Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Would Consider Coworking but Drastically Overestimate the Cost
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lauren Carmody
Director of Public Relations
Connecticut Innovations
Phone: (860) 258-7829
CoworkCT national survey shows the majority of people have never heard of collaborative work environments but when provided with a better understanding, most said they would consider coworking
ROCKY HILL, Conn., June 30, 2014 – CoworkCT, a network of coworking communities whose members include small businesses, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and contractors who share space, resources, and ideas, today announced the results of a national survey intended to better understand how familiar Americans are with coworking. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) said they would consider working in a collaborative work environment once they understood the concept, but 60% said they had never heard of it.
“Coworking has reinvented the way people work,” said Marcella Kovac, cofounder of B:Hive, Bridgeport, Conn.’s first coworking and retail space. “These work environments allow freelancers, artists, entrepreneurs and even small businesses to create, collaborate and grow in a space where they share amenities and ideas with others.”
The demographic groups most inclined to consider a coworking environment were 18 to 34 year olds (75%) and residents of the Northeast (72%).
“As we continue to see a shift to a business economy that consists of an increased number of freelancers, contractors and small businesses, coworking is an affordable option for people who value collaboration and thrive in a shared workspace environment,” said Kovac. “While prices may vary depending on geography, what people don’t understand is the cost of coworking. The data showed that most people drastically overestimate the cost to rent a space in a coworking facility.”
According to CoworkCT, the average cost of a coworking membership is $200 per month and the average cost of a private desk or office in a coworking facility is $350. The data from the survey showed that on average, people think the monthly cost of an individual coworking membership is $1,300.
Other key findings from the research include:
- Nearly 40% of respondents said that collaboration with other professionals (not necessarily within their organization) was the most attractive feature of a coworking space, followed by 19% of respondents who chose affordability
- Forty percent of respondents thought small businesses with fewer than 10 employees were best-suited for coworking, followed by 21% of respondents who said entrepreneurs would be the best fit
- More than half of respondents (55%) said they thought it costs more than $500 per person per month for an individual space in a coworking environment
The national data in this report was based on an ORC International telephone CARVAN® Omnibus survey conducted among a sample of 1,006 adults 18 and older living in the continental U.S. Interviews were completed from April 24 to April 27, 2014. The survey was conducted at a 95% confidence level and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.
About CoworkCT
CoworkCT is a network of Connecticut coworking communities where members share space, resources, and ideas. The goal of the network is to educate the public on the benefits of coworking and increase general awareness for the collaborative work style. For more information, please visit: www.coworkct.org.
