International Coworking Day is celebrated on the 9th of August every year. Why this date? On the 9th of August in 2005, Brad Neuberg, a software engineer, made a blog post to introduce the idea of coworking to the world. He wanted to create a community of like-minded people working together, despite doing different kinds of work.
“Even though each of us is doing separate work, perhaps programming or writing a novel, we can feel each other’s presence, run ideas by the community, or take breaks together at the watercooler,” he said.
What is the coworking industry like now in 2020?
Now, 15 years later, coworking and flexible workspaces have become a booming industry internationally. A coworking study estimated there would be 20,000 coworking spaces worldwide by the end of the year. Though the global pandemic has likely obstructed the growth rate, it’s still clear that coworking is a force to be reckoned with.
In Australia, a coworking report found there was a 26 per cent increase in listed workspaces from 2018 to 2019. Australia is ranked 7th in the world for most number of coworking spaces, making up 2.87% of the world share. There are about 590 coworking spaces across Australia.
Why celebrate International Coworking Day?
There’s a lot to celebrate! It’s not just about the physical spaces, it’s about a widespread movement. How people work in the modern world is changing. There’s no one strict definition of what coworking should be and that in itself is worth celebrating. Coworking is diverse, flexible and doesn’t fit into a neat box.
International Coworking Day is about celebrating all the benefits of flexible workspaces as well. Every coworking office has their unique perks whether it be the culture, the facilities or the convenience. At Workit Spaces, we’re celebrating our inclusive, supportive community of small businesses and eCommerce businesses.
How is Workit Spaces celebrating International Coworking Day in 2020?
The 9th of August lands on a Sunday this year. Workit Spaces will be celebrating on Monday to make sure more people can join in. For us, it’s a great chance for everyone to meet each other, especially since we’ve had so many new businesses move in over the past couple of months.
We’ll be supporting a local business, Baked and Co, by buying a hundred doughnuts to share. It’s not the most nutritious option, but I would argue that doughnuts are a great breakfast any day. Everyone will get the chance to introduce themselves to people they haven’t met before, to explain what they do, and why they joined Workit Spaces.
To keep the festivities going on throughout the day, we’ll be setting up a playlist and asking everyone to contribute with their favourite song. Then, we’ll blast these in the common areas (not too loud though because people still need to get work done). It’ll be interesting to see what the mix of music will be like!
Make sure to join in on all the fun. We’re still maintaining social distancing here at Workit Spaces which means we won’t get to do any fun activities this time around. However, we’re already taking suggestions for next year! If you’re not a member yet, feel free to contact Workit Spaces any time to see if our coworking spaces are right for you.
