Co-Working Spaces: The Future of Work?
B Y G E O R G I E D E S A I L LY
Regus Townsville co-working office reception area
What started as a niche concept with a few desks for entrepreneurs and creatives without the budget for their own office has now transformed the way we work.
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s a new generation of businesses emerge, many are embracing the benefits co-working spaces have to offer, and thanks to a spike in new spaces opening in the region, we are now seeing this shift in working arrangements here in North Queensland. From established centres who’ve been fostering business success for years like Co. Habitat Co-Working Space and the Sturt Business Centre to more recently opened spaces like Regus in the Townsville CBD and the new Jungle Club on Magnetic Island - it really has become a revolution. But what benefits do co-working spaces provide and why are businesses jumping to use them? Mark Bhardwaj, Head of International Workplace Group’s (IWG) Partnership Growth in Australia and New Zealand, says co-working spaces offer a “flexible business model” which many in North Queensland are keen to adopt postpandemic.
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“The appetite for flexible and coworking spaces was booming in Australia pre-COVID and the pandemic has only increased demand,” explains Mark. “As an investment, co-working spaces are a tried and tested business model, promising low staffing requirements and strong customer retention rates.” IWG’s Regus office in Townsville, which opened in June of this year, is the first of 10 ‘flexspaces’ centres to open in Queensland, with plans to extend along the coast to Cairns, Noosa, the Sunshine Coast, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Airlie Beach. Their new space, which offers conference rooms and hot-desks in addition to their offices, has seen steady growth in their first few months of operation. Mark says the entrepreneurial nature of many businesses in Townsville has
made it the ideal location to pilot their first centre, particularly since they’ve seen a mix of both local and intrastate clients taking out space. “Within Townsville is a strong entrepreneurial spirit and we are proud to foster that spirit through this new centre,” he explains. “Current take up has been strong in the first two months with our virtual office and membership options proving to be a strong selling point given customers have access to all Regus locations in Australia. “This demand for flexible office space among local businesses and entrepreneurs is increasing in the regional parts of North Queensland and our employees enjoy the flexibility offered by Regus within this brand-new centre in Townsville.” As businesses return to the workplace post-pandemic, co-working spaces
