The future of location-independent work: Shared offices--and office mates--that travel the world with you

Will BennisLocus Workspace24 May 2016The future of location-independent work:

Shared offices--and office mates--that travel the world with you

There are exciting recent developments in location-independent work that make it possible, and relatively easy, to travel the world while you work without giving up things like a membership at a coworking space or even the community of people you normally work with. Thats what this talk is about.

[a little humor] So how is that future? Its not. When I say future, I really mean now.

Ill start with practical examples of whats out there. Simple (coworking space listing services) to more complete packagese (a year with the same community).1

Coworking space LISTING SERVICESThe coworking wiki (http://wiki.coworking.org)Nomad List (nomadlist.com)ShareDesk (www.sharedesk.net)workfrom (workfrom.co)LiQUIDSPACE (liquidspace.com)Desks Near Me (desksnear.me)DESK*WORKS (desk.works)Etc.

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SHARED MEMBERSHIPSacross coworking spacesThe Coworking VisaList (wiki.coworking.org)Map (www.coworkingvisamap.com)Copass (copass.org)League of Extraordinary Coworking Spaces (lexc.org)Coworking Without Borders (coworkingwithoutborders.com)CoWAG (cowag.co)ROAM (roam.co)Etc.

Coworking & CO-LIVING (1 month unless otherwise stated)Coworking Camp (coworking.camp)DNX Camp (www.dnxcamp.com)nomadicHUB (nomadichub.com)Cowork Paradise (www.coworkparadise.com) in BaliThe Entrepreneur House (theentrepreneurhouse.com)Hacker Paradise (www.hackerparadise.org) 2 12 weeksCoboat (www.coboat.org) 1 week or longerThere is much more (e.g)

Coworking & co-living More than 1 monthWorld Workation (worldworkation.com) 3 months, 3 countriesThe Remote Experience (www.theremoteexperience.com) 4 months, 4 countries, 30 peopleCowork The World (www.coworktheworld.com/tours)Remote Year (www.remoteyear.com) 12 months, 12 locations, 75 peopleMy Wander Year (http://www.mywanderyear.com/)

But why now?http://www.perftrends.com/why_perftrends.html

3 big changes in work lifestyleDramatic (global) increase in location-independent workThe rise of coworkingDramatic increase in digital nomadism

Dramatic increase inLOCATION INDEPENDENT WORK

United StatesMBO Partners 2015 report: 17.8 million full-time independent workers in the US.30.2 million full- & part-timeProjected to increase by 27% by 2020 (compared to 5.4% for workforce as a whole)

Survey at Global Leadership Summit, London34% of business leaders said more than companys full-time workforce would be working remotely by 2020. 25% said more than would not work in a traditional office

European Forum of Independent Professionals More than 45% increase between 2004 & 2013 in independent professionals in EU27Fastest growing group in EU labor market

The rise ofCOWORKING

Sprial Muse

Coworking Facility Forecast

Coworking Member Forecast

Dramatic increase inDIGITAL NOMADISM

http://www.inc.com/matt-cooper/why-your-business-needs-digital-nomads.html

But this just pushes the question one step back.

Some answersThe obvious: Technology: More than 9 in 10 agree, technology is making it easier to work wherever you want (oDesk survey).Company profitsIn New York, office space per employee costs on average $14,800 annually (Marketwatch.com, May 2015).Costs of employment vs. hiring freelancersEmployee satisfaction & productivityIncreasing individualism around the globeIncreasing need for social connectedness

Maslows hierarchy of needs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow

Brad Neuberg, Aug. 9, 2005:First public use of the term coworkingTraditionally, society forces us to choose between working at home for ourselves or working at an office for a company. If we work at a traditional 9 to 5 company job, we get community and structure, but lose freedom and the ability to control our own lives. If we work for ourselves at home, we gain independence but suffer loneliness and bad habits from not being surrounded by a work community.

Coworking is a solution to this problem. In coworking, independent writers, programmers, and creators come together in community a few days a week. Coworking provides the "office of a traditional corporate job, but in a very unique way.