The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way of working, the habits, and lifestyle of every citizen worldwide and will affect the medium-long run. All sectors of the economy had to respect «social distancing» to minimize the transmission of the virus, although with different degrees. Specifically, most of the service workers had to move from traditional work in the office to work at home through smart or re-mote working, as in the creative and innovative class of workers. Most coworkers of the coworking spaces belong. Within this framework, the present chapter explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on coworking spaces by describing the results of an international survey addressed to coworking managers worldwide. It is discussed whether and how the “nature” of these working spaces has been undermined and which measures have been undertaken by coworking space managers to face the pandemic. Besides, future trends for the coworking business model and its location dynamics are put for-ward together with policy implications. The chapter is structured into five sections. The Introduction is followed by a review of the literature about the pandemic's effects and the related physical and social distancing on the economic sectors and new work geographies. Section three focuses on the specific impact on the coworking spaces’ proximity typologies and their “sense of community.” The results of the survey addressed to coworking managers worldwide are presented and discussed in section four. In contrast, the last section is dedicated to conclusions, policy implications, and further research.
The effects of Covid-19 on coworking spaces: patterns and future trends
I. Mariotti
2021-01-01
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way of working, the habits, and lifestyle of every citizen worldwide and will affect the medium-long run. All sectors of the economy had to respect «social distancing» to minimize the transmission of the virus, although with different degrees. Specifically, most of the service workers had to move from traditional work in the office to work at home through smart or re-mote working, as in the creative and innovative class of workers. Most coworkers of the coworking spaces belong. Within this framework, the present chapter explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on coworking spaces by describing the results of an international survey addressed to coworking managers worldwide. It is discussed whether and how the “nature” of these working spaces has been undermined and which measures have been undertaken by coworking space managers to face the pandemic. Besides, future trends for the coworking business model and its location dynamics are put for-ward together with policy implications. The chapter is structured into five sections. The Introduction is followed by a review of the literature about the pandemic's effects and the related physical and social distancing on the economic sectors and new work geographies. Section three focuses on the specific impact on the coworking spaces’ proximity typologies and their “sense of community.” The results of the survey addressed to coworking managers worldwide are presented and discussed in section four. In contrast, the last section is dedicated to conclusions, policy implications, and further research.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
