Coworking Spaces and Well-Being: An Empirical Investigation of Coworkers in Italy

ABSTRACT In the era of rising globalization, technological advancements (e.g., ICT), and the aftermath of the 2008 global economic crisis, working is becoming less dependent on distance, time, and space. With the increasing number of freelance and independent workers, more flexible working styles are emerging. The present paper aims to study the effect of coworking spaces (CSs) on coworkers’ (CWs) level of well-being and life satisfaction; in other words, to explore the factors that may affect their well-being at such flexible, collaborative workplaces. To conduct an empirical study, we sent an online questionnaire to the CWs working in 549 CSs in Italy; 324 coworkers responded to the survey (as of January 2018). By means of descriptive statistics and econometric analyses, the paper discusses some of the main factors affecting CWs’ perceived well-being: social proximity and sense of community (trust and new friendship), organizational proximity, and the positive effects of CSs on the urban context; on the other hand, gender, educational level, age and revenues growth do not show any impact. The paper concludes by suggesting possible policy implications and introducing further research lines.