Coworking in Germany Survey (2016)

This 2016 Deskmag document presented Germany-specific results from the Global Coworking Survey 2015–16 and compared them with worldwide findings. It described the scale and composition of coworking spaces through member counts, workstation capacity, floor area, the age of spaces and the reported share of female members. It also covered membership growth during the year preceding the October–November 2015 survey period. The German results indicated a lower mean number of members and a smaller average floor area than the worldwide sample, although the median membership figures were similar. German spaces were more likely than spaces worldwide to report at least 50 desks or workstations. The document also compared business performance and ownership structures, including the proportions of spaces reporting profits, break-even results or losses and the shares operating as for-profit, nonprofit or government businesses. A further section examined staffing at coworking spaces, including founders and operators, and distinguished between full-time employees, part-time employees and interns. The staffing charts showed how many people worked in each category and compared the balance of full-time and part-time operators in Germany with the worldwide results.

Key findings

• German coworking spaces reported a mean of 56.6 members, compared with 75.8 worldwide, while the medians were 31 and 30 respectively.
• In Germany, 49% of coworking spaces reported at least 50 desks or workstations, compared with 34% worldwide.
• In Germany, 21% of coworking spaces reported being profitable, 58% reported breaking even and 21% reported being unprofitable.

Published by Deskmag, 2016