Flexible real estate has had an unprecedented boom since the start of the pandemic. Businesses in urban areas have had to rethink their office spaces and, in many cases, move them to the suburbs. There are several reasons for this shift and for the success of coworking spaces located outside of city centres.

For a long time, businesses set up shop in urban areas, where they had access to a large labour pool. Concentration was paramount and managers of coworking spaces did the same, as it ensured the best chances of profitability. However, with the arrival of the pandemic, this criteria fell far down the list and isolation became the norm. Many workers also decided to move from urban centres to suburban and even rural areas.

Except for jobs that require an in-person presence, such as manufacturing, companies quickly put in place a structure to make it possible for their employee to work remotely, more precisely from home. But this shift to telework was not planned and adaptations had to me made in a hurry, often by increasing bureaucracy, in an attempt to regain lost productivity.

Of course, working from home and not having to commute saved employees a considerable amount of time and money. Companies found themselves with empty offices in the city and noticed another phenomenon: while working from home has its advantages, the social ties forged between members of work teams began to weaken and the resulting synergy to wane. In addition, the distractions of home and family can, in some cases, affect employee performance.

Businesses quickly realized that asking their employees to come back to the city would be a lost cause, especially given some of the major roadwork underway, like the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel repair. But there was a logical solution! They decided to reduce the size of their facilities in urban areas and provide their employees with coworking spaces in the suburbs.

These satellite offices, whose main feature is flexibility, perfectly meet businesses’ needs. Having a space where employees can continue to develop the corporate culture is a huge advantage. The variety of coworking spaces available in the suburbs lets businesses reduce their capital costs, bring their employees together in one place and ensure high productivity while meeting new working condition demands.

Coworking spaces in the suburbs are very popular at the moment. Who wants to go back to trekking all the way to the city? One thing is for sure: Habits have radically changed and the future of coworking appears to be in the suburbs.

To learn more about our different options, contact us!