Coffee & Coworking

For many firms, co-working is the perfect solution for a workforce increasingly focussed on wellbeing and flexibility. As more millennials enter the workforce, the modern workplace and the ways in which we work are changing. The increased focus on wellbeing, agile working and technology have drastically altered how and where we work, and the youngest generation has different expectations of work, and the workplace, compared to their predecessors. The technological revolution means we can work from anywhere we want, at any time we want, and this is impacting the modern office. In fact, the modern office often isn’t an office at all…

It’s estimated that by 2025, roughly 75% of the workforce will be made up of Generations Y (otherwise known as Millennials) and Z, so forward-thinking firms are starting to think now about what their future employees want and need from their place of work. Workplace design is not static, and new trends are emerging all the time, but for millennials and Gen Z, the workspace is all about the experience. They want flexibility in how and when they work, technology to help them work more efficiently, as well as the knowledge that their employer is prioritising their wellbeing.

A co-working future

We first spoke about the benefits of co-working spaces back in 2017 and co-working as a sector has been consistently growing in popularity for the last decade. Since 2010, the number of co-working spaces throughout the world has increased by over 3,000%, and it’s estimated that the global co-working industry is worth a staggering $1 Billion. Co-working itself is a relatively new phenomenon, and in the past, freelancers, remote workers or simply employees wanting to get out of the office have resorted to working from a cafe or coffee shop in search of good coffee and free WiFi. Whilst cheap and relatively flexible, the “coffice” can be a hindrance for business owners and employees. Conducting business meetings, taking important calls or simply meeting with colleagues can be difficult in coffee shops as there’s no guarantee of table space, it’s often noisy and the WiFi can be intermittent. Even the coffee can sometimes be sub-par! Co-working spaces have bridged the gap between the amenities of a traditional office, creating a third space that includes good WiFi, great coffee, desks big enough for laptops, and the ease, flexibility and cost savings of shared workspaces.

Why is coffee so important?

Years of research have shown the benefits of offering great coffee to employees, and most modern, progressive offices now offer premium coffee as standard. Co-working spaces are taking coffee culture to the next level, and recognise that offering a first-class coffee experience is the perfect way of combining the collaboration and communication Generations Y and Z crave, whilst providing an enhancement to the overall workplace experience.

Office coffee consumption has seen major growth and a strategically located coffee machine is a fantastic anchor point in a space, allowing co-working members to network, chat and collaborate over a cup of coffee. Studies have shown that a well-placed coffee machine has many social and productivity benefits. Plus when you add up the cost of purchasing 2-3 cups of coffee per day from a High Street coffee shop, many individuals could actually see a cost-saving!

Co-working is a competitive market, so co-working and shared workspace providers have to go above and beyond to attract clients. This means co-working spaces are often leading the way when it comes to contemporary workplace design, smart and connected technology and a range of different workspaces to facilitate agile working. Co-working providers are exploring innovative experiences as a unique selling point to their offering, and the coffee solution they choose is vital to enticing clients. The cutting-edge TopBrewer coffee machine not only looks stylish as a focal point in the design of the space, its super-quiet brew unit means the noise of grinding beans or steaming milk won’t interrupt conversations as members catch up over their favourite beverage. Another great TopBrewer feature is its app-control technology which allows users to select and customise their ideal coffee for a truly personalised experience. 

The streamlined TopBrewer also serves steaming hot water for tea, chilled still & sparkling water and delicious hot chocolate – all from a single tap – and has the capacity to serve up to 400 drinks per day. TopBrewer also has a bunch of smart features and with the free cloud-management app, CoffeeCloud, operators can access notifications to refill the coffee beans, alerts when the machine needs cleaning and useful realtime data to forecast coffee usage and trends.  For co-working providers, finding a hassle-free coffee solution that can flex to high demand is key to success, as it is unlikely there will be a trained barista on-site to keep things running smoothly. A premium fully-automatic bean-to-cup machine, like TopBrewer, is the way forward as it will deliver barista-quality coffee without the hassle.