When local independent coworking operator Work214 launched in 2019, it spent much of its first year renovating its Uptown space to create something that combined professional office space with the “soul of a mom-and-pop.”
And though the pandemic has changed the way Work214 operates, as well as changing some of the physical layouts of the company’s space, its owners, husband-and-wife team Lisa and Roger Chang, remain focused on fostering community and meeting members where they are during the crisis.
“One thing that always keeps us going is hearing from members and hearing how they feel more productive coming here and enjoy interacting with other members,” Lisa Chang told NTX Inno via email. “We were here when they needed us the most, especially during the pandemic.”
On most days, it’s not uncommon to find one or both of the Changs working alongside other members of Work214’s space, which the company owns and leases directly to tenants. And as the company puts it, that’s because it “gives a damn.” The company got its start because Lisa Chang said they felt “nickeled and dimed” at other coworking places. While the company has different tiers of membership, which provide access to shared or private office space, its prices come with all-inclusive amenities.
“Besides having a face, we can relate to our members since we understand the challenges of running a small business,” Chang said.
Not long after completing the renovation of its space, like many other coworking operators, its offices were largely emptied during the initial lockdown due to the pandemic. During that time, it added some new safety measures, including a new bipolar ionization HVAC system.
Though Chang said many of its members had come back to the space in-person, she has been trying to keep Work214’s community-focus going remotely by doing one-on-one check-ins and virtual happy hours.
“There is always a human element to work, whether someone works from home or not. The real value of a place like Work214 are the people within the space and seeing the success of the businesses in our community,” Chang said. “Our plan has always been to focus on community over profits and will continue to be.”
The pandemic has created long-lasting impacts for Work214. In a trend seen by many other coworking operators in the region, the company focuses on private office and flexible workspace offerings as it sees individual entrepreneurs looking for a space to work outside the home and larger enterprise companies look for locations for distributed remote teams to meet up.
“The workforce is moving more into a hybrid model, as people will sometimes want to work from home and sometimes they want an office to go into versus 100 percent one or the other,” Chang said. “Our industry is uniquely positioned for this model since people still need a place to work and a place to collaborate and meet.”
