The many benefits of a co-working hub
More vibrant town centres make it worth investing in work hubs.
Establishing a work hub in the suburbs has many benefits for the individual, who thus avoids commuting and reduces everyday stress.
Reduced travel is in turn positive for the climate and reduces crowding in public transport and on the roads. An increased daytime population in the neighbourhood creates a better basis for services and contributes to a safer environment and also more people who can visit local businesses. Those who use a work hub can create new networks and get to know new people in the area.
Many employers today offer a more flexible working life, and often pay for a high-standard home office for remote work. But for people who find it difficult to work from home undisturbed, or may not have room for a good and ergonomic workplace at home, a workplace in the neighbourhood can then be an effective solution.
Collaboration between municipality and business
The pilot project has shown that employers or municipalities should preferably pay for work hubs to make them attractive for employees to use. A municipality can also play a unifying role in showing companies the social value of locating workplaces closer to the employees’ homes. Companies could also include an investment in work hubs in their sustainability report.
The location of the hub is crucial. Proximity to other services such as preschools, lunch restaurants, gyms, etc. add value to the hub. Furthermore, mobility solutions such as electric bike pools or car pools, can be offered together with work hubs.
”With the pandemic, we as a society got used to working digitally,” says Mistra SAMS program director Anna Kramers.
Time to establish
A work hub needs to be visible and easy to access. In Tullinge the entrance was unfortunately positioned towards the “back” of the town centre and the hub was located a couple of floors up; passers-by were unable to see the hub and thus get drawn in.
The conclusions from the pilot project mean that the municipal administration does not find potential for developing a large-scale work hub in Tullinge at present, but that there may be advantages to the work hub concept and the municipality is looking for potential ways forward.
Work hubs in remote areas take time to establish. A startup period of two years is not uncommon. It also requires targeted, concentrated and continuous marketing via social media, mailings, posters, publications in newspapers, etc. The pilot project in Tullinge lasted one year, which is actually too short a time for establishing the concept. Interest increased in the autumn, i.e. only towards the end of the project.