Coworking Spaces are shared workspaces that enable professionals from different fields to work independently but collaboratively (as Spinuzzi, 2012 noted, they “Work alone, together”) in an open space area that transforms into a hub where they can cultivate social connections and exchange valuable ideas (Yang et al., 2022). Although there is no universal definition of Coworking Spaces, scholars have identified the shared nature of these spaces, the benefits of physical and social proximity, and the potential for creating a community as key features (Moriset, 2014; Yang et al., 2019; Robelski et al., 2019).
The popularity of Coworking Spaces has grown significantly over the past 14 years due to the sharing economy, technological advancements, and innovative organizational models (Blagoev et al., 2019; Weijs-Perrée et al., 2019). These spaces attract digital workers seeking work-life balance and a sense of community (Cabral & van Winden, 2022; Mayerhoffer, 2021). Initially, Coworking Spaces were prevalent in large cities, but the trend has extended to suburban areas (Jamal, 2018; Fuzi, 2015).

To gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and develop new organizational and management strategies tailored to the unique features of Coworking Spaces in Veneto, a transdisciplinary research team involving three universities was formed.

The HTLab conducted an extensive analysis of workers’ motivations, well-being, group dynamics, and perceptions within these shared workspaces, utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods such as questionnaires, interviews, and field observations. The research was conducted in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which profoundly impacted Coworking Spaces and affected coworkers’ perceptions, stress levels, job satisfaction, performance, and personal relationships with other professionals.
The Covid-19 pandemic was an unexpected phenomenon that highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of Coworking Spaces, providing new insights that could be used to redesign them to better cater to the evolving needs of workers. This would involve considering both physical and technological aspects to create a more resilient workspace environment.