Maximizing Your Coworking Space's Potential: Tips and Trends for 2023

Running a coworking space can be a fascinating and enriching experience.

You’re helping entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers come together. At times, your resources will support their independent activities. But you’re also creating a thriving atmosphere that facilitates collaborations and connections between your diverse range of members.  It’s no wonder that coworking spaces have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering an alternative to traditional office spaces.

As we move into 2023, the coworking industry looks poised for continued growth and innovation. The employment landscape continues to change and more companies and individuals are considering adopting methods that support productive flexibility. To stay ahead of the competition and maximize the potential of your coworking space, it's essential to keep up with the latest needs and priorities.

We’re going to explore how you can optimize your coworking space in 2023 by leveraging tips and trends.

Prioritize Flexibility

One of the key reasons individuals and businesses seek coworking spaces is that they require a more agile working practice. These clients often prioritize resources that enable them to utilize the freedom they have in productive ways. As a result, you’re likely to find flexibility is a primary component of attracting and retaining members in 2023.

This can take a range of forms. Your space could focus on offering a range of membership options. Give clients the option to utilize hourly rates as well as monthly memberships. There could also be workspace design options that are geared toward flexibility. Hot desks, private offices, meeting rooms, and even creative studios can be impactful here.

It’s worth considering the increasing number of digital nomads and traveling professionals, too. They’ll need spaces in different cities and even in other countries. Consider how you can make your memberships flexible enough to cater to these clients. If you’re running a chain of workspaces, a single membership can offer entry to any of your locations. It may also be wise to arrange partnerships with other independent coworking space businesses, so your respective members are able to use a space wherever they are.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for coworking spaces to attract and retain members. In 2023, you should focus on creating and maintaining a strong social media presence. This can enable you to build your coworking brand in a way that both grows your client base and helps you develop stronger relationships with users.

It’s important for your space’s marketing team to begin by gaining a good understanding of the social media trends for this year. This enables you to utilize the most relevant content types and platforms to connect with consumers. High-quality short-form video content continues to be particularly popular through channels like Instagram Reels and TikTok. Employee advocacy content is also trending, as this sends trust signals about the positive and ethical culture of businesses. You could consider combining these trends with short content highlighting what your coworking space employees consider important or exciting about your organization. 

Podcasts are also trending on social media. You could create a show that focuses on the coworking space industry or explores more productive remote working practices. Posting audio snippets on your social media channels can capture audiences and lead them to your website to listen to the full cast. Indeed, if you include a podcast studio in your coworking space, posting videos of recording sessions promotes both your content and the facilities your space has to offer.

Embrace Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for businesses of all types, and coworking spaces are no exception. There are various ways your coworking space can prioritize sustainability. You can implement energy-efficient processes by installing smart lighting and air-conditioning systems. If you have a kitchen for patrons, ensure that any disposable cups are both made from recyclable materials and that there are waste disposal resources to collect materials for recycling. 

It could also be wise to encourage members who commute to the coworking space to utilize clean transportation. Your business could implement bicycle rental services or work with local public transportation providers to offer discounted rates to clients. You may also find it useful to facilitate creating a carpool system among regular users of your space so that there is less fuel consumption and emissions from those who need to drive to your property every day.

Design Impactful Brand Imagery

Your coworking space's brand imagery is an essential element in attracting and retaining members. Consumers in 2023 may be more likely to interact with businesses whose choices in branding are memorable and perhaps even resonate with the styles they feel represent them. Therefore, it’s important to take the time to ensure that the various visual elements of your brand are relevant and impactful.

Start by reviewing your current logo. Identify the reasons your logo might feel a little lackluster or doesn’t seem to be making as strong an impression as you’d like. Assess whether the illustrations you’re using truly express what your brand represents. Do they have an immediate impact? In addition, a common mistake businesses make is having designs that are too complex, which leaves a logo looking somewhat confusing and even unprofessional. Consider how you can simplify it with fewer colors and clearer shapes to make the logo both readable and more memorable.

Remember that the brand imagery should be consistent across all marketing, not just on the logo. Ensure the brand color pallet featured on your logo is also present on your coworking space’s website, social media accounts, and even the paint job on your walls. Stick to a small selection of typefaces on all your materials, too. This consistency helps to build a strong identity and increases brand recognition.

Invest in Technology

2023 is likely to see the continued rise of the digital landscape. Fresh examples of advanced technology are becoming accessible to the public all the time and professionals are keen to improve efficiency, productivity, and innovation. Therefore, your coworking spaces should consider how you can invest in tools that both directly provide your members with new technology and also support effective interactions on digital platforms. 

At the very least, this must include high-speed internet. The last thing you want is a reputation for an unreliable connection that disrupts your members’ productivity. It may also be wise to invest in 5G internet that minimizes the potential for lag when a large number of devices are performing data-heavy activities in your space.

It can also be wise to offer your users access to cloud storage solutions. This may seem like a relatively minor tool, but it can be particularly attractive for independent professionals and those running small businesses. After all, it’s one less resource they need to invest their capital in and can represent a significant practical advantage. You could consider tying different amounts of storage capacity to different membership tiers.

You might also consider what advanced technology could be useful to offer your clients. Access to virtual reality (VR) systems may be a good option at this juncture. There are an increasing number of creative applications for VR, especially in the design industry. The metaverse, in which VR meetings and other immersive interactions, is also starting to be embraced by a wider range of professionals. Offering these elements now can put you ahead of your competitors that are delaying upgrades.

Support Wellness

Wellness is becoming a greater priority in the modern workplace. Businesses recognize that solid health programs can improve productivity and reduce absenteeism. Employees expect their companies to provide access to a range of resources that support their physical and mental well-being. Remote and independent workers often find it less easy to prioritize their wellness in this way, though. This is either because they don’t have traditional benefits or can’t find the resources. Therefore, in 2023, your coworking space can differentiate itself in the market by supporting member wellness.

This could involve offering a variety of amenities in your office spaces. Standing desks and ergonomic chairs can help members to minimize issues related to poor posture and strain. You could also dedicate a room for yoga or meditation practices. Wherever possible, ensure your communal kitchen area offers a variety of healthy snacks and beverages, rather than the junk foods that are often familiar staples of office environments. 

Your business can also play a more active role in promoting wellness among clients. Organize wellness events and programs, such as regular fitness classes or stress reduction workshops facilitated by experienced professionals. Even something as simple as training your coworking staff to encourage members to take regular breaks throughout the day can have a positive impact as well as sending a clear message about how much you care about your clients.

Conclusion

As the coworking industry looks poised for growth, it's essential to keep up with the current trends and consumer priorities. Prioritizing flexibility, leveraging social media, and embracing sustainability should be key areas of focus. You should also consider assessing your brand imagery and investing in new technology.

That said, it’s important to recognize that the actions that attract and retain clients aren’t just dependent on the general trends of 2023. There are likely to be specific needs and priorities your members require support with that are dependent on the industries, locations, and cultures you serve. You should, therefore, also take the time to keep learning about your target demographics and making more relevant adjustments. This, in line with the actions related to trends, can help optimize your coworking space for everyone involved.