Coworking spaces, together with digital tools like Slack and Zoom, are enabling organisations around the world to embrace relatively new hybrid ways of working.
But the metaverse could transform how we work even further.
Some people describe the metaverse as the next iteration of the internet. It’s an always-on, experiential online sphere that – to an extent – mimics the real world.
In a Deloitte article, Chief Disruptor Ed Greig says:
“In the simplest terms, the metaverse is the internet, but in 3D. It’s a form of digital interaction where connected, virtual experiences can either simulate the real world or imagine worlds beyond it.”
Currently, the majority of metaverse platforms are centred around gaming, not work.
The likes of Minecraft, Robolox and Fortnite have been described by many as offering “metaverse experiences”'. For example, in Robolox, users can create customisable avatars and share the same virtual space as other players.
This Worklife article contains some interesting examples of how some metaverse developers are starting to apply the same technology in a workplace context. For example, the company Topia has started using its virtual spaces for its own meetings:
“...in Rec Room, a cross-platform social application and metaverse space, employees can use the “maker pen” tool to prototype three-dimensional virtual objects.”
In 2021, employees at the 3D social metaverse platform Stageverse found themselves socialising and congregating in a product they were playtesting.
Mark Zuckerberg has spoken about how the metaverse has the potential to create new forms of work.
In August last year, Facebook (now Meta) launched Horizon Workrooms, a virtual meeting space that enables workers to join in through VR, video calls, or by clicking a meeting link. It can currently support up to 50 people in total (16 people in VR).
Horizon Workrooms’ users can create an avatar to enter and collaborate with their teammates in a virtual office setting. They can brainstorm on a whiteboard, write notes and interact with others – all while sitting at their HQ, home or coworking desk.
As the concept of the metaverse becomes more mainstream, more companies are leveraging it to bring their distributed teams together. Perhaps the metaverse, and VR in general, could provide an antidote to videoconferencing fatigue.
Meeting in the metaverse could benefit employees from a work-life balance perspective, as it doesn’t require a commute. No commute also means no vehicle CO2 emissions.
That said, the metaverse isn’t carbon neutral, and it’s important to understand the environmental implications. Virtual reality technology and data centres use AI and cloud services, which require quite large amounts of energy.
Despite the pros of meeting in the metaverse, it still can’t replicate face-to-face communication, and we can’t see that changing.
When it comes to the workplace, it’s likely that the metaverse will be (and already is, for some) another addition to the hybrid workplace toolkit, along with working from home, coworking memberships and other communication software programmes.
The metaverse has the potential to impact coworking architecture and interior design. Location-based entertainment (LBE) VR is when a physical place hosts a VR experience. It usually takes place in cinemas and other entertainment venues.
But there might come a time in the not-so-distant future when coworking spaces dedicate parts of their floor plan to LBE VR, enabling members to meet and collaborate with their geographically dispersed team using a VR headset.
Maybe yours already does!
A household name in the global coworking industry, Liz Elam, is the founder of one of the world’s best coworking event series: GCUC. Liz’s coworking roots began in 2010, when she established Link Coworking – a welcoming, affordable, and professional coworking space – in her hometown of Austin, Texas. Link Coworking achieved incredible success, expanding across three locations and becoming the fourth-largest coworking brand in Austin. It was sold in 2019, making Liz the first woman globally to exit a coworking brand.
Gathering online for the Coworking Alliance Summit last week, members of global coworking alliances, coworking spaces, and community leaders came together to navigate global issues, strengthen ties across the coworking industry, and work collectively towards future goals.
Some people like working against a background of noise, while for others it’s their worst work nightmare. The truth is, our relationship with noise depends on our own preferences and the nature of our work.
London’s Workspace Design Show is undoubtedly one of the best coworking events of 2025. For one, the exhibition (held at Islington’s Business Design Centre) features a host of innovative and creative workspace design solutions tailored to the needs of modern workplaces.
There has always been a need for workplace management – the process of organising and optimising physical spaces, resources, and operations to support people’s needs. But, as 28% of UK working adults were reported to work in a hybrid capacity last autumn (by the Office for National Statistics), the question of ‘why workplace management matters’ is more critical than ever. Let’s look at the workplace management benefits for your operations.
Coworking is synonymous with creativity, collaboration and productivity. Businesses and freelancers love coworking spaces because (by surrounding themselves with fellow workers) they’re more likely to achieve their goals. The coworking environment, while social, is set up to facilitate focused, distraction-free working.
Managing coworking spaces is an all-encompassing role, often leaving operators, owners, and community managers with little time to focus on personal growth or draw inspiration from others.
Vibrant, contemporary workspaces create an undeniable ‘wow’ factor. Textured designs and ambient lighting make spaces feel warm and cosy, while natural elements and biophilic design features have literal mood-boosting properties.
Coworking spaces thrive on the “co” – the collaborations, connections, and community – that can be formed within a flexible workspace. In fact, community activation is what transforms shared workspaces from mere buildings into vibrant, thriving hubs that empower people in their professional lives and create meaningful community experiences.
If you've been reading about coworking space design recently, you've probably come across an article or two that mentions narrative design and wondered what exactly it is and how it differs from traditional interior design, as well as how it can be used to improve design.