You'll never work alone: Assessing user value in remote working hubs

Coworking spaces have long been recognised as places where a sense of community can be fostered, particularly within urban settings. Recent shifts in work practices, particularly the increased adoption of remote and hybrid work, coupled with government incentives for relocating away from cities, have sparked interest in rural hubs. Using qualitative data from 32 interviews of rural hub users, this research investigates how rural hubs can contribute to a sense of community among remote workers in rural regions. Our findings show that the four interdependent dimensions of sense of community (sense of belonging, shared emotional connection, influence, and needs fulfilment) can be identified in many, though not all, rural hubs. The analysis explores the process of how the four dimensions can interact to develop a sense of community in rural hubs. These findings add to the literature on the potential contribution of coworking spaces to the socio-economic development of rural regions. Furthermore, this study contributes to scholarly discussion on sense of community by providing a processual view.