Co-working: advantages and disadvantages in workplace arrangement

Abstract

The article focuses on designing and operating co-working office spaces. It is pointed out that in the current social and economic circumstances in Ukraine co-working-spaces, viewed as forms of workplace arrangement, are developing slowly, whereas the USA and Europe have successfully implemented this model of working. Co-working is considered to be one of the innovative forms of interaction between managers and subordinates within the organization. In addition, historical background of the concept and its institutionalization are traced.It is claimed that co-working enhances the development of a start-up culture based on either innovative ideas, or technologies that not only provide a creative environment and the necessary infrastructure for developing a new project, but also build a creative community, whose members can join a new start-up.It is argued that co-working is an integral part of the innovative framework of personnel management. The conclusion is made on the basis of comparison of its elements and features, analysis of relations between participants and organizers, justification of principles applied for designing internal co-working spaces.The concept of co-working is examined in terms of the following three aspects: shared office rent for facilitating independent employees engaged in different fields of activity; a model of workplace, comfortably equipped for performing entrepreneurial activities by free and independent agents; a principle of workplace arrangement, which enables independent and free agents to operate comfortably and efficiently owing to a flexible combination of services and a well-organized working environment, that stimulate the exchange of ideas and generation of new ones through interaction between participants and certain policies of organizers.Co-working and its distinctive features, which differ from common, usual kind of entrepreneurial or other activities, are outlined. Both positive and negative features of co-working are highlighted. The necessity of co-working centers during crisis periods in order to save money is revealed.