Coworking is no longer the preserve for freelancers and startups. Increasingly, enterprise-scale companies are choosing coworking spaces as a place to call home. Microsoft, Bank of America, Facebook, and Salesforce are just some of the household names leveraging the flexibility, convenience, and built-in innovation of coworking. Let’s explore what’s in it for big business.
Innovation Labs
Coworking spaces have a reputation for drawing innovators and creatives. Corporate environments, on the other hand, can sometimes stifle innovation. By placing project teams in a space where innovation and experimentation are encouraged, enterprise-scale organizations can facilitate new ideas and developments.
The agile, social nature of coworking puts enterprise staff in contact with those at the bleeding-edge of their industry and gives them the freedom to invent, investigate, and inquire. Some organizations are going so far as to create their own coworking spaces to drive internal innovation. Orange (formerly French Telecom) is just one example.
Open Housing
As corporate transparency becomes increasingly important, companies are using coworking as a way to invite prospective customers, clients, staff, and partners into the workspace fold. Flexible, open, and egalitarian, coworking spaces provide a casual, welcoming avenue for gaining insight into how a company works. Car manufacturer MINI runs such a space in Brooklyn, NY, with the goal being to foster collaboration between designers. It’s a great way to encourage cooperation and relationship building, while also being a great branding exercise.
Idea Exchange
Coworking is an invaluable opportunity for the sharing and development of ideas. Many enterprise companies temporarily lease coworking spaces to be used by an invite-only mix of internal staff and external providers. The goal is the cross-pollination of ideas, processes, and systems. This can be an excellent option for teams working to implement systemic changes across the company, or those working with outside vendors on a specific project or product. Co-located working can often expedite prototyping, testing, and delivery, and is a favorite of the big tech firms.
Interim Spaces
Enterprise companies are frequently on the move. Whether you’re expanding, relocating, or spinning up a temporary outpost to serve a given project, you need a space to do it. Coworking spaces provide instant, move-in ready access to professional working environments – and are typically located in desirable, central areas close to all the action. In addition to being an excellent stopgap option, they’re ideal for companies wanting to develop and expand their local networks.
Opportunity to support Various Workstyles
Not all people want to work in the same type of environment. Some are more productive in an open setting, while others need a closed, quiet environment without distractions. A coworking center allows organizations to support the way their teams want to work with a variety of workspace options. Coworking also provides an option for those that work at home to have a place to engage with others on an as-needed basis.
With several locations in and around downtown DC, District Offices’ move-in ready coworking spaces are sought after by enterprise-scale companies across every vertical. For more information about our spaces and how they can serve the needs of your corporate enterprise, please get in touch with our sales team.
