Coworking is a free office space where you can rent workplace or meeting room. A significant difference from the office is that people from different companies gather here, independent of each other on work issues.
Modern coworking spaces are equipped with everything you need to work: office furniture, fast internet, office equipment and much more. This format is convenient for freelancers and employees of small companies.
Coworking: the history of the emergence of space
The first free workspace opened in 2005 in San Francisco. Its founders wanted to create something between the working atmosphere of an office and the ease of a home environment. From each of the options they took only pluses: to work in a coworking space means to be immersed in your business, but at the same time not to feel office constraint and constantly expand your circle of acquaintances.
Many people quickly became interested in this format: owners of small startups, musicians, designers and programmers began to live in coworking spaces. For many freelancers, such centers have become a way out - it is not always possible to work productively at home, and very few can afford to rent a separate office.
The first Russian coworking space opened in Yekaterinburg in 2008. Soon such centers appeared in all major cities, and in April 2016, the largest co-working space in the country, Plaza Workstation, opened.
Coworking: types and main characteristics
Conventionally, coworking spaces can be divided into several groups:
- office coworking
The most common type designed to perform office work. It has everything you need: fast internet, office equipment and meeting rooms. For a fee, you can use the services of an accountant or a lawyer.
- production coworking
This is a clearly specialized space, equipped specifically for the manufacture of any product. In Russia, co-working spaces focused on carpentry and furniture are very popular.
- creative workshop
The place where representatives meet creative professions. Such centers are more a way of organizing leisure than a working area. Creative evenings, master classes, lectures, open readings and other events are held here.
- street coworking
In terms of direction, it can be any of the formats mentioned above, but with one caveat: the action takes place on the street. Most often, such coworking spaces are used for events.
Coworking as a business: how to organize a coworking area
Coworking is a relatively new, but at the same time quite popular format. The number of startups and freelancers is steadily growing, the demand for the services of such centers is increasing, which means that opening your own workspace is a good idea.
What is the first thing to pay attention to?
- Think carefully about who will visit your coworking space. It’s quite difficult to please all potential customers at once, so it’s better to immediately decide what audience you are counting on.
- Decide on a place. Coworking must be within walking distance of the metro. Perfect option– city center: the more convenient it is to get there, the more likely it is that the client will choose you.
- Pay attention to the little things. Who are your visitors and what do they want? Think over the interior, the list of services and the necessary equipment.
- Get ready for change. On average, it takes about 4 months for a coworking space to reach an operating payback, and about two years to reach a profit. During this time, a lot can change: the direction, programs, and sometimes the audience are sometimes formed already in the course of the work of the space.
Relatively new format work space is getting more and more popular in our country. There are four types of coworking spaces: office, industrial, creative and street. The comfort of such a workplace lies not only in cost-effectiveness, but also in the opportunity to acquire business connections, which is especially important for start-up companies.
So, it's decided. You leave the office for free bread and become a freelancer. Imagination draws rainbow pictures: here you wake up early in the morning, slowly brew coffee, prepare a light breakfast and sit down to work. Nothing and no one distracts. Negotiations with customers and colleagues through email or messengers. No sudden deadlines, hysterical bosses. After lunch, walk and back to work. In the evening time for family and friends.
And now we will tell you what will actually happen. A family wakes up with you in the morning, and in its absence, neighbors from above or builders from a neighboring apartment. Noise, din and any other factors distracting from work begin. Morning coffee gets cold while you help feed and dress your baby. Afternoon walk is covered with a copper basin due to the fact that you were distracted all the time. And the evenings are becoming from "family" purely "working".
You have two ways to solve this problem:
- Organize your work at home so that nothing can distract you. Arrangement personal account, sound-absorbing headphones, education of relatives and neighbors.
Is it possible?
- Certainly
- It's complicated?
- Incredible. - Find a job outside the home. The first freelancers huddled in coffee shops, rented offices in business centers, but now it is much more convenient to use the services of co-working spaces. Now they are opening in all major cities.
War is war, and lunch is on schedule. In offices, everyone often eats at their workplaces or raids nearby cafes. This is inconvenient and wastes your time. Almost every co-working space has a great kitchen where you can warm up or even prepare meals, as well as enjoy complimentary tea, coffee and cookies.
For lovers total immersion capsule hotels are arranging to work with short-term sleep outages in coworking spaces. There is no need to explain what it is, just look at the photo.
In general, you can even live in coworking spaces. Many novice freelancers treat their new place of work in this way, thereby risking running into negativity from colleagues. In coworking spaces, there are certain rules that it is highly desirable to follow:
1. Be quiet
Your very important call, which can dramatically change your life and bring huge income, is completely unimportant to others. This is not an office where colleagues will listen with bated breath to your negotiations. And people with headphones around you probably don't listen to Heavy Metal at maximum volume.So, if you have an important conversation, then go out somewhere or take a meeting room. Respect your colleagues and they will respect you.
2. Do not take up the meeting room more than the scheduled time
If you need a meeting room and you understand that a meeting or Skype call goes beyond the originally scheduled time, then try to reschedule the conversation. You are almost certainly already occupied by other people who have arranged a meeting with a client.
3. The main thing is cleanliness
In coworking spaces, as in a hostel, you need to clean up after yourself everywhere and always. It is unacceptable to leave any garbage for later. We talked with the client, gave him coffee, signed the contract, saw him off ... Then come back and clean up after yourself. Dinner - wash your dishes. And never store dirty lunch boxes in bags.4. Look after your appearance
Of course, no one requires you to wear a suit, but you should also refuse beach shorts and slippers. Coworking spaces are democratic, but still you should not test the patience of colleagues.
5. Communicate but don't distract
One of the main advantages of coworking spaces for freelancers is the ability to connect with colleagues. Show them your achievements, receive objective criticism, learn new things, improve. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that the person you want to contact in this moment may be busy with his own project. Quite often, an indicator that a colleague should not be distracted now is wearing headphones.
The market did not immediately come to ideal coworking spaces, as well as to the rules of conduct in them. The first spaces were opened in former factories or on the model of classic office Open Spaces. As a result, something was always missing. There is little space, few meeting rooms, problems with shops and restaurants. In the end, some co-working spaces were difficult to get to, and finding a parking space in Moscow is not an entirely trivial task.
Coworking 14: we ate more than one dog
"Coworking 14" is the union of our own experience and experience of colleagues. We studied coworking projects all over Russia and implemented everything that a freelancer or a small team might need in ours. Our space is currently the largest in Moscow, the entire 14th floor of the AeroCity business center, which can accommodate 300 people. The location is very good, as far from all our clients and their guests have easy access to the center of Moscow, where other co-working spaces are located. There are no problems with parking and traffic jams."Coworking 14" is not only tables and chairs in a huge room. We managed to implement all types of spaces for work and leisure: open space, mini-offices, meeting rooms, conference hall, sleepbox and shower cabins. We took into account that very often our clients do not have time to run to the grocery store, and therefore there is a mini market on the territory of the coworking.
Of course, the main coworking area is designed for freelancers sitting in a common space. But we took into account that very often they gather in teams in areas or just by acquaintance. For their convenience, we made "island zoning" with the help of rounded podiums. Moreover, they are located not in the depths of the building, but near large windows.
We also took into account that many freelancers strive to play sports, but often do not have time for this. Therefore, we have a zone with simulators. Any of our clients can use them. Agree, it is not only convenient, but also economical. You don't have to pay for a subscription Gym, the cost of which is equivalent to our standard offer.
In addition, our partner, hosting provider RUVDS, provides all coworking residents with big discounts on modern cloud infrastructure. Considering that developers are now very often engaged in freelancing, such opportunities will be very useful for the development of their startups.
At the same time, let's talk about the cost of our services. Now 3 main tariffs S/M/L (600 rubles/day and from 12 to 15 thousand rubles a month) have been formed, which give our residents the opportunity to use all the necessary set of services for the successful organization of their business. Such prices are much more profitable than renting offices in business centers.
From our clients, we always expect not only compliance with the rules of conduct in coworking, but also feedback. What should be removed, what should be changed, what should be added? From readers, we also want to hear advice and objective criticism. We promise that we will listen to everything and make our Coworking 14 ideal for work.
The benefits of freelancing can hardly be overestimated: being at home, people work more productively, better distribute the workload and generate new ones more often. interesting ideas. However, these factors appear only if the employee has responsibility and interest in the result: not everyone is able to work hard in the absence of control and motivation. To solve this problem, a freelancer needs to immerse themselves in a comfortable work environment - for example, visit a co-working space.
Coworking - what is it: in simple terms the meaning of this concept can be revealed by imagining equipped with comfortable furniture and modern technology room large sizes, where anyone can rent a place to work, hold meetings with clients or display other types of business activity. What’s more, co-working spaces, which originally appeared to reduce the cost of office rent, have now turned into centers of attraction for freelancers interested in combining productive work with interesting communication, exchange original ideas and establishing new useful contacts.
Characteristic features of coworking
It is extremely difficult for a person to work from home without strict self-discipline: he is constantly distracted by household chores, a working TV, entertainment sites, children playing or noisy neighbors. However, the impossibility of creating suitable working conditions in your own apartment is not at all a reason for refusing to freelance: practice shows that coworking spaces are completely devoid of similar shortcomings while maintaining the core benefits of working from home.
What is coworking: the meaning of this term implies both a way to organize joint work in a common room, and the center itself - a collective office for remote workers and freelancers. characteristic feature coworking is the lack of direct connections between its visitors: they can be employees of different companies, self-employed citizens and even start-up entrepreneurs who do not have the means to rent their own space.
Why do freelancers prefer to do business among their own kind? This desire is fully explained by the human need for social contacts. Someone does not tolerate home loneliness and lack of communication, others gain motivation only at the sight of actively working colleagues, others try to make business contacts, find customers or get new ideas. Thus, a small community is created in coworking, whose members help each other, exchange experience and knowledge, provide or receive advice.
Which specialists most often choose such conditions:
- Programmers and web developers;
- Software and website testers;
- Graphic and interior designers, artists;
- Marketers, advertising specialists;
- SEO optimizers, SMM and SMO managers;
- Content managers, moderators, administrators;
- Webmasters, typesetters;
- Copywriters, writers, journalists, translators;
- students;
- Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Startup Creators.
In the largest cities of Russia, the number of co-working spaces is already measured in dozens, while in ordinary regional centers and settlements medium-sized this market is almost free. Meanwhile, this business is quite promising, since the level of initial investment looks loyal for a novice entrepreneur, and the payback period for coworking due to high consumer demand does not exceed 12-18 months.
Advantages and disadvantages of coworking
When examining the reasons why freelancers prefer to work in a coworking space at home or in an office setting, several key factors, not only economic, but also psychological, should be mentioned:
- Renting a space in a coworking space is cheaper than repairing and maintaining a full-fledged office, especially in the case of small rooms, the cost of which in terms of square meter one and a half times higher in comparison with large rooms;
- Office space owners usually insist on a long lease term, while in a coworking space you can book a place even for one day;
- In coworking, everyone is busy with their own business, so no one will distract the freelancer in the process of work;
- Here you can establish many useful and interesting contacts with other specialists, find clients and even business partners among them;
- Coworking spaces regularly host informative lectures, seminars, master classes and other events that improve the skills of entrepreneurs;
- In the centers there is not the slightest hint of office formality, such as a dress code, corporate rules, boring environment and uncomfortable furniture;
- At home it is impossible to recreate the same charged positive energy working environment, so the performance of a person in coworking increases;
- Cleaning, putting things in order, maintenance of equipment in the centers is carried out by support staff, the cost of whose services is included in the tariff;
- The workplace is equipped with all necessary office equipment, including presentation equipment, telephone channels and the Internet.
On the other side, joint organization labor cannot be considered an ideal solution for free workers, since this format also has some disadvantages:
- Many freelancers and aspiring entrepreneurs do not allow themselves to rent space in a coworking space, preferring to save money;
- The inevitable noise and a large number of bystanders can be distracting for those used to working in a more relaxed environment;
- It is impossible to guarantee the decency of all people - someone will probably want to steal someone else's thing, peep an idea or copy the customer base.
What are coworking spaces?
The concept of "coworking" implies, first of all, joint work, so visitors come here solely for the sake of labor activity, only in between allowing yourself to chat with colleagues and drink a cup of coffee. Depending on what exactly freelancers do here, you can classify the centers as:
- Industrial coworking. Such establishments are intended for people who earn by intellectual activity - copywriters, programmers, webmasters, freelancers, employees with remote employment. The owners of the centers create the most comfortable conditions for them - they equip workplaces, areas for negotiations and meals, rest rooms;
- Creative coworking spaces. This format can be called a creative club - artists, writers, musicians, poets and other representatives of similar professions gather here, author's evenings and exhibitions are held. Although the centers are intended primarily for communication of people with similar interests, those who like to work in solitude can also find a free corner;
- Craft coworking spaces. Designed mainly for people who like to work with their hands, but do not have the opportunity to equip a workshop at home. The centers are divided by theme and equipped with all the necessary equipment: co-working spaces for carpenters, furniture makers and seamstresses are especially popular. This format allows masters to actively exchange experience and secrets, conduct master classes, and entrepreneurs to receive additional income from the sale of raw materials, tools and materials to customers;
- Coworking spaces for kids. They represent an intermediate option between kindergartens and creative centers for babies. Here you can find playrooms, workshops with tools for children and teenagers, dance rooms and active games. Qualified teachers conduct entertaining and cognitive activities, master classes, put experiments. Sometimes coworking spaces have private rooms for parents who want to entrust the baby to educators in order to work on their own.
We should also mention some unusual formats of the centers that appeared as a result of the attempts of entrepreneurs to create a unique concept of the institution:
- Street coworking. In countries with a mild climate, freelancers practice working in open co-working spaces, using parks and squares for this purpose;
- Coworking spaces for night owls. In the Philippines, they created a coworking space for those who like to work at night. The institution opens at 3 pm and closes only in the morning;
- Men's coworking spaces. Men often complain that any attractive woman completely deprives them of the opportunity to focus on work. Therefore, Australian entrepreneurs have limited access to the fair sex in their center;
- Women's coworking spaces. American businessmen came to the opposite decision, opening a coworking space exclusively for women.
What services do coworking spaces provide?
Before you organize a coworking center, you need to carefully consider the list of services it provides. This is especially important in large cities where dozens of similar enterprises already operate: only by offering some interesting and unusual services in addition to the basic package, a new establishment will be able to acquire its own client base.In addition, an entrepreneur will need the help of a lawyer to draw up accompanying documents: the coworking service model implies a full-fledged sublease of the workplace, which radically distinguishes this type of business from anti-cafes or other leisure centers. Therefore, it is necessary to conclude an agreement with each visitor, containing not only a list of rights and obligations, but also the details of the parties.
Below is a typical list of coworking services, which is considered a standard minimum among entrepreneurs in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and others major cities Russia:
- Jobs for rent. The main activity of coworking spaces is providing jobs for freelancers. Entrepreneurs practice a fairly flexible system - you can rent a place for a day, a week or a month, book a specific table or take any free chair, use your laptop or center computer. Most often, the monthly fee includes water and drinks, consumables, paper and stationery;
- Renting space for events. Coworking spaces can be partially or completely rented out for corporate events- trainings, seminars, meetings. Such a service is especially in demand in large cities, where it is not so easy to find a cheap site;
- Conducting workshops and lectures. Often the owners of coworking spaces independently conduct various training courses or master classes, or invite relevant specialists for these purposes. You can open several trial courses on different topics in order to choose the most popular ones later;
- Providing additional services. Entrepreneurs are trying to make extra profit by combining their co-working spaces with cafes, gyms and even hostels. Some of these decisions are controversial, but everyone agrees that two or three vending machines with snacks in the establishment will not be superfluous.
In addition to food, the list of services of a coworking center often includes:
- Personal lockers with keys for storing things in the coworking space;
- Dedicated places for rest, meals, telephone conversations;
- Active zones with tennis tables, fitness equipment;
- Shower cabins;
- Presentation equipment - magnetic boards, projectors, TV;
- Unlimited Internet access;
- Consultations of specialists in jurisprudence and accounting;
- Personal page on the coworking site;
- Virtual office and secretarial services.
How to choose a coworking space
Choosing a space for coworking is much more difficult than finding a place for a shop or a hairdresser: in the search process, an entrepreneur has to take into account many different, sometimes even contradictory parameters:
- First of all, you need to pay attention to places with good accessibility - for example, in the center, near public transport stops or near the metro;
- Renting a space in shopping or business centers is not recommended, as many coworking spaces eventually switch to a 24-hour work schedule. It is best to use a separate building or extension;
- In addition, it is important to make sure that there is a parking lot or a parking lot with sufficient capacity nearby. It is advisable to have a margin for the number of places, since many freelancers acquire their own transport over time;
- Finally, the view from the window matters. Visitors to co-working spaces prefer to be inspired by the view of a park or a pond, rather than be discouraged by a wasteland or an industrial landscape outside the windows. At the same time, the room itself should be bright, with high ceilings and large windows.
Before organizing a coworking space, you should think over the interior design, choose original artistic solutions and notable decorative elements. This need is connected with the desire of many freelancers to show off their workplace to colleagues and publish photos on social networks, thereby making free advertising for the institution.
In order for renting space in a coworking space to be profitable, you need to place at least 40–50 people in it. Given the norm of 4–5 m² per person, an entrepreneur must select a hall with an area of 220–250 m² and above. When equipping workplaces, one should remember the various preferences of freelancers and use not only standard office tables with chairs, but also sofas with coffee tables, and even bean bags.
The coworking space itself must be divided into several zones:
- Work area where visitors will work;
- Recreation area with large soft sofas and TV;
- One or two meeting rooms with demonstration equipment;
- Eating area with kitchen equipment and tables;
- Bathroom (if possible, it is desirable to install a shower cubicle);
- Sometimes entrepreneurs equip a separate conference room.
How to set up a coworking space?
In the process of developing a business plan for a coworking center, you can see that the main expenses of the enterprise are related to the purchase of furniture and office equipment. It is impossible to save on these positions, since their quality directly affects the comfort and convenience of work that are important for visitors. However, when opening a center for 50 seats, it is not at all necessary to buy 50 computers - many freelancers prefer to use their own laptops. The creator of coworking only needs to provide good Wi-Fi coverage in all corners of the room and connect a fast, uninterrupted Internet access channel. In general, to equip the center you will need:
Equipment for a coworking space for 50 people
| Name | price, rub. | Quantity, pcs. | Amount, rub. |
| office equipment | |||
| Laptop for staff | 18000 | 2 | 36000 |
| Client PC with monitor | 18000 | 20 | 360000 |
| MFP | 9000 | 2 | 18000 |
| network router | 2000 | 2 | 4000 |
| Wireless router | 1500 | 4 | 6000 |
| Telephone set | 1200 | 5 | 6000 |
| TV | 25000 | 2 | 50000 |
| Screen projector | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Cash machine | 12000 | 1 | 12000 |
| POS terminal | 7000 | 1 | 7000 |
| PBX | 15000 | 1 | 15000 |
| Work area furniture | |||
| Large office table | 3000 | 10 | 30000 |
| Work chair | 1500 | 50 | 75000 |
| Small sofa | 8000 | 12 | 96000 |
| coffee table | 2000 | 6 | 12000 |
| Hanger | 3000 | 5 | 15000 |
| Locker for things | 10000 | 4 | 40000 |
| Meeting room furniture | |||
| Large office table | 3000 | 2 | 6000 |
| Work chair | 1500 | 20 | 30000 |
| Magnetic board | 5500 | 2 | 11000 |
| Leisure and kitchen furniture | |||
| Table | 1500 | 4 | 6000 |
| Chair | 800 | 12 | 9600 |
| Kitchen set | 15000 | 1 | 15000 |
| Bag chair | 1500 | 10 | 15000 |
| Sofa big | 20000 | 4 | 80000 |
| coffee table | 2000 | 4 | 8000 |
| Security systems | |||
| Video surveillance system | 20000 | 1 | 20000 |
| Security and fire alarm | 28000 | 1 | 28000 |
| Kitchen equipment | |||
| Electric kettle | 1000 | 1 | 1000 |
| coffee machine | 75000 | 1 | 75000 |
| Microwave | 3000 | 1 | 3000 |
| Fridge | 12000 | 1 | 12000 |
| Cooler | 3000 | 1 | 3000 |
| Other equipment | |||
| Accounting software | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Lamp | 1000 | 25 | 25000 |
| Stationery | – | – | 5000 |
| cleaning tool | – | – | 5000 |
| Bathroom equipment | 15000 | 1 | 15000 |
| Sockets and switches | 200 | 50 | 10000 |
| Total: | 1214600 | ||
Coworking staff
An entrepreneur should not be afraid of high labor costs, since it is possible to open a coworking center with a minimum number of employees. Strictly speaking, one administrator is enough to perform daily tasks. His list of responsibilities will include:
- Ensuring order and compliance with internal rules;
- Notifying visitors about ongoing promotions and events;
- Ensuring the operability of coworking equipment;
- Inventory Management Supplies;
- Acceptance of payments for additional services, sale of subscriptions.
Since the recommended working day in the center is 15-16 hours (many co-working spaces are open around the clock), the entrepreneur needs to hire at least two administrators working in shifts. Also, to solve secondary problems, you will need a computer technician who repairs and maintains office equipment, and a marketing specialist whose list of duties will include advertising management and attracting new customers. Given that the workflow of co-working spaces usually does not exceed reasonable limits, accounting services can be outsourced:
Coworking schedule
| Job title | Rate, rub. | Qty | Amount, rub. |
| Administrator | 25000 | 2 | 50000 |
| Office equipment repairman | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Marketing Specialist | 25000 | 1 | 25000 |
| Cleaning woman | 15000 | 1 | 15000 |
| Insurance premiums | – | – | 34500 |
| Accounting service | – | – | 10000 |
| Total: | 159500 | ||
How to attract visitors?
As a business, coworking especially needs advertising: this format of the workspace has appeared especially recently, and therefore the marketer has to not only promote the center, but also explain to representatives target audience advantages of this way of doing business. Since it is quite expensive to use the entire set of tools proposed below for a long time, it is necessary to constantly analyze the effectiveness of certain advertising channels in order to choose the most effective of them:
- Promotion of your own site, publication on it information materials and reports on past events;
- Maintaining communities in social networks, inviting new members to them;
- Publication of advertisements on local and thematic forums;
- Distribution of leaflets at exhibitions, conferences, seminars;
- Promoting courses and other learning events;
- Publication of master classes, photo reports, videos on the relevant sites;
- Publication of advertisements and feature articles in local media.
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How much does it cost to open a coworking space?
One of the most important sections of the business plan for a coworking center with calculations is the calculation of the economic efficiency of the project. First of all, it is necessary to determine the start-up costs associated with the design and renovation of the premises, the purchase of furniture and equipment, while not forgetting about such important items as website development and the creation of the necessary stock of consumables. This should also include the rent that the entrepreneur will pay during the repair of the premises:
Initial Costs
| Article | Amount, rub. |
| IP registration | 800 |
| Registration of permits | 5000 |
| Opening a current account | 2500 |
| Rent for the first month | 75000 |
| Premises renovation | 375000 |
| Design project | 125000 |
| Signboard and plate with a schedule of work | 20000 |
| Launch advertising campaign | 50000 |
| Coworking equipment | 1214600 |
| Connection of communication lines | 5000 |
| Purchase of consumables | 40000 |
| Total: | 1912900 |
The current costs of a coworking space depend on its area, the number of employees and attendance. Obviously, an increase in the flow of customers will lead to an increase in the cost of paying utility bills and buying free coffee, drinks, printer paper and stationery for visitors:
Monthly expenses
Income and profitability
The pricing policy of establishments of this type is determined by the location, the popularity of the center, the purchasing power of the target audience and the list of additional services. On average in Russia, the price of coworking space per hour ranges from 60–120 rubles, however, when purchasing a subscription, the user is offered a corresponding discount. For example:
- One working day - from 300 to 800 rubles;
- Monthly subscription - from 8000 to 16000 rubles;
- Rent a meeting room - from 1000 to 4000 rubles for the first hour, from 800 to 3000 rubles for the next.
According to statistics, the daily attendance of co-working spaces is at the level of 65–80%. Thus, it is possible to calculate the income of an institution for 50 seats, where 50% of visitors buy a monthly subscription:
Coworking monthly income
| Service | Tariff, rub. | Qty | Profit, rub. |
| Workplace rent daily | 400 | 20 x 30 days | 240000 |
| Monthly subscription | 10000 | 20 | 200000 |
| Meeting room rental per hour | 1000 | 40 hours | 40000 |
| Hosting an event | 10000 | 4 | 40000 |
| Total: | 520000 | ||
As a business, coworking is characterized by extremely high profitability: the break-even point is reached with only 50% attendance. Thanks to a well-thought-out marketing policy, an entrepreneur will be able to significantly exceed this threshold and get a good profit from the business:
Profit and profitability
Conclusion
Given the increase in the number of people who prefer freelancing or remote work to an office setting, it can be assumed that the popularity of coworking as a business and as a way of organizing workspace will only grow. Of course, this type of activity is not without some drawbacks - for example, due to the relatively recent formation of this niche, an entrepreneur cannot yet use ready-made effective solutions or buy a franchise: in the absence of collective experience, he has to independently look for the right ways to optimize business processes and develop service technologies.
However, technically, opening a coworking space is quite simple. It is enough just to choose a suitable room, buy comfortable furniture and carefully consider the list of services. Further success depends entirely on the businessman: by constantly monitoring his clients, studying their needs and adjusting the work of the center in accordance with those, he can create a truly popular and sought-after institution.
20 voted. Grade: 4,95 out of 5)In the lexicon of modern businessmen, one can increasingly hear the concept of "coworking" - what is it? The idea of joint offices, where each specialist can rent a workplace for several hours or months, came to Russia from the West and is steadily gaining popularity. Why is coworking the future, and is it possible to make money on it?
Why and who needs coworking spaces
What is a "coworking center"? Currently, this concept, which comes from the English co-working - “joint work” - refers to large offices equipped with certain equipment, where each specialist or group of specialists can rent a workplace.
« Wikipedia” reports on two meanings of the foreign term “coworking”:
- a common space for joint work of different specialists (in the broad sense of the word);
- collective office (in the narrow sense of the word).
Within the framework of this article, we will use the first meaning of the term - a space for the collaboration of different people, and in this space they can work both on the same project and independently of each other.
Shared offices are used by employees and entrepreneurs working on a temporary joint project.
Coworking zones are in demand by several categories of workers at once. First of all, they are necessary for freelancers, that is, specialists working remotely.
Freelancers most often work from home, but sometimes they need a change of scenery, use some special technique, meet other professionals - coworking is ideal for all these purposes.
Shared offices are used by employees and entrepreneurs working on a temporary joint project - for example, developing a website or application, organizing an event, and so on. Using coworking space can significantly save on office rent, avoid the need to conclude an agreement with the owners of the premises, take care of the availability of the necessary equipment and pay utility bills.
Benefits of working in a coworking space
Joint offices are a fairly new trend. In the world it has been developing since 2005, in Russia - the last 6-7 years. This is a fairly new form of work, which is still common only in big cities and gradually comes to small. Meanwhile, everyone who has encountered coworking notes an impressive list of opportunities it opens up:
- work in a comfortable environment;
- refuse to rent your own office and purchase equipment that is required irregularly;
- organize a meeting with colleagues, hold a meeting, discuss the project in a calm "working" environment;
- resolve any issue with the involvement of other specialists;
- overcome creative crisis or stagnation through a change of scenery;
- make new acquaintances and business contacts, find customers and contractors;
- not to be interrupted from work while traveling, using a co-working space in another city.
How much do visitors pay for a "shared office"
The most common form of payment for coworking space is the purchase of a subscription. A month's visit to the joint work zone in Moscow will cost from 8,000 to 20,000 rubles, in the regions - about 6,000 rubles. It also provides for hourly payment - from 250 rubles, or subscriptions for other periods (for a week, 10 days) - from 1 thousand rubles.
Finding the right space for a coworking space can be tricky.
Opening a coworking space - what you need to buy and how much money you have to invest
Consider an approximate business plan for opening your own coworking space, or rather, a list of what is required to open your space and how much it will cost. Of course, the costs of opening a center in different regions Russia will be significantly different.
In addition, individual entrepreneurs can find ways to optimize the costs of opening or even develop their own, innovative approach to this business. We present only the most general and significant provisions about creating your own coworking space.
Premises - how to choose and not miscalculate
At least half of the success of the entire enterprise depends on the premises. Finding the right space for a coworking space can be tricky. It should have a whole set of specific characteristics:
- large area, preferably from 200 square meters;
- convenient location, good transport accessibility;
- good communications, a sufficient number of electrical connection points;
- fresh renovation, unique design;
- the presence of an air conditioning and ventilation system;
- good lighting.
The list of requirements for a coworking space is very extensive. It is unlikely that you will be able to find a ready-made space and immediately enter it - most likely, repairs will be required. A coworking space will not fit a standard office interior with white or gray walls and the same furniture. They come here, among other things, for a change of scenery, which means that an author’s modern design, good furniture, cozy atmosphere.
Expenses only for the repair of the premises, its long-term lease and the purchase of furniture are unlikely to be less than 1 million rubles, and in large cities - much more. A high-quality, memorable interior will attract customers: the first visitors to post a photo beautiful place on social networks and attract new ones.
Modern people love unusual places that will enliven them. social media. A "photogenic" interior will produce a "wow effect" and provide a flow of visitors - if not for work, but at least for photographs. Therefore, saving on this item of expenditure is not worth it.
Proper zoning largely determines how hasty the coworking space will become.
Zoning in a coworking space - work, negotiations, coffee break
Proper zoning - dividing the premises into zones depending on the purpose of their use - largely depends on how hasty the coworking space will become. As a rule, the following zones are distinguished in coworking:
- Working. This is the main area for which most customers come. Jobs are created here, computers, tables, office equipment are installed.
- Negotiation room. This is a zone where customers and contractors, as well as specialists working on the same project, can discuss the details of cooperation. There should be tables, comfortable sofas or armchairs. It would be wise to isolate the meeting room from the working area - so that the noise does not interfere with those who work independently.
- Recreation. There is a water cooler, coffee machine, kettle, snacks, maybe a TV or game console. The presence of such a zone is important because it extends the time for customers to visit the coworking space.
- Restroom. Toilet and in rare cases shower.
It would be wise to involve an interior designer in zoning and designing different zones. If this is not possible, you can study the experience of successful collaboration spaces in other cities and transfer it to your project.
What should be in a coworking area
Each coworking zone can have its own specifics, although it will be expressed for the most part in interior design and zoning. The basis of each zone will be the same:
- Computers and laptops, from 10 pieces. Many professionals who work in coworking spaces bring their own laptops, but it is not uncommon for clients to rent them. With an average cost of a laptop of 20 thousand rubles, the purchase will require from 200 thousand rubles. The more advanced equipment you plan to purchase, the more impressive this amount will be.
- A large number of electrical connection points, as well as a variety of extension cords, surge protectors and adapters.
- Wireless high speed internet. This is a very important component, for which at least half of the visitors come to the center. You will have to spend from 10 thousand rubles on a powerful router, several thousand rubles a month to pay for the Internet. You should not save on this expense item, as bad internet will scare away all visitors and ruin the reputation of the institution.
- Desks, chairs, armchairs and other furniture. Some prefer to work at the table, some prefer to work on the couch. The coworking organizer should create different options for convenient workplaces.
- Office equipment - printers, scanners, graphics tablets or multifunctional devices. You can keep within 10-20 thousand rubles.
- Water coolers, kettles, coffee machines and refrigerators. Not the most essential, but an important part of the coworking center, helping to extend the stay of customers. The amount of expenses will directly depend on the wishes of the owner of the space, on average, 5-10 thousand rubles are enough.
A more advanced coworking area is equipped with conference rooms with microphones, and even shower rooms. The owners of some centers equip spaces with TVs and game consoles, but so far for Russia this approach will be more of an exception than the rule. First and foremost, a coworking space is a place to work.
Thus, the total cost (furniture is not considered) for equipping the coworking space with the minimum list of necessary equipment will amount to 250 thousand rubles. It is not worth saving on equipment, since the comfort of work of incoming customers depends on it.
The coworking zone is interesting for a fairly wide audience.
Do I need to hire employees to run a coworking center?
Another item of expenditure will be employees. As a rule, 3-4 administrators are enough to maintain coworking, who will maintain order in the zones and sell subscriptions. It is good if these same specialists can be involved in cleaning the premises. If not, you need to hire a cleaner for hours.
Coworking areas do not need a separate specialist for maintenance. However, it is important to conclude a contract or at least an agreement with any technical assistance center in order to quickly resolve problems with equipment or the Internet if necessary.
The wages of 3-4 administrators in the regions of Russia will cost an average of 60-80 thousand rubles, in Moscow it will be much more expensive. The wages of hourly cleaners will not exceed 5-6 thousand rubles, as well as the wages of lump-sum technical specialists.
The total cost of opening a coworking space
From all of the above, it follows that the opening of a coworking center will have to spend at least 1.5 million rubles, and most likely much more. Perhaps individual entrepreneurs will be able to find opportunities for savings, but you should not get carried away with it. Otherwise, coworking will be no different from a regular office, and potential clients will stay at home.
Disadvantages of business opening a coworking zone
The coworking zone is interesting for a fairly wide audience: from freelancers to businessmen who want to negotiate with customers or contractors in a comfortable environment. However, how profitable and profitable will the business be? Profits can be hindered by the following disadvantages:
- The need for a very significant initial investment. Opening a coworking space will require costs from one and a half million rubles, but their payback is questionable. With the same funds, you can successfully open more profitable cafes or shops.
- Low demand. In the regions of Russia, coworking is still gaining momentum, the demand for it is not so high: there are few specialists working remotely, businessmen are used to holding business meetings in cafes or restaurants.
IN provincial towns there is no shortage of cheap office space, and a few remote workers are accustomed to working from home, in a cafe or in a library. The need to pay for a job is not liked by most potential customers, which is due to the low incomes of the entire population as a whole.
How much can you earn
The amount of profit of a coworking space directly depends on the number of visitors and subscriptions sold.
With an average subscription price in Russian regions of about 6 thousand rubles, in order to earn 100 thousand rubles, you need to sell at least 17 subscriptions - this is not so little for provincial cities where the demand for coworking has not yet matured.
Obviously, in order to increase profits, the coworking owner must find some ways, otherwise it will not be possible to recoup even the initial investment.
Opening a co-working space in a small town is a very risky business.
Do you know what coworking is and why you need it? IN Lately gaining more and more popularity distant work. Just imagine how great it is to make reports, edit texts or create advertising banners, sitting on a soft sofa, in home environment. No need to get up at the ominous seven in the morning, stand in traffic jams or crowd into the subway, there is no need to sit in a stuffy office from ten in the morning until six in the evening.
And all you need for work is a laptop or computer and the Internet. Not a job, but a dream. However, in reality this is far from the case. In addition to the fact that you will not have sick days and vacations, you will also lose the working atmosphere. Most households on a subconscious level will not be able to perceive your unusual format of work.
Therefore, in such a relaxing environment, where you are constantly distracted by everything and everyone, labor productivity will be extremely low. But there are no unsolvable problems. If you want to work productively, but Money if you don’t have enough for your own office, then rent your own workplace in one of the coworking centers!
Coworking - what is it?
Translated from English, "co-working" literally means "working together." In simple terms, coworking is a community of free and independent people of various professions who come together in the same room to do a certain job.
Web designers, programmers, copywriters, freelancers, entrepreneurs, as well as employees of small companies who find it unprofitable to rent an entire office work side by side in one space. Thus, coworking is an innovation in the organization of work.
Coworking centers are equipped with everything necessary for the implementation of full-fledged work. As a rule, in addition to the working space, they also include a relaxation area, a kitchen or vending machines with food and drinks, a meeting room and their own library. So it turns out "office for rent", a place where you can rent both for the day and for the whole year.
A bit of history
In 2005, a young American programmer, Brad Newberg, started the first co-working space that brought together several like-minded freelancers under its roof. The idea was to create a workspace that sits between a regular office and home. As you can see, the idea turned out to be successful and brought world fame to the founder. Since then, coworking has become very popular, gradually spreading around the world, it finally reached Russia.
It should be noted that in our country this direction is developing much more slowly than abroad. The reasons for this lie in the complexity of design. It is also difficult to find a space that simultaneously meets several important parameters:
- The place must be comfortable. It is desirable that it be the center of the city, since hardly anyone wants to go to a dubious dormitory area on the outskirts. In addition, it will be a big plus if the center is located within walking distance from public transport stops. Currently, loft spaces, which were once industrial premises, are often converted into coworking centers.
- The layout of the room should be atypical. In no case do not copy the offices of companies, as your task is to create a unique creative place where people will not only work comfortably, but also just have fun.
- Stable and fast internet required condition without which the center would not be able to function normally.
Despite the fact that the opening of a coworking space is accompanied by a lot of difficulties, this process is gradually gaining momentum in Russia as well. In 2008, the first co-working center Tower was opened in Yekaterinburg. Later, such workspaces began to appear in all major cities.
It is noteworthy that the state also approved this idea and is trying to promote it to the masses. So, as part of the development of this project, a special program"Coworking 2.0", along with these actions, Sberbank developed a program to support youth coworking spaces.
At the moment, two directions for the development of coworking are predicted: it either evolves towards office space, or acquires the status cultural center that brings together creative people.
Types of coworking centers
A unified classification of such workspaces does not yet exist. However, they can be conditionally divided into the following groups:
- The most common today are coworking spaces designed for office and industrial activities. However, these spaces differ in size, level of technical equipment and the provision of related services, so they are divided into:
- Created by freelancers who come together to realize joint project. They rent a small room, the fee for which is shared among all participants. Necessary equipment brought from home.
- A workplace organized by a specific entrepreneur. He takes care of all the costs of maintaining the premises, the client only has to pay for the stay in the office.
- Centers designed by a particular company to organize the work of freelancers. All costs in this case are borne by the employer.
- Co-working centers are becoming more and more popular creative direction uniting people of art.
2. One of the promising areas is the development of children's workspaces, combining both educational and leisure functions.
In addition to co-working, there are many more similar establishments of a social orientation, for example, they include time cafes and clubs, anti-cafes. And if in an ordinary cafe after a certain amount of time they will start to look at you askance, as you just sit in a laptop and take the place of a potential client, then in these new-type premises everything is created for work or communication of people with a variety of hobbies and preferences.
However, the main difference between co-working centers and the same anti-cafes is that they are primarily positioned as a specialized place of work, while anti-cafes are more intended for friendly gatherings.
Price list
Prices for coworking are formed taking into account many factors:
- region;
- location;
- available equipment;
- rental period: the longer it is, the cheaper the client costs one day of work in the center;
- fixed or floating workstation.
Note that "dynamic seats" are the least expensive, which means that a person comes with a personal laptop and takes any free seat. The most expensive thing is renting meeting rooms or separate rooms for holding meetings. business meetings. But you must admit that it is much more presentable to meet with a future partner in a coworking space than at home.
Average prices for renting coworking spaces, for example in Moscow, range from 5 to 15 thousand rubles per month. Payment is made per month, week, day or hour. There is even a per-minute rental.
Pros and cons of coworking
Coworking, like any other innovation penetrating into everyday life, has a number of supporters and opponents. Let's consider what arguments "for" and "against" are presented by both sides.
Let's hope that after reading this article, your doubts about coworking centers will be dispelled, and you will be inspired by the desire to try this original approach to organizing work. However, many of you are probably worried about the question: “How and where to find a coworking center in your city?”.
The Internet will come to the rescue. Type the appropriate query in the search box, and if a similar space has already been organized in your city, then you can easily find it on the pages of the World Wide Web.
Of course, today coworking is not as common in our country as we would like, so do not be surprised if it is not yet in your city. But, on the other hand, maybe this is a good opportunity to open your own center?
Now, having become acquainted with the concept of coworking, you have a certain idea about it. unusual place. Do you want to constantly develop in a creative and professional way, meet interesting people and discover something new for yourself day after day? Then coworking is what you need!
