The Truth About Coworking (Psst. It’s Not Just WeWork)

When someone tells you to “Google it,” or grab a “Kleenex,” you don’t actually stop to think, “Wait… are they sponsored?” Nope. Those brand names just hijacked an entire category.

That’s what happened with WeWork and coworking. But here’s the thing: WeWork ≠ coworking. Not even close.

Coworking is a whole ecosystem of spaces that rethink where and how we work. WeWork may have been the loudest kid in the room, but they don’t represent the category.

And here in Boston, coworking looks a little different because it has Workbar. Founded in 2009, Workbar is a network of spaces that is reshaping how teams and individuals do their best work.

TLDR; grabbing a tissue doesn’t always mean Kleenex, and coworking doesn’t always mean WeWork.

What Coworking Really Is 

Some coworking brands lean on gimmicks like ping pong tables or free breakfast. Others prioritize instagrammable moments over ergonomic furniture. Bean bags and velvet couches look great in photos but have you ever spent eight hours working from one?

Workbar does coworking differently. Our spaces are designed with productivity at the center.  All of our locations are built around activity-based neighborhoods. We have a Cafe for social vibes, Commons for collaboration, Study for focus and Switchboard for calls and huddles. We have private offices and suites too, but you don’t need one to be productive in our space. Productivity at Workbar isn’t defined by four walls, it’s defined by giving people the right environment for the work they need to do.

WeWork just rolled out a refined brand strategy, this time aimed squarely at businesses, especially larger enterprises. They’re working hard to shed the hip, Gen Z startup vibe and reposition themselves as a serious, stable partner in the real estate world. 

 At Workbar, we’ve always balanced the priorities of working hard and having fun. Our spaces weren’t born from a marketing campaign, they grew out of the organic needs of the people using them. Our brand has never just been a logo; it’s an experience. One that doesn’t need a rebrand or a perception shift, because at the heart we’ve always understood this: just like no two people are alike, their workspace shouldn’t be either.

At the very first Workbar, tucked in a basement near South Station, our co-founder was subleasing space with a handful of other entrepreneurs. Some were coding, some were pitching, some were just trying to get a new idea off the ground. They quickly realized that not everyone worked the same way, so they divided the space into zones based on noise level and interaction. That simple, organic solution became the foundation of our model, and it still lives on today in the form of our signature neighborhoods, designed to give every member the right environment for the way they work best.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Another myth: coworking = chaos. (Spoiler: not at Workbar.)

Walk into our space on any given day and you might see an executive on a private call in a phone booth, a sales team collaborating in the Commons, or a Fortune 500 crew running a dynamic offsite in the Switchboard. 

That variety is the point. Workbar is designed to flex for all kinds of professionals, not just one.

Just last week, someone walked in thinking they were arriving for their tour of WeWork. We gave them a tour (and a coffee), and they signed up for a Workbar membership on the spot. Sometimes you have to see the difference to get it: coworking is bigger than one logo.

Redefining the Future of Work

Work has changed. Offices should too. 

The future of work is not a one-size-fits-all coworking chain. It’s hybrid, local and human.  

Workbar delivers all three:

Flexibility without chaos
Community without noise
Productivity without burnout.

That’s the magic of our neighborhoods. They give you the Goldilocks balance-not too corporate, not too casual, just right.

Coworking is an Experience, Not a Logo

So the next time you hear “coworking,” don’t stop at WeWork.

Coworking is global. It’s diverse. And in Boston, it means Workbar. 

Want to see for yourself? Come spend a day at Workbar. Spoiler alert: it’ll feel less like a headline and more like your ideal workspace.