Our mission at the Military Coworking Network (MCN) is clear and simple.
We want to enable military spouses and partners to have and maintain professional careers alongside military life, and beyond
However, historically, what appears to be quite straightforward, has been exceptionally hard to achieve., and many military spouses and partners are struggling with their careers.
Predominantly, this has been due to the transient lifestyle of the military with regular postings across the UK and abroad, sometimes as often as every two years. But other factors also play a role, such as the longer-term deployment on operations or essential military exercises of their serving partners, as well as employers not always being supportive of the military lifestyle.
We wanted to know how our MCN coworking hubs have enabled military spouses and partners to create a future for themselves and have a career or run a business despite the complex challenges of military life. So, we asked them.
This is what they said.*
Careers
77% of our hub members have stated that having access to a coworking hub has enabled them to have a successful career AND be a military spouse at the same time. Whether that be full-time or part-time employment, setting up and running a business, or working for other organisations on a freelance basis, proving that with the right infrastructure and provision on base, you CAN be both.
61% of our hub members reported that having access to coworking spaces has had a positive impact on their careers. They’ve been able to meet new people and expand their professional networks, a key tool in career success, and gained new insights into a range of industry sectors and the different available career options and opportunities. They’ve also been inspired by observing and talking to their peers to consider alternative careers that also play to their strengths and allow them to use their skills effectively.
50% of our members reported an increase in job satisfaction, which they attribute to having a professional space to work in and being surrounded by like-minded, professional people. They talked about inspiration and motivation by osmosis, a by-product of coworking, as well as feeling more professional by going to work in a fully equipped office environment instead of having to sweep away the breakfast dishes to create a space on their kitchen table.
26% were able to keep their jobs despite regular postings as a direct result of being able to evidence that they had a dedicated, professional space to work from without any home distractions and with reliable internet, which is often a prerequisite to securing a remote contract.
And 16% even received job offers through new connections or introductions to new employers (13%), exposing them to opportunities they would not have had without the hubs.
Business
50% reported increased business opportunities as a consequence of growing their professional networks. New introductions and being socially more connected have enabled them to extend their customer reach and grow their customer base, resulting in increased sales for 15% of our hub members.
With an annual subscription fee of just £30/year, including reliable, and secure Wi-Fi, use of printing and kitchen facilities, including free tea and coffee, as well as a warm, heated space and a professional set-up, 48% of hub users reported significant cost savings to their businesses, through reduced overheads and business costs – you can even claim 100% of your subscription fee as a business expense in your tax return. (Source: Simply Balanced). This was particularly beneficial to new business start-ups as it removed many financial and practical barriers.
Members talked about the advantage of being able to meet other business owners, and share experiences, expertise, and ideas, which has resulted in them being able to improve their business skills and confidence (47%). And finally, for many who felt that they didn’t think setting up their own business would ever be an option, working with other business owners has provided heaps of inspiration.
In short, having access to coworking hubs has had a significantly positive impact on careers and business, and is instrumental in enabling military spouses and partners to create and maintain professional careers alongside the complex challenges of military life. The results speak for themselves.
*Source: MCN Evaluation Report 2023
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