Shared workspaces

Why shared workspaces are becoming so popular

The phenomenon is directly linked to a simple observation: in France, more than one in two offices is unoccupied at any given time. Companies rent space based on their projected headcount, but hybrid work, fluctuating hiring, and reorganizations create empty spaces. Sometimes 30 to 50% of the total space.

Rather than paying for empty space, more and more companies are choosing to share their premises with other organizations. It’s a win-win situation:

For the host company: unused square footage shifts from a cost center to a revenue stream. Fixed costs (utility, maintenance, insurance) are spread across a larger number of occupants.

For the hosted company: access to a private office in a building that is often of higher quality than what it could rent on its own, with shared services and contractual flexibility not possible under a traditional lease.

For the building: higher occupancy rates, greater vitality, and a reduced environmental impact (fewer offices built or renovated unnecessarily).

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The practical challenges of co-working

Sharing office space with another company is no small matter. Several issues must be anticipated:

Security and confidentiality. Who has access to what? How do you separate traffic flows? A system of differentiated badges, clearly defined zones, and written confidentiality rules are essential. A fintech startup and a law firm can co-locate, but not without clear boundaries.

Management of common areas. Who books the meeting room on the 3rd floor? Who resolves conflicts when two teams want the same time slot? Without a centralized management tool and clear rules, co-working quickly becomes a source of friction.

The legal framework. Traditional subleasing requires the landlord’s consent and is subject to rent caps. Service agreements, on the other hand, allow for billing the use of a space with services included without falling under the sublease framework and thus without the landlord’s authorization. The choice of legal structure determines the very feasibility of the project.

Culture and daily life. A company that throws a party every Friday and another that demands total silence: that won’t work. Successful cohabitation requires a minimum of cultural compatibility and explicit rules for living together.

The burden of management. Hosting another company on your premises also means managing requests, cross-maintenance, billing, and renewals. If no one takes care of this, the cohabitation will go wrong.

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4 keys to successful cohabitation

1. Define zones and rules from the start. A clear occupancy plan, a signed cohabitation agreement, and schedules for access to common areas. The sooner these are established, the fewer conflicts there will be later.

2. Set up a shared management tool. Room reservations, problem reporting, request tracking: a centralized ticketing system prevents lost emails and silent frustrations.

3. Designate a single point of contact. A Workplace Manager or Office Manager dedicated to shared space management, who handles day-to-day operations for all companies on-site. Without this role, every issue becomes a bilateral negotiation.

4. Include a clear exit clause. Cohabitation should remain flexible. Reasonable notice, simple terms for moving out, and no disproportionate penalties. If one party wants to leave, it shouldn’t turn into a conflict.