Startup Looks to Make Working from Home Easier

Australia’s first peer-to-peer workspace rental platform, Coworking Mate, hopes to make the transition to long-term remote working easier.

There are currently 4.2 million Australians who are still working from home as a result of the pandemic.

Desk workers in knowledge-based industries are more likely to be trading their normal commute for zoom meetings. Data from research firm Roy Morgan shows that in June nearly three-in-five people in the finance and insurance industry and around half of those in the public service and communication roles had been working from home as a result of COVID-19.

With the pandemic likely to place increased social and economic pressure on traditional workplace practices worldwide, Coworking Mate founder Matthew De Zen believes there is an opportunity for greater local collaboration.

“Everyone has a home, but not everyone has an office at home,” Mr De Zen said.

“We need to understand that we are all stronger together, and the strength of one is no greater than the whole. Our local communities are struggling post-COVID, this is just one way we can give back.”

Global services such as Airbnb and Uber have become seamlessly integrated into day-to-day life, Mr De Zen is hoping to replicate the model for workspaces.

Remote working representing the biggest shift in the Australian workforce since World War Two. Coworking Mate’s mission is to connect people and provide personalised, affordable and local spaces to work from that are mutually beneficial for the user and the host.

The platform is designed to allow anyone with extra space — such as homeowners, cafe owners and commercial landlords — the opportunity to list it. Workers then have the opportunity to rent the space at an affordable rate by the hour, day or week.

“There is a gap in the market to be the middleman between space-users and space-owners,” Mr De Zen said.

“Coworking mate is the perfect digital product a platform connecting people around the world to comfortable, convenient workspaces that can use any time, anywhere and with any budget.”

Nine months into the pandemic, Mr De Zen believes working from home fatigue is setting in. Many workers are facing challenges with work-balance and burnout as their work hour increase. Coworking Mate will give people the opportunity to focus without distraction and get work down outside but near their home.

“I want them to benefit by realising that there are alternatives to traditional offices and established coworking providers,” the founder said.

“If we can work remotely, why not stay local and support our community? By using a platform such as Coworking Mate, you will not only find an extremely affordable workspace, but you’ll also be giving back to your local space host.

“If your workspace is just down the road in a neighbours home office, you’ll save time and money on commuting, have a private and safe workspace and also improve your productivity massively.”

Coworking Mate is currently recruiting Earlybird spaces in Melbourne and is set to launch in January 2021.

From the new year, the basic account will start at $29 per month and offer hosts the opportunity to advertise up to five workspaces from the one property, while a premium account will start from $58 per month and allow members to host an unlimited number of spaces from the one property. The site will collect a 10 per cent booking fee on all transactions through the platform.

Mr De Zen hopes to expand into Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Darwin in the next 18 months.