The Impact of COVID-19 on Coworking Spaces in Latin America

A Conversation with members from the COLATAM association

Posted by [Pauline Roussel] on Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Share on:

Table of Contents

This video discusses the impact of COVID-19 on coworking spaces in Latin America and was filmed during Hack Coworking 2020. They talk about how businesses there are adapting to the virus, and how coworking spaces can best promote creativity and collaboration. They also give advice on how businesses can prevent negative impacts from COVID-19. As the conversation is in Spanish, we’ve summarized the main key points of the entire conversation below. 

  • 00:00:00 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive impact on coworking spaces in Latin America, as 180 spaces have united to help support the industry. Today, there is a WhatsApp group in which participants talk about how they can improve their coworking space. Jaime Arango, founder and country manager for Colombia’s COVID-19 partner, Coworking Spaces, spoke about these positive impacts.

  • 00:05:00 The speakers discuss how the government has created safety protocols for coworking spaces, and how they are working to open up spaces to the public. They also talk about their technology, which allows users to enter and exit coworking spaces without having to show identification or leave fingerprints. They mention that they are working to connect coworking spaces in other countries as well.

  • 00:10:00 The part of the video suggests that businesses take steps to create a safe and secure environment for their employees and customers. It also recommends that companies focus on creating a community of allies and that employees be more flexible and productive.

  • 00:15:00 The discussion touches on the importance of creating local economies, and how businesses can promote creativity by incorporating different activities into their work environment.

  • 00:20:00 The speakers now discuss how the pandemic is affecting coworking spaces in Latin America. They share their experience of COVID-19 and how it has impacted their work and community. They also share their thoughts on how to best adapt to the pandemic and how to create a more sustainable workplace. Finally, they give a welcome and thanks to their audience in Latin America for tuning in.

  • 00:25:00 The speaker emphasizes the importance of having protocols and safety measures in place and says that it is important for Leaders in the space to be more connected to their clients. He also mentions that it is important to continue to develop new units and to focus on bringing more people into the space in a more personal way.

  • 00:30:00 The speaker offers advice on how to prevent negative impacts. He also shares the story of how COLATAM, a Latin American coworking network, grew and evolved.

  • 00:35:00 The speaker shares advice for businesses on how to grow and manage coworking spaces. They also share a message of hope for the future, urging participants to seize the opportunity presented by this difficult time.

  • 00:40:00 The speaker notes that while the virus has had a significant impact on businesses and individual productivity, it has also created opportunities for change. Specifically, he points to the need for improved communication and collaboration within coworking spaces as an important trend to watch for in the coming years. He also provides an example of how Chile’s strong network of coworking spaces has helped to facilitate the transfer of information and support during the crisis.

  • 00:45:00 The group now discusses how new products can be started selling to customers after all this has happened. They mention that being connected to other professionals is one of the best ways to understand and cooperate, as is being open to new ways of sharing and collaborating. They say that never being normal will lead to new ways of being and that we will have to find new ways to share and collaborate.

    Watch the full conversation here.