The Five Big Challenges For Local Hub Coworking Operators
The invisible load of running a hub and how independent coworking operators can turn challenges into positives.
Independent coworking operators do more than just manage desks, Wi-Fi, or meeting rooms.
We hold space for freelancers, remote workers and small teams while quietly carrying our own load of uncertainty, financial pressures and the constant drive to keep our hubs alive and thriving.
At The Hub Newry, I’ve experienced first-hand how rewarding AND draining this balancing act can be.
Welcoming new members, seeing them flourish and watching collaborations spark is the joy.
But behind the scenes, there’s the grind of sustaining occupancy, keeping visibility high in crowded markets and tending to the invisible work of community care that no one really sees.
And this isn’t just my story.
It’s a shared reality across local coworking hubs everywhere.
But within those challenges lie opportunities for growth, resilience and reimagining what our spaces can offer.
The Five Big Challenges for Local Hub Operators:
1. Unpredictable Demand in a Hybrid World
Hybrid working has reshaped expectations, but outside of big cities, demand remains patchy. Remote workers and small teams are still working out how often they really need a desk making it tough for operators to plan ahead.
2. The Comfort of Home vs. Rising Costs
For many, home still wins by default. Cost of living pressures mean coworking feels like a “luxury” unless we show it as an investment in wellbeing and business growth. Many of the remote workers that we have in our coworking space still have to pay the membership fees themselves rather than their employers sharing the burden.
3. Visibility Beyond Word-of-Mouth
Neighbourhood hubs often rely on organic buzz. But reaching people who don’t even know coworking could transform their work requires stronger, consistent visibility strategies.
4. The Invisible Load of Operators
Operators are community-builders, marketers, problem-solvers, plumbers, carpenters and even repair technicians all in one. And in independent hubs, it’s often just a very small team or even one person carrying all of this. That emotional and mental load builds up, usually hidden behind the smile we wear for our members.
5. The Cost of Staying Relevant
Whether it’s upgrading tech, adapting layouts, or offering focus pods, the cost of staying relevant keeps rising. For independents, grants and funding are often inaccessible or painfully slow.
Turning Challenges Into Growth Opportunities
Position Your Hub as More Than a Desk
Highlight stories of how your space helps people work smarter, feel less isolated, and connect with others. Sell the outcomes, not the square footage.
Experiment with Flexible Memberships
From part-time passes to skill swaps, think creatively about entry points that make coworking accessible while staying sustainable.
Build Small, Consistent Touch Points
It’s not about big events. Weekly check-ins, coffee chats, or themed sprints can foster a stronger community fabric.
Partner Locally
From cafés to wellness practitioners, collaborations extend your reach and add value for members. You’re not just a workspace, you’re an ecosystem.
Protect Your Energy
Your wellbeing sets the tone. Share the leadership load with trusted members, simplify processes and set boundaries. Healthy operators build healthy communities.
Independent coworking operators are facing a unique mix of pressures from unpredictable demand and rising costs to the emotional load of holding communities together. And for many of us, that responsibility falls on just one person or a very small team.
But within those challenges lie opportunities to reimagine what local hubs stand for: connection, care and the kind of flexible support that helps people and places thrive.
At its core, coworking isn’t about desks or design.
Design won’t replace care.
What keeps people coming back is the human connection, relationships, attention to detail and empathy at the heart of the space.
For independent operators, the future lies in doing what matters most better, not bigger.
👋 Written by Suzanne Murdock, co-founder of The Hub Newry, one of Northern Ireland’s first independent coworking spaces. She also hosts the “Powering Productivity” podcast, sharing stories and strategies from neighbourhood hub operators across Europe. Suzanne coaches and mentors independent workspace leaders, helping them grow with clarity, connection, and confidence without burning out.