The 11 Types of People You’ll Encounter in a Coworking Space

Freelancers are the bread and butter of a coworking space. And there’s plenty of reasons why you can find freelancers in a coworking space: coworking is more interesting than working from home, it’s a better work environment, great for networking and helps with work-life balance. Freelancers also love the casual aspect of a coworking space—being able to get up and take a walk, go to the gym, or frantically complete their next deadline.

Don’t interrupt the workaholic! They find working in a coworking space as productive as working in an office (and, in fact, are proof that a coworking space is as good a work environment as a traditional office).

After all, a coworking space makes it easy to get on with things—with fast wifi and free coffee, it’s easy to work all day. While people often think coworking spaces will be distracting because of all the people, so can an office with noisy coworkers or a home office that is shared with children and pets.

Yes, there are corporates in coworking spaces. They may be consultants who use the shared office space, the onsite printing, and virtual office services so that they can run their business in a professional setting without having to worry about lots of employees or costs.

However, since COVID, even larger businesses are looking at coworking spaces. As the pandemic continues, many businesses are looking to move to a hybrid work structure. This means they no longer need huge expensive offices. Renting out space in a coworking facility is a much cheaper and more COVID-flexible option that still allows plenty of professionalism. (Many coworking spaces offer private offices and conference rooms).

The networker is an extrovert who knows everyone in the coworking space and really makes the most of coworking’s networking opportunities. They tend to be very chatty, and if you need to find someone or something or an introduction, they’re the person to approach. They can even show you the ropes when you’re new to the space.

Another demographic you’re likely to see are remote or hybrid workers. These are people who might be able to work from home but prefer the coworking space because it’s a better place to get work done. Their company’s agree with them, many paying for employees to work in a coworking space.

Small business owners may not have the capital for a proper office space, which is why you’re likely to find them and their employees in shared office spaces. Coworking spaces allow small business owners to have an office and have access to office equipment like stationery and a printer without having to make a big investment.

They can also offer perks to small business employees: What other small business has an onsite gym and café?

Coworking spaces are great for startups who are trying to cut costs while their venture takes off. Like small business owners, startups love having office facilities on hand for a fraction of the price of a traditional office space.

A coworking space is also a great place for startups to grow—it’s full of networking opportunities, which is why it’s so easy to get into a conversation with these guys about their new venture.

If your coworking space has a gym, you may see gym bunnies—people who love being able to workout in their break and being able to workout in general. They know the importance of exercise for concentration at work. For the gym bunny, a well-equipped onsite gym is a must for any coworking space they’ll consider attending.

Like the gym, readily available coffee has its own devotees. From hipsters to people who need coffee to function, these people tend to work near the kitchen and café and have realized coworking spaces are cheaper (and more effective) places to work than a local café.

Parents of young children are a demographic of coworking spaces which offer onsite childcare. For these parents, coworking is the best of both worlds: they can get work done and still see their child in their breaks (and don’t have to travel to drop them off or pick them up), which is both cost-effective and comforting. Catch these folks at the onsite daycare.

Coworking isn’t only for extroverts. Surprisingly, introverts also enjoy the atmosphere of coworking. Though some may opt for a more private space, many still like having the option to socialize and network, even if they don’t always take it. After all, introverts get lonely too, and many like the presence of others in their workspace (as long as those others are not constantly trying to chat).

There are plenty of people you’ll meet while coworking. From people who take the perks of a coworking space very seriously to those who believe coworking is the most productive work environment, coworking provides a more interesting (but less stressful) environment and community than the office. Interested in experiencing the coworking community yourself?—Zioks provides a world-class coworking space in Kolkata, complete with a gym, kitchen, café, and crèche.