The Coop founder Dana Berggren recently sat down for a conversation with the folks at Deskpass to talk about Las Vegas and the future of of work. We’re providing the full converstion below, however the original article was published by Deskpass on their blog located HERE.
The latest city to offer coworking, meeting rooms and offices to individuals and teams using Deskpass is Las Vegas! Whether you call Vegas home, travel there often for work, or plan to attend CES 2022, there are many options for coworking, community, and collaboration.
One of those workspace options includes The Coop, a coworking space inspired by the need for small business owners to work more efficiently by sharing office amenities and services while also creating camaraderie among colleagues.
Our Workspace Partnerships Manager chatted with The Coop Founder, Dana Berggren, to learn a bit more about coworking in Vegas, why she started the space, and the future of work. With over 25 years of commercial real estate experience, Dana provides helpful insights we can all learn from.
Dana left her corporate commercial real estate career to start an independent brokerage in 2014 and realized that she needed a place to office. None of the executive suites or shared office options seemed to be a good fit so she decided it would be a great opportunity to open her own coworking space.
“Las Vegas is bustling right now,” says Dana. “Vacancy is low across all of our commercial real estate sectors (retail, industrial, and yes, even office). Having witnessed what the recession did to our market 10 years ago, I was bracing for the worst during the pandemic, but it seems Southern Nevada is only getting stronger. We’re benefitting from the migration of Californians and some of the other high-tax, high regulation states.
Coworking is just recently finding its place here in Southern Nevada, especially among the larger, corporate occupiers.
When it comes to design trends, Dana thinks a balance of both private spaces and collaborative spaces is here to stay. “I’ve seen office intensive build-outs where the space was closed off and dark which then led to the rise of the open floor plan with no office space or privacy,” says Dana.
I think most spaces have now settled with a hybrid model with private offices, but functional open space for conversation and collaboration.
With that in mind, landlords will need to dedicate space for flexible offices (monthly and on-demand options). Landlords should realize that it’s good for the long-term stability of their buildings to allow tenants to start with a desk, grow in place and expand within the portfolio.”
As larger companies figure out their return to the office, Dana has seen an increase in companies who have let their leases expire and are now opting for virtual offices, working from home or only using the office space when they need it for collaboration. She has also seen an uptick in inquiries from corporate commercial real estate brokers who represent companies looking for coworking and flex office for larger 20-30 person teams in the Las Vegas market.
“I’ve noticed more people who have traditionally been working from home are now opting for a shared workspace,” says Dana. “I also have seen employees of companies who now have more freedom to choose where they work and where they live. They’re choosing places like Las Vegas where the weather is nicer and the cost of living is cheaper. Choosing to work from home is one thing, but being forced to work at home is another.
People are ready to re-enter society. Amenities and services don’t seem to matter as much as the freedom to choose how and where you work.
Overall, Dana believes that hybrid work is here to stay for many companies. Nothing beats face-to-face meetings and the magic that happens when people convene in person, but those in-person meetings aren’t always necessary. Technology tools have allowed us to stay connected and collaborate remotely.
“I think companies will benefit from offering a hybrid work option,” says Dana. “It sends a message to employees that we value you as a person and want to give you the choice of how and where you work.
As an employee, it makes me happier to know that I can spend more time with my children, take them to school, and volunteer in their classroom. I can take care of an ailing parent and visit them in assisted-living and not have to worry about sitting in traffic or on a train just to punch a clock.
Being a happier person outside of the office will make me a better employee of the company and the fact the company recognizes that and supports that choice makes all the difference.
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