The COVID19 pandemic has hit the economy of the globe hard and the coworking space industry is one of the top affected industries. Here is all you need to know about how it is adapting to the new normal. More at - https://www.ikeva.com/coworking-space/mumbai/

1. Coworking And The New Normal
What is the NEW NORMAL?
The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the way we live and lead our lives. From trapping
us indoors to maintaining distance from our near and dear ones to washing our hands every
chance we get, our lifestyle has undergone a huge shift. Consequently, our work life has also
undergone a huge shift with decreased frequency of people working out of offices due to social
distancing and people preferring to work from home.
This is the new normal. Till the time, the doctors find a cure or a vaccine for COVID19, we have
to adapt to this new way of living, working and interacting with people.

2. The Coworking Industry
In recent years, the coworking or shared office market has seen a dramatic growth with more
and more people and organizations preferring to work out of coworking spaces. With larger
organizations and Multinational companies recognizing the allure of coworking spaces, the
market was all set to see major growth, until the pandemic hit.
How Coworking Industry Is Adapting To The New Normal
There is considerable increase in the number of people working from home or remotely amid
COVID19 crisis. This hit hard to the coworking space industry and put a bar to the growth of the
coworking space market. In March 2020 alone, coworking spaces have witnessed almost 50%
decline in the footfalls as companies preferred to work from home. Subsequently, the revenues
for the coworking space market in 2020 has declined.
To offset the effects of the pandemic, the coworking industry is all geared up to make big changes
to their daily operations.
Following are some of the changes the coworking industry is going through-
Restructuring the space
Several coworking spaces have restructured their workspace designs to ensure their facilities
meet the guidelines set by the government during this coronavirus pandemic.
Some of the basic measures that all coworking spaces are taking are -
● Pre-defined, socially distant seating arrangement in the coworking areas

3. ● Changing the design to accommodate more private work areas
● Changing the design of meeting/conference rooms to accommodate a limited number of
people
● Ear-marking routes throughout the coworking space
Coworking spaces like iKeva are offering private offices for teams that ensure health and safety
of the team members.
Restructuring Packages
Coworking spaces are known to prioritize convenience and flexibility as part of their business
model at all times and the new normal is no exception. The challenges faced by various industries
have made it imperative that coworking players boost their flexibility game. Besides flexibility in
terms of team size, coworking players are now working on providing extra flexibility on the term
of contract and the package chosen.
Prioritizing Safety
One of the larger challenges commercial real estate market, especially coworking space market,
faced during this pandemic is the worry regarding the health and safety of all members within
the coworking space. To mitigate the risks and keep everyone healthy, coworking spaces have
implemented a number of precautionary measures.
Some of the measures iKeva, a workspace provider, has implemented are-
● Social distancing in all common areas

4. ● Infrared body temperature measurement at the entrance
● Mandatory usage of masks, PPEs
● Availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in common areas
● Self-monitoring and reporting any illness within a workplace
● Thorough cleaning and frequent sanitization of the workplace and frequently touched
surfaces.
● Avoiding non-essential official travel.
Other than the above-mentioned precautions, coworking spaces have had to make physical
changes to office design and have offered added flexibility to new and existing clients to ride this
COVID tide. This flexibility is in terms of package, term and team size so that the companies can
cope in these trying times.
Covid-19 has redefined the entire coworking space, with collaboration and physical networking
taking a back seat. Though the existing office spaces can be modified to a certain extent, the new
ones will definitely undergo major changes to ensure social distancing, better online
working/meeting options with best possible IT support using latest technology.