The world’s first 3 industrial revolutions introduced steam power, electricity, and digitization. Today, we’re seeing the emergence of a 4th revolution: disruption.
Technology is disrupting the traditional work/life split. Think about how much it has changed just in the past decade, compared to the rest of human history.
For centuries, people set aside distinct hours of time for their jobs. They went to factories, worksites, stores, and offices, focusing on work during a special timeframe known as “business hours.”
But now 9-to-5 jobs are a thing of the past. The lines between work and life are blurring. Business hours are 24/7, 365 days a year.
Coworking fits right in with this major societal shift. Here’s why.
All Business is Tech Business
People are looking for tech-friendly ways to organize their lives. Today, every business is essentially a tech business. Every company uses computers, software, systems, apps, smartphones, and other tech solutions.
At coworking communities, technology is a seamless part of the workday. It’s a tech-first environment where people constantly work from their iPhones and laptops. Video conferences are an everyday occurrence.
With arms open to technology, coworking expands the traditional work timeframe. You can cowork far beyond the traditional 9-to-5 day, crossing time zones and continents. It’s a global choice.
Coworking is Entrepreneurial
The new industrial revolution is an entrepreneurial one. Every year, there are about half a million new startups in the U.S.
Today’s entrepreneurs are finding more success than the generation before them, despite stereotypes to the contrary. A new study by Entrepreneur found that the average U.S. entrepreneur:
- Takes $68,000 a year as their own salary
- Has a college degree, with 95.1% holding a bachelor’s degree or higher
- Typically establishes their first entrepreneurial venture at a wide range of ages, from 18 to 55
- Is much more ethnically and socioeconomically diverse than those in the generation before them
It’s easy to see why these energetic entrepreneurs are attracted to coworking. A coworking space provides a professional, supportive environment. They can meet like-minded individuals, plus get fresh and diverse perspectives.
Coworking is an inclusive space that welcomes a wide range of people. That’s great for the entrepreneurial spirit.
It Supports Changing Definitions
The definition of most jobs has changed significantly in the past decade. An office manager’s job, traditionally, was to manage supplies and schedules. Today, they also coordinate systems, devices, teleconferences, and many other aspects of working in the digital world.
Consider these facts:
- By 2025, digital work will be contributing $2.7 trillion to the global GDP.
- By 2030, about 375 million people will see a change in their occupational definition.
- By 2030, 800 million jobs will be replaced by automation.
Coworking is a way to blunt the human impact of technological changes. It allows people to redefine their work lives and find new ways to succeed.
Today’s office manager doesn’t even need to work from the office. They can operate from a coworking community, coordinating all the activities that keep their company productive.
We Need Social Support
Coworking also fulfills a vital role in a digital world: It provides sociability. For people who spend endless hours looking at screens, coworking provides emotional support and human interaction.
In a coworking community, people can take a break from being entrepreneurs, go-getters, and movers-and-shakers. They can simply sit on a couch, grab a cup of coffee, and have some good old fashioned conversation.
For this reason, the National Institutes of Health calls coworking an important source of social support for independent professionals. Even when they’re under extreme work stress, they have a coworking community to turn to.
Coworking is the Future of Work
Let’s face it: Coworking communities are the workplaces of the future.
Almost every segment of industry is projected to become more intensely collaborative in the coming decade. Coworking fits right in with that future: It’s collaborative, tech-friendly, and flexible.
Are you prepared for the 4th industrial revolution? To learn more about coworking, connect with Victory Workspace. We’re at the forefront of today’s evolving workforce.
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