Coworking spaces are full of creative entrepreneurs proudly wearing innovative digital employee badges; however, there are still differences between them. Can the ghost of gender inequality sometimes haunt modern coworking spaces? Or, is it just an unwarranted fear of numerous women who are reluctant to face traditional-office issues again at their new, unconventional work place? If so, what are some ways to encourage female employees to apply to your space? Let’s see what the statistics say.

More Women Enter Coworking Spaces Today

An increasing number of female members are joining shared workspaces, according to a plethora of coworking surveys. For example, the Deskmag survey claims that there were as many as 46 percent freelance female workers at coworking spaces in 2017—comprising a promising market. On the other hand, the share of women in coworking spaces is still lower due to a number of reasons. If these problems are properly tackled by management, they will turn into the benefits drawing a happy female audience to your space.

A major issue is that the percentage of female workers with children is lower, especially between mothers aged 30-50. Child care requires significant efforts, as well as the ability to strike the right work-life balance. The Deskmag survey also shows that there is a major decrease in the number of female workers if they decide to have a second child.

5 Top Tips to Attract Female Staff to Coworking Spaces

If you would like to invite more talented women to your collaborative workspace, keep in mind the following tips:

1. Collaborate with women-centric organizations nearby

Coworking spaces will gain a reputation as pleasant places to work if their owners build strong relationships with the local female-centered organizations. Additionally, it will also be possible to find awesome mentors who will be able to share their unique experiences on-site!

2. Providing women with tips on how to strike a family-life balance

Don’t underestimate customized networking that can help female co-workers address their problems—usually the hardships connected with their professional development after they become parents. You can offer lectures, seminars, webinars, and email newsletters providing wise tips on how to stay focused and retain the connection with their family at the same time. They will win the hearts of the talented freelance female parents, who will eagerly join your coworking community. This marketing is also great for dads, so it can benefit both members!

3. Providing child care and other support for female co-workers

Child care at coworking spaces is probably the best solution to help out women who have recently become parents. Child care options will add a fantastic benefit to your collective workspace, attracting both clients and staff! Mothers will be happy not to separate with their kids for the whole day and be able to play with them between emails. Turn a part of the internal space into a playroom and hire licensed staff to watch and amuse the kids. By the way, some coworking spaces also provide nursery rooms for small babies! Please note that such services should be cheaper than hiring a full-time nanny.

Read our article to find out more about child-friendly coworking spaces around the globe and how they go about providing child care at coworking spaces.

4. Expressing support for gender equality

Modern female co-workers stand for gender equality and even create women-only coworking spaces, such as Wing and Sesh. There's an enormous demand for such places in Washington and New York. More spaces in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, and London are also slated to open. These spaces see the advantage of an all-female work place. The official statistic claims that 1 in 4 female employees still experience sexual harassment today, and coworking spaces are all about reversing the status quo of traditional office environments; therefore, it's essential to provide a safety argument for your coworking space and guarantee no harassment by nurturing a culture of tolerance.

5. Design a Tranquil Interior

Yes, as simple as that—women love clean, bright and light interiors where they can work hard and think outside of the box. Try to empower their creative thinking with a light, bright design!