Coworking Society

Coworking + Startups = Pure Awesomeness

I had the unique opportunity to see into the future this past weekend. April 3 - 5th was the Startup Weekend World Challenge and I was able to attend the local incarnation in the Triangle.

The event was held at Edge Office in Raleigh. While primarily known for creating customized workplace environments, Edge Office is starting to dip their toes into the emerging coworking tidal wave. Seems like an intelligent extension of their workspace brand. I also like that they are taking it slow, learning more about the industry and giving back to the same community that would be most likely supportive of coworking spaces.

Is it only the office that’s obsolete?

It’s not so much the office that is obsolete, but rather the mentality that got us into the office.  The stereotypical view of office space is a deeply rooted relic of the industrial revolution.  I imagine 20th century CEOs saying to themselves, “Henry Ford built a highly successful enterprise based on assembly lines and mass production… maybe my company should operate like this?”

We’ve had this image so deeply ingrained in our psyche… so much of our real estate… so much of our landscape… so many of our companies structured around a worldview that seems increasingly irrelevant.  Why do all of us need to wake up every morning, drive for an hour to some monolithic building, sit at our assigned seats, and begin working simultaneously from 9am to 5pm? (probably more like 7am - 6pm if you include travel time)

Our history with the office is long and the impressions run deep.  I think we’ve known something was wrong for some time now, but it wasn’t until we began commuting on a worldwide information superhighway that we began to realize our work structure would never be the same.  However, the emerging generation of knowledge workers have no allegiance to, memory of, or need for this structure.

The concept of the office is going to change drastically over the next decade or so… especially given current economic fears.  Looking to cut back on costs, large companies are slashing their office footprints.  But do they know how to manage a mobile workforce?  Do they know how to inspire and retain a distributed staff?  Lots of growing pains ahead, but a lot more opportunities.  Are you ready?