Co-working space businesses have voiced concerned over the ongoing health crisis at it is threatening their business operations because some of their members are still on course of working from home.
Chea Mara, general manager at co-working space Emerald Hub, told Khmer Times that it has already been adversely affected.
She noted there has been a number reductions by some micro-businesses. Some have halted their businesses while some are conducting work from home.
“The pandemic has affected our operations because some micro-businesses here have halted their business for a while because they earn less income, while some are working from home,” she said, adding that working from home is another challenge for business owners because it does not seem to be productive.
According to Mara, most of the companies operating their businesses in a co-working space are in the fields of information technology, education and finance.
Phlang Phalla, co-founder of Buyloy.com – a local tech start-up e-commerce platform and its business also being operated at the Emerald Hub – said his business still operates as normal, but revenue from sales feels the pinch.
He noted about a 20 to 30 percent dip in sales revenue during the pandemic period, while he said some of his employers working from home are less productive because they seem to be relaxed.
“Our customers are likely to be saving during this critical situation that has resulted in a drop in revenue,” he said
A representative at the Factory Phnom Penh, one of the largest co-working spaces in Cambodia, said a large number of members have asked to work from home and resume their their tenure when the pandemic eases.
Business operations at the Factory include information technology, law and engineering. Around 50 to 60 percent of the Factory’s co-working space members have removed their equipment to their homes.
“In the light COVID-19, some micro owners have asked to work from home for a while,” the source said.
Coworking spaces are believed to be not only cost-effective, but also offer flexibility in terms of time periods for rental agreements. Co-working spaces can also be rented on a monthly, day-to-day and even hourly basis
No one knows when COVID-19 will end and things return to normal but co-working space providers around the world are suffering hardship. Last week, it was reported that co-working space providers in Singapore are struggling with the shutdown.
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.
