http://www.deskmag.com/ Latest articles from Deskmag, the online magazine on coworking. en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.deskmag.com/img/deskmag/logo-rss.png http://www.deskmag.com/ 144 39 The German government’s plan to force freelancers to pay a compulsory retirement 'contribution' will kill off entrepreneurship and destroy millions of independent careers. That’s the opinion of Tim Wessels, an IT specialist from Hamburg who has launched a petition against the so-called “Rewarding Life’s Work” law. Freelancers will be forced to pay €350+ a month to support the broken pension system, on top of the €300-€600 they must already pay for health insurance (plus other taxes). Demanding that entrepreneurs fork out at least €650 a month in contributions before they earn a single cent will end innovation in Germany. Mon, 14 May 2012 09:40:42 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/new-350-euro-monthly-freelancer-tax-will-kill-innovation-in-germany-378 http://www.deskmag.com/en/new-350-euro-monthly-freelancer-tax-will-kill-innovation-in-germany-378 Nearly two-thirds of all coworking space members in Germany are self-employed. For them, and all other freelancers in Germany, a special retirement gift is planned by the federal Ministry – though as to who this generous “gift” is for is dubious. Under the slogan “Rewarding Life's Work”, all self-employed workers will be forced to pay minimum monthly contributions to a state or private pension fund. These mandatory contributions will be hundreds of euros per month for a basic social security which they can't live on. For many freelancers, this could signal the end. Here is a petition to change that. Fri, 11 May 2012 17:32:08 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/freelancers-to-pay-more-in-germany-coworking-377 http://www.deskmag.com/en/freelancers-to-pay-more-in-germany-coworking-377 America’s famously independent city has a strong sense of community and lots of great public areas to gather and interact. Which might be why there are less official coworking spaces than might be expected. Portland has also experienced a few failed coworking experiments. But things are picking up – there are several great locations for collaborative work, and more Portlandians are looking for a stable environment to do their independent work. We visited five locations, including an amazing makers’ space for handworkers. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:44:49 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-portland-oregon-375 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-portland-oregon-375 There is widespread consensus that a bad economy is a good financial climate for a startup. Indeed, in light of the startup boom which some are dubbing the ‘startup economy’, this may well prove true. As this trend continues to grow, however, the startup economy is emerging in its own right, now possessing its own market force and instigating a string of positive effects on the economy at large. Mon, 07 May 2012 13:29:22 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/why-startups-are-good-for-the-economy-coworking-spaces-374 http://www.deskmag.com/en/why-startups-are-good-for-the-economy-coworking-spaces-374 Many members join coworking spaces in Spring, marking the first season of many to come for most members. But what does that first week feel like? For coworking veterans, it's hard to think back to the very first week as a coworker, and remember how it felt to work in such a different environment for the first time. We met Lasse, a Danish expat living in San Francisco who was a newbie to the world of coworking... until he joined his space. Here, Lasse shares his experience of his first week, and offers tips for those who are not yet familiar with the concept. Thu, 03 May 2012 17:16:25 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/how-does-it-feel-to-start-coworking-373 http://www.deskmag.com/en/how-does-it-feel-to-start-coworking-373 Freelancers continue to dominate the membership base of coworking spaces, but an increasing percentage of the membership classifies itself as employees, numbering around a quarter worldwide and a third in the U.S. Approximately one in nine members are entrepreneurs, running a business with employees. How do these professional statuses influence the opinions and expectations each have of a coworking space? The Second Global Coworking Survey looked at the different needs and outcomes of these three professional groups. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:20:38 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/how-do-freelancers-employees-and-entrepreneurs-coworking-spaces-comparison-368 http://www.deskmag.com/en/how-do-freelancers-employees-and-entrepreneurs-coworking-spaces-comparison-368 A coworking space is a gathering point for a wide variety of creative and motivated individuals. Several spaces around the world are experimenting with ways to turn this diverse pool of talent into a collective brain. In Vancouver and Melbourne, spaces invite members to consult on projects for outside bodies. Engaging coworkers as consultants may be a way for spaces worldwide to draw out the most valuable aspect of their communities. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:09:11 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/picking-the-collective-brain-in-coworking-spaces-372 http://www.deskmag.com/en/picking-the-collective-brain-in-coworking-spaces-372 Freelance workers number around 35 million in the United States, making up approximately one third of the workforce. They offer a valuable contribution to the economy, with an estimated 55 per cent of American companies using contingent workers. Troublingly, this valuable contribution often comes at a personal cost. According to a recent survey carried out by the Freelancers Union, 77% of freelancers - totaling just under 27 million workers - have been subject to nonpayment, having difficulty collecting money owed for services provided. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:22:34 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/freelancers-the-worlds-longest-invoice-unpaid-bills-371 http://www.deskmag.com/en/freelancers-the-worlds-longest-invoice-unpaid-bills-371 When the 'Coworking Space Ship' made its way across the US and Canada, it also landed on the border of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois. A sprawling metropolis born out of the the rail and shipping industry as goods made their way from the East coast to the West in the late 19th century, the city is the third largest in the States with an estimated 9.8 million people, and considered a major hub for industry, telecommunications and infrastructure. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:08:28 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-chicago-369 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-chicago-369 Spain is emerging as one of the world leaders of the coworking movement. There are a large number of dedicated coworking spaces in Spain per capita; more than doubling last year. For coworking enthusiasts in countries throughout Europe and beyond, Spain has become a sterling example of the potential of the coworking movement. This May, Spain will show the world just how much momentum coworking can muster, with the first Coworking Spain Conference: "Hasta la Neuva Co Cultura", taking place in Madrid, and one of the only national coworking events to ever be held. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:16:33 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spain-conference-2012 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spain-conference-2012 Seattle was one of the first cities to adopt the 'coworking' concept after San Francisco. The idea of independent-yet-collective work fits perfectly in this highly liveable, liberal city. There’s a strong tech scene, lots of freelancers, and a generally positive attitude that encourages community interaction. The city is home to a few strong coworking evangelists who have kept the movement alive, particularly the team at Office Nomads. Several large new coworking spaces are about to come online, offering even more choice to Seattle’s independent workers. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:21:07 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-in-seattle-01 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-in-seattle-01 As most freelancers and startups begrudgingly acknowledge, self-promotion and targeted marketing are important parts of running a successful business. Having a stellar service or a cutting-edge product is only the first step. Making that service or product known is an ongoing process, and one that often requires strategic planning, time and resources, which are valuable commodities in the freelancer and startup realm. Here are 10 free (or low-cost) self promotion strategies to help maximise product or service exposure in the market, that require little time to execute. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:25:25 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/10-free-self-promotion-strategies-freelancer-coworking-365 http://www.deskmag.com/en/10-free-self-promotion-strategies-freelancer-coworking-365 Last year the business center chain Regus drew ridicule for claiming they had invented coworking. It turns out coworking did emerge from a Regus office - but not in the way they would like to believe. Brad Neuberg - the man who first attached the term "coworking" to a shared collaborative workspace - told Deskmag he came up with the idea while working for a start-up in a Regus center. "It was utterly non-social," he said. Coworking grew out of that negative reaction. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:38:40 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-did-begin-at-regus-but-not-the-way-they-think-362 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-did-begin-at-regus-but-not-the-way-they-think-362 Vancouver is going through a tech boom. Programmers are in high demand, and so are the services that support them. For all other independent workers, it can be tough living in a city that has been ranked as one of the most expensive in the world. But coworking is developing well, despite the high living costs. Vancouver has had a coworking space for six years, and there are now several spaces are offering a variety of options in style, price and atmosphere. Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:25:43 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-vancouver-360 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-spaces-in-vancouver-360 On our recent Coworking Space Ship tour around the United States and Canada, we saw a lot of great innovations that can be replicated anywhere. Tech tools, practical fixes and quirky toys can help make a space function better and become more welcoming. Here’s a couple: white noise machines, twitter alarms, meeting room audio-visual equipment, phone booths, and bike racks. Don’t forget to send any ideas or hardware hacks you’ve spotted in coworking spaces around the world. Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:57:53 +0200 http://www.deskmag.com/en/good-idea-some-tips-and-toys-for-coworking-spaces-359 http://www.deskmag.com/en/good-idea-some-tips-and-toys-for-coworking-spaces-359 Coworking with children has so far proven to be a huge success or equally large failure for the spaces that have tried it. Third Door in London is in the first category – so much so that they plan to open a second location later this year. But their journey to success wasn’t easy. Founders Shazia Mustafa and Yusuf Chadun gave Deskmag a ten point summary of things to consider when trying “coplaying”. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:58:55 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/ten-tips-for-coworking-with-children-352 http://www.deskmag.com/en/ten-tips-for-coworking-with-children-352 In his classic 1973 paper The Strength of Weak Ties, Stanford professor Mark Granovetter described the powerful role that "weak ties" – links among people who are not closely associated - play in spreading ideas, finding jobs and helping people join together for action. Coworking members tend to see an increase in the size and usefulness of their weak ties. The power of these ties comes from exposing people to new ideas and information that they might not be exposed to by their traditional social and business circles. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:32:00 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-powers-weak-tie-business-networks-356 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-powers-weak-tie-business-networks-356 While hundreds of coworking enthusiasts gathered together in Austin last week at the Global Coworking Unconference Conference to discuss all things familiar, another intrepid group of coworking missionaries entered unchartered territory. This year, a faction of the German coworking movement visited CeBIT in Hannover, the biggest consumer technology fair in Europe. The overall ambience of CeBIT is forged around corporate industry professionals, traditional office aesthetics (with a healthy dose of LED light panels) and an overarching principle of competition: the antitheses of the average coworking space. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:13:29 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/where-two-worlds-collide-coworking-at-cebit-2012 http://www.deskmag.com/en/where-two-worlds-collide-coworking-at-cebit-2012 There’s a new meaning to the term ‘working holiday’, and it doesn’t involve donning a backpack, queuing in foreign embassies to obtain a visa, and sending reams of CV’s to every hospitality business in the destination of choice. But the new working vacation can be just as liberating. There are a number of coworking spaces located on small islands notorious for holiday-makers that cater for the (very) remote worker. They offer sun, sand, surf, a range of outdoor activities and clean air, alongside all those useful amenities found in coworking spaces in a bustling metropolis. Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:29:04 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-holiday-coworking-spaces-on-small-islands-354 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-holiday-coworking-spaces-on-small-islands-354 The crowd is changing, the topics are professionalizing and the competition is intensifying. The Global Coworking Unconference Conference in Austin was a huge day of information and interaction, where new space owners mixed with experienced operators, and big businesses dropped in to spy on the action. Everyone agreed that the movement is undergoing intense growth and change. As conference director Liz Elam said, “we’re at the bottom of the bell curve.” Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:41:36 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-conference-unconference-austin-recap-353 http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworking-conference-unconference-austin-recap-353 Most coworking spaces have a negative opinion of real estate agents. They represent the old way of managing workspace, with their contracts, commissions and preconceptions. Next week the Austin coworking conference will host a panel about how some real estate agents are changing the way they do business to embrace collaborative workspaces. “We love coworking, not for the money it generates for us, but for the potential upheaval that it represents,” one agent said. Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:13:51 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/real-estate-agents-friends-or-foes-coworking-215 http://www.deskmag.com/en/real-estate-agents-friends-or-foes-coworking-215 The coworking movement is growing, not just on a worldwide level, but also within each city. The Global Coworking Survey shows that the more spaces a city has, the more profitable all of them become. Younger spaces in a busy coworking city reach profitability faster than lonely spaces. Big spaces have better desk utilization rates than small ones. Today’s analysis of the survey data focuses on the development of coworking spaces. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:17:08 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/the-development-of-coworking-spaces-213 http://www.deskmag.com/en/the-development-of-coworking-spaces-213 One of the pillars of coworking is collaboration, and the Coworking Toronto collective is tossing away notions of competition and instead, are working together. The first tool to facilitate this is the Coworking Toronto Passport Program which helps freelancers and digital nomads to try out many spaces and through their discovery they just might find somewhere they want to call home. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:58:10 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/torontos-coworking-spaces-offer-exploration-with-one-passport http://www.deskmag.com/en/torontos-coworking-spaces-offer-exploration-with-one-passport Coworking and the creative industries are a great combination. Both are famous for their creativity, relaxed approach to work and open-mindedness. And there are reasons for the pairing too, as creative businesses often need to pull teams together at short notice, say for a film project, and a coworking space is an ideal place to do that. Our guest writer Callum Lee asked coworkers and entrepreneurs from the creative industries in London what they expect from their coworking spaces. Here are five of the best lessons he heard. Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:38:31 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/five-5-lessons-from-london-s-creative-coworkers-202 http://www.deskmag.com/en/five-5-lessons-from-london-s-creative-coworkers-202 The ideal coworking space would offer 24-hour access, have an even number of flexible and permanent desks, and would involve members in decisions about the interior design. That’s the picture drawn by the 2nd Global Coworking Survey, which asked coworkers what they want from their workspace. The good news – spaces are doing a great job, with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. The bad news – they’re too noisy for a quarter of coworkers. However, the other good news is that decibels do not impact a coworking space's popularity: members do not leave their space on account of loudness. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:27:40 +0100 http://www.deskmag.com/en/what-coworking-space-members-want-survey-211 http://www.deskmag.com/en/what-coworking-space-members-want-survey-211