Coworking spaces and the coronavirus pandemic were never going to be a great match.
Such spaces bring people together under a single roof where they can share common spaces and maybe benefit from sharing ideas with one another. The pandemic made all of that inadvisable.
The pandemic, though, may be putting coworking spaces and similar uses like incubators – all often open 24/7 for members to use – in a better position once the public health crisis has passed.
A few reasons may account for that, Central Massachusetts industry leaders say. Some have found themselves with more free time or spare money than they had before the recession. Others, forced or pre-emptively looking to change careers, are looking for a small, affordable space. A number of companies have or are expected to opt out of office leases and instead take up a coworking space membership for occasional staff meetings.