Lifestyle Co-working
The way the world works is changing. As the contingent workforce of freelancers, entrepreneurs and start-ups grows, so the physical space in which work happens is undergoing transformation. People are no longer satisfied with a cramped desk in a corner of their living room; they want decent furniture, a like-minded community, access to networking events, great coffee in the morning and, probably, a tipple at the end of the day. This is all now available in Singapore, where a range of coworking spaces – including new kid on the block, Club Co – offer an environment to suit every type of worker.
According to Charlie Brazier, general manager at Club Co, the co-working trend really started at Starbucks. “While it didn’t work as a co-working space, it was a good concept to me; with food and coffee, you could sit there all day and work.”
Club Co, which opened in February, joins more than two dozen other shared offices that have opened in the past four years. Each has carved its own niche, catering to a savvy market of workers. Treshaus, for example, with its child-minding facilities, has family-friendly credentials, while The Great Room has a high-end hotel lobby feel. The market is also highly competitive, as evidenced by the recent closure of female-only workspace Woolf Works after three years.
Charlie points out that Club Co’s niche is food and beverages, thanks to its proximity to restaurant Club Meatballs (both are owned by investment group LWC), which sits at the front of the office building where the shared offices are located. “Our niche is the workers who host meetings, events and networking lunches as a part of their business. And people who like good food, too. Unlike other co-working environments, we’re open to the public, so our members have an external and internal community, which is important for making connections,” he says.
Indeed, a big reason for the popularity of co-working is the options it presents for engagement with likeminded people. Working in isolation at home is arguably becoming a thing of the past because shared offices provide an instant community with opportunities to share ideas, collaborate and make connections. That’s what Charlie is working towards at Club Co. As well as offering flexibility (there are four membership options, some with no strings attached), he is building value for members through regular events. “Every month we run fun social nights – wine tasting, for example – and business events that focus on the issues startups want to know about, such as business coaching and mentoring,” he says.
The feedback has been very positive. Charlie says people love the relaxed environment, the opportunities to rub shoulders with a wide range of people, and the membership, which effectively offers food and beverages for free. “We’re different,” he says. “It’s about fun, communication and networking.”