Global Coworking Connections: Key Takeaways from GCUC UK London 2024
GCUC UK London 2024 was an epic two-day event of knowledge-sharing, insightful conversation, and of course, forging strong community connections.
Source: Suzanne Murdock
The original takeaways piece was published by GCUC UK on LinkedIn.
The global GCUC community convened at 22 Bishopsgate on 10th October for a day of panel discussions and roundtables hosted by GCUC UK organiser, Emilie Lashmar, and MC, Freddie Fforde, founder of Patch neighbourhood workspaces and thought-leader behind the ‘work near home’ movement. Uncommon Liverpool St hosted the fun evening celebrations, and the next morning was filled with enjoyable coworking tours across the capital.
Let’s get into the key takeaways of this unforgettable event.
‘Doubling down on brand’
The opening panel brought together international experts who called for disruption in the industry, with Sarah Travers, CEO at Workbar (who flew in from the US), predicting that the old-school operators (who’ve been operating on the same business model for the past 30 years) are unlikely to continue over the next five years. Greater synergy between different offerings that sit alongside workspace is expected, including fitness amenities and F&B. This conversation brought us back to GCUC UK Manchester in June, where ‘hotelification of the office’ was declared this year’s industry buzzword.
Interestingly, the broker model is continuing to shift – ‘if you need an office space you don’t need to go to the online brokers, you just Google it,’ remarked Australian-based Cliff Ho, CEO and cofounder at The Commons. In fact, search engine algorithm changes prompted by the emergence of generative AI technologies, like ChatGPT, are working in favour of smaller, more independent brands, said John Williams, Director at B&E Consulting. In his following talk unpacking the industry data, John advised: “Operators need to double down on brand.”
Indeed, brand does matter (Caleb Parker brought this topic to the fore during an excellent round table later that day). The opening panel debated the use of the word ‘coworking’, acknowledging how the 2019 documentary tarnished the WeWork brand and continues to impact its definition. While Denise McGeachy, COO at Bracken Workspace Plus, described coworking as a ‘sub-product of flexible workspace,’ Sarah declared it: A ‘product of the future.’ Ultimately, these conversations will continue to shape the industry, and I love a healthy debate!
In recent years, the UK flex market has grown slowly, with John remarking that prices have gone down. Yet, it doesn’t diminish future opportunities brought about by hybrid working practices, greater awareness of the benefits of coworking, and the opportunities (including investment) from improved partnerships between occupiers and landlords.
Source: Ashley Ford/GCUC
‘People Are Your Competitive Edge’
Whether we’re working in or simply being in a workspace, those serendipitous conversations with people can transform our experience of a place. The aptly-named panel – People Are Your Competitive Edge, moderated by Vanessa Belleau, Founder and MD at High Fifteen Ltd, highlighted why people matter most all in this industry.
Exploring industry career roles and opportunities, the panel spoke at length about the role of community managers. A truly imperative yet multi-faceted position, community management often comes with additional expectations beyond engaging with and building coworking communities. This might look like the day-to-day running of a workspace, social media marketing, event facilitation during and beyond the 9-5, and welcoming everyone in the space – even just thinking about all these different roles sounds exhausting!
Indeed, Pauline Roussel, co-founder and CEO at Coworkies, pointed out that community managers who lack support can burn out after only a few years in the role. Especially if a coworking space founder’s expectations differ, and tasks pile up. But there is a balance to strike – as adding more nuance to community management can generate opportunities for career development, said Sarah Hayford, Founder & CEO at The Land Collective. This can bring about more equitable access to opportunities for marginalised individuals and young generations entering the workforce.
Cameron MacRae, Head of Flexible Workspace Recruitment at Property Management Recruitment, felt that community managers in coworking have a better work-life balance than hospitality jobs, where many community managers are recruited (95% of community managers are headhunted).
As new flex brands emerge with wildly different values from traditional operators – think forming a welcoming, bubbly, friendly community over more formal customer relationships – the search for talent often goes beyond the industry, said Derek Lutz, CEO at Bottle Rocket Search. In fact, some flexspace brands are so intentional in hiring a suitable community manager for their workspace, that they may even refuse to hire within the industry altogether.
The downside of community management is that the role often comes with entry-level salaries (a community manager earns an average of £28,000 per year), expectations to commute daily, and limited progression opportunities. The panel called for greater investment (an example being supporting your CMs to attend a GCUC event), offering greater opportunities for career development, and providing flexibility in the role while always treating community managers with the utmost respect and value.
Source: Ashley Ford/GCUC
‘Flight to experience’
Many workspaces entering the market want to bring something unique to their offerings and community. This works very well if it aligns with members’ expectations but – ‘are we just looking at an amenity race?’ – opened Danny Babington, Global Lead – Agent & Broke Partnerships at Mindspace, moderator of the panel: Evolving Occupier Needs in the Flex Space Market.
Robert Stevenson, COO at Techspace, agreed with Danny – this often happens when operators broaden their appeal to as many customers as possible, without niching down on a particular customer segment or understanding their needs. Currently, we’re seeing all sorts of snazzy amenities sitting alongside flexible workspaces – for instance, lush rooftop gardens, well-equipped podcast studios, and even wellness-enhancing saunas! Niamh Martin, MD at Covene (the host location for GCUC UK London), coined this “flight to experience.”
But, do we need them? “The brief of today will not be the brief of tomorrow,” answered Amy Taylor, International Partner, Head of Flex Office Advisory UK at Cushman & Wakefield. Workspaces aren’t just about amenities. Without nailing the basics first (good WIFI and connectivity, hospitality service, ergonomic furniture etc.), it’s difficult for customers to buy into you. Niamh describes this as having “a beautiful building without a soul.”
When it comes to pricing, Danny questioned how operators maintain good occupancy and raise the rates. Provide amazing service throughout tenancies, not just when the time edges closer to renewal, advised Amy, and maintain good relationships with customers. Robert suggested a thoughtful ‘value-based pricing model’, agreeing that first-rate hospitality and account management justifies prices. Ultimately, ‘staying close to occupiers’ makes these relationships work, concluded Danny.
Source: Ashley Ford/GCUC
‘Personality rich designs’
Dean Connell, founder at IAMDC, took us on a journey of his time at WeWork leading their workspace design fit-outs during the company’s impressive global expansion. He introduced the concept of ‘glocal’ – a combination of global and local – to describe WeWork’s approach to designing new locations worldwide.
For example in India, WeWork brought in ceiling fixtures resembling its iconic spinning wheel motif, made from local materials in bright colours that were indicative of Holi festival. After learning that in Indian culture, dining together is a significant ritual, the design team brought large dining tables into breakout spaces to facilitate communal dining.
Similarly in Japan, WeWork designed desks that were translated versions of low tables. Japanese motifs reflected its iconic architectural features, including curved glass walls. Although Japan was an ambitious place for WeWork expansion, said Dean, collaborating with like-minded local people brought a distinct perspective to the team’s design decisions, as they ‘let the locals lead.’
Indeed, workspace design facilitates incredible social interactions. Dean’s tips for creating ‘personality rich designs’ included: Don’t be afraid to add personality to the space and installing artwork, it’s acceptable to take time in curating a ‘home away from home,’ (you wouldn’t fit out your entire home in a matter of days, for instance), and ‘accessories create the vibe.’
With 80-90% of office furniture ending up in landfills (at GCUC UK Manchester, Dean spoke on a panel about sustainability in office furniture), more thoughtful design choices were advised, keeping the sustainability and durability of products in consideration, and importantly, to ‘immerse everyone in the process.’
Source: Ashley Ford/GCUC
Canary Wharf – the new 15-minute city
On its second day, GCUC facilitated a fantastic coworking tour series, and this conference was no exception. I joined the Canary Wharf tour, exploring three beautiful workspaces across the district.
We began at Type SQB in South Quays, greeted with some delicious coffee and pastries before the community managers showcased the amenities, including a basement gym and car park. We explored their workspaces, boasting incredible views over to Greenwich (having just moved there, I was keen to spot my house across the water!). The spectacular views were enhanced by such a sunny morning.
We then walked over to the iconic One Canada Square, before getting the lift right to the top of the building for a tour around L39 – a workspace specifically for technology startups and SMEs. This niche community curates a tight circle of inspiring and innovative leaders in their respective fields. This really worked post-pandemic, where the community was keen to get back in the office to reconnect with their coworkers.
In fact, the pandemic has impacted Canary Wharf to a large extent. What used to be a purely commercial district before additional offerings were added, including retail, leisure, F&B, and more recently, residential, has enabled the district to become set up for a more mixed-use purpose. It goes back to the opening panel, discussing the workspace ecosystem. Is Canary Wharf (and exciting Wood Wharf, currently in development) an example of a futuristic 15-minute city?
Finally, we were taken to another area of One Canada Square to visit FORA. As always the interior design and feel didn’t disappoint – I loved the earthy tones and mid-century workspace design. It was lovely to see many people coworking on a Friday too, and some of us even joined afterwards to keep our conversations flowing, experiencing coworking at FORA first-hand.
Amazing views from L39. Source: Lucy McInally
Another epic event
GCUC UK London was, as ever, an absolute joy. The people and sense of community within this industry really make the experience special, with the conversations and panels being super enlightening. Thank you Team GCUC – I can’t wait for the next one!
The original takeaways piece was published by GCUC UK on LinkedIn.