WOTSO Hobart – at the forefront of the coworking revolution for the past decade – has been recognised for its efforts, winning Outstanding Specialised Business at the Local Business Awards for Hobart and Southern Tasmania.
Space Leader Jacinta Carmichael says it’s rewarding to be recognised for creating a strong, locally focussed flexible that has stood the test of time.
Founded in 2017, she says WOTSO Hobart in many respects reflects how the Tasmanian capital has changed and become a bigger part of the national conversation due to increased interstate migration and the profile of its tourism industry led by the Museum of Old and New Art.
“When we started almost our members were either sole traders, small businesses and startups but the mix has been changing,” says Carmichael.
“Nowadays we’ve still got that client base but have a lot more people working remotely for larger companies that are headquartered elsewhere.
“Our membership is definitely evolving.”
And so is Hobart, which quietly boomed during COVID-19 when work changed forever. People were no longer tied to the office and technology allowed them to work from anywhere.
Hobart and other lifestyle destinations were hot. Property prices soared and it became a magnet for disaffected mainlanders looking for something different.
People learnt during Covid that work from home can be isolating, she says. “You don’t want to work from home the whole time, especially if you’re new to town, you want to get out and about and meet people.”
Many chose WOTSO and Carmichael says the city is vibrant with new hotels, more tourists and festivals such as Dark Mofo adding cultural edge and buzz.
“During Dark Mofo and and other big events we have a lot of people coming in for day passes,” Carmichael says.
“Given it’s a small walkable city a lot of people will pop in if they’re visiting but can’t take time off their job. Instead, they’ll work at WOTSO during the days and take part in the events at night.
“Or if they’re from another country and are working at the event, they’ll come here in here between festival commitments.”
Further change for the city is on the horizon with the State Government committing to build new $1.1 billion sports stadium at nearby Macquarie Point.
Carmichael says there’s been a lot of local debate over the development but believes it could be good for WOTSO and the local economy, bringing new people and ideas to her hometown.
