Coworking Marketing Weekly – #47 2026 Predictions

Hey there,

Rosee from Cobot here!

Every January, coworking operators are flooded with trend reports and predictions about the future of work.

This year, instead of adding another list, I wanted to do something simpler.

I reached out to a few coworking leaders who know the industry inside out. Not to ask for bold forecasts, but to understand what they are actually seeing on the ground. What is shaping why people join coworking spaces, stay, and recommend them to others.

These conversations with Ashley Proctor, Bernie J Mitchell, Selina Schröter, and Hector Kolonas offered four perspectives that really stayed with me.

Rather than talking about trends, Ashley Proctor from Creative Blueprint and Coworking Canada described something else entirely. A return to the essence of coworking.

She pointed to meaningful human connection as the guiding principle that matters more than ever, especially in an age of AI. Not as a nice-to-have, but as the foundation of why coworking exists.

Ashley also highlighted the growing importance of multi-purpose community hubs. Coworking spaces that are embedded in larger buildings, neighbourhoods, or local ecosystems, and that actively collaborate with other organisations. In her experience, these spaces create deeper impact because they lead, rather than just host the community.

Finally, she emphasized renewed attention on worker protections and collective models. Cooperatives, alliances, land trusts, and people-led ownership structures. Not as a new direction, but as a reminder of what coworking originally set out to do. Put people and planet before profit.

Bernie J Mitchell from the London Coworking Assembly framed his view of coworking in very clear terms.

He is betting on hyper-local focus. Not global. Not multinational. But deeply rooted, locally owned spaces that serve their immediate communities.

In his view, micro and small local businesses matter more than ever, especially as work becomes more precarious. This is particularly true for younger people, who face unstable job paths but also new opportunities to earn a living through technology. In that context, local coworking spaces become more than workplaces. They become places where people rely on each other.

This idea shows up clearly in Bernie’s conversations with Natasha Natarajan and Maddy Neghabian from Space4 in Finsbury Park. Space4 does not pay rent. Instead, it has delivered around £2.5 million in social value to Islington Council through job creation, business launches, and everyday community activity.

That value did not come from programs or performance metrics. It came from weekly shared lunches, informal conversations, and people supporting each other over time.

Bernie’s point is simple. As global systems feel more distant and unstable, people rediscover a sense of local obligation. Community shows up first through trust, presence, and shared responsibility. Measurement, if it comes at all, comes later.

People rarely join because of numbers or scale. They join because a space feels grounded, human, and connected to the place they live.

Hector Kolonas from This Week in Coworking (TWIC) and Syncaroo framed membership decisions through a very practical lens.

People are no longer choosing a single office. They are choosing an ecosystem of work. Work now happens across home, coworking spaces, corporate offices, and third places, depending on the task and the day.

This shift changes how people find and evaluate coworking spaces. It is no longer just about location or price, but about fit. Does the space work with real-life routines, care responsibilities, team schedules, and specific tasks?

Hector also highlighted that who pays and how access works increasingly shapes decisions. If billing, reporting, or access feels confusing, people simply stop using the space, even if everything else looks good.

When it is easy for people to understand how your space fits into their everyday life, they are far more likely to choose it and keep using it.

Clarity and specificity matter more than broad claims.

From the operator side, Selina Schröter from werkhain shared how these shifts play out in daily decisions.

Membership choices, in her experience, are less about coworking as a concept and more about a simple question: does this place genuinely make my work life better and do I feel like I belong here.

She highlighted three things that consistently influence that decision.

First, high quality setup as a baseline, not a bonus. Reliable fast Wi Fi, good acoustics, proper meeting rooms, ergonomic furniture, extra monitors, lighting, and phone booths. Not fancy, but high performing.

Second, local community and being known. Selina shared that their biggest differentiator at werkhain is not the number of members, but how recognised people feel. Members stay when they experience familiar faces, easy access to the community team, and a space that feels rooted in the neighbourhood rather than generic. She added that curated events help, but it is the everyday social fabric that makes the real difference.

Third, spaces that support different work modes. Focus when needed, collaboration when useful, and clear boundaries so energy supports productivity rather than getting in the way.

These perspectives point to clear shifts in how coworking spaces should communicate in 2026.

Marketing works best when it explains who a space is really for, rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

When it shows how the space fits into real life, not just how flexible it claims to be.

When it reflects local context and relationships, instead of generic coworking language.

And when trust is made visible through clarity, consistency, and everyday behaviour.

People rarely join because of a feature list.

They join because a space feels human, relevant, and easy to rely on.

If your marketing helps someone picture themselves there, you are already doing the hard part well.

People are not looking for more options. They are looking for spaces that feel grounded, trustworthy, and connected to their everyday lives.

That shifts the focus away from listing features and toward clarity.

Who the space is for.
How it fits into daily routines.
What kind of relationships it supports.

If a trend does not change who joins, who stays, or who recommends your space, it probably does not need to shape your messaging.

The topic for next week is:

If you missed last week of the last year's newsletter, check it out here:

Reply to this email if you have any questions, disagree with something I said, or have a suggestion for a collaboration/future topic. I'm always happy to stay in touch.

Share this newsletter with someone if you think they might find it useful. Share the subscribe link with them or check all previous editions here.

Coworking Software

Cobot Coworking Software, 2026