Remote work has been a defining trend of the past few years, with companies of all sizes and industries switching to virtual or hybrid models. At Gather, we recognize the benefits of remote work and the reasons behind its growing popularity.

Most experts believe that coworking and flexible workspace models will outperform traditional office space in the new year as more companies embrace hybrid work patterns. 

Gather believes the same. We feel the shift with our members and the evolving need for agility, flexibility and experiential workplaces. So how do we know this demand for flexible office space will only continue to increase? It’s in the most recent 2022 reports. 

Amazon. Salesforce. IBM. What do all these businesses have in common? These are just a few of the enterprises that have adapted to the flexible workspace model in recent years.

As the way people work continues to evolve, the traditional office space has no chance in the face of today's more flexible workspaces.

There's no need for Great Resignation; we need "Great Reflection." Work and people are in a trivial state, requiring a shift in employer assumptions. 

Millions of workers in the U.S. voluntarily left their jobs this past year, and there’s plenty more to come. The drivers of attrition are many but employers are having to learn about the new demands and motivations of their employees. It’s no longer enough to pay our employees well and provide them a career path; they seek to work for a business that respects their well-being and that matches their values.

If you're like most people, when you think of a content creator you think of your favorite influencer, a sponsored post, or a video that went viral.

According to Devrix it is estimated that more than 50 million people think of themselves as content creators. While most of them consider themselves amateurs, more than 2 million have made content creation their full time job and primary source of income.

And according to Yahoo the creator economy has grown to a staggering market size of over $104.2 billion and is increasing at a steady pace!

Who are these millions of content creators? They are podcasters, video creators, musicians, visual artists, writers and journalists, and gaming creators. If you create content of any sort consider yourself a content creator!

Along with this explosion of content creators have come spaces for these creative people to have a sense of community that supports their ideas and helps them reach their audience and make a sustainable living. These spaces are both digital and physical.

Those of you who have traveled lately may have noticed how busy the airports and highways are. According to travel management company TripActions, business travel bookings for the first quarter of 2022 outpaced more than half of all bookings for 2021, with an 875% increase from March 2021 to March 2022.  Travelers are also booking what are known as "bleisure" stays—that is business trips combined with a few extra days of leisure.

However, natural challenges arise for the frequent business traveler who seeks a productive work environment. During the pandemic, the hotel industry did a great job of pivoting to offer day use of their rooms as private, on demand offices, but that’s problematic going forward.

At Gather we value personal connections and work to know at least one thing about each community member. Now it’s your chance to learn more about one member in particular: Brian Barry, President of F. Curtis Barry & Company.

A coffee shop is a great place to meet up with friends or relax with a good book, but is it really the ideal place to work?

Coffee shops have been around for a long time and have a well established culture as cool places for freelancers, remote workers, and students to work and hang out. After all, you don’t have to pay for your seat, the wi-fi is free, and typically there is no limit to how long you can stay.

According to a GCUC survey, 84% of coworkers say working in a coworking space makes them more engaged and motivated. And we couldn’t agree more! Here at Gather we see the evidence everyday. In fact, we value personal connections and work to know at least one thing about each community member. We are always looking for opportunities to engage, break the ice and build relationships with one another. And we never stop learning and improving. This is what motivates us and our members!

“According to Alex Pentland, Ph.D., author of Honest Signals: How They Shape Our World, allowing and encouraging workers to socialize with one another boosts both engagement and productivity” (Happy Brain Science, 2022).  While it is true that employees can potentially socialize in traditional offices, as pointed out in the Harvard Business Review, employees often feel as though they are expected to socialize with their coworkers when everyone in the office works for the same company. You’re probably aware of this feeling, right? 

The “obligatory nature” of the experience might make it feel forced. However, at a coworking space, people don’t socialize because their HR manager has told them it’s important for all coworkers to feel like “members of a family.” Simply put, people want to socialize when they want to.

Here at Gather, we pride ourselves in providing the perfect workspace environment that bolsters productivity and manifests greatness for our members. We get how important it is to find the right amount of space for your team, while having access to awesome amenities and resources to maximize your team’s efforts that make them look forward to coming to work every day. This is why shared office space at Gather is so successful.