develops. Departments can be merged or divided, and dedicated spaces can be created for specialized tasks and then later redefined.

Thrive to Survive

With AI becoming a significant focal point of a constantly growing number of businesses, time is more of a factor than ever. It’s not enough to have the technology. You need to have it first in order to leverage it for the market you’re competing in. This need for a high level of productivity, without compromising on creative output or quality, is something that coworking spaces can help companies achieve by creating a work environment that employees thrive in, day after day.