Wondering whether a rural coworking hub is the right fit for your business needs? Here’s everything you need to know to get started and find your or your team’s ideal workspace.

1. What are the main benefits of a Connected Hub for small-to-medium business in a rural area?

Rural Connected Hubs provide affordable and flexible work areas that can help attract and retain talent, support collaboration, and reduce overhead costs compared to traditional offices. They’re built to nurture productivity, innovation, and networking in one professional setting.

2. How does a rural hub help attract talent?

Hub memberships are a great option for helping recruit talent who prefer flexible or hybrid work environments. This model is also appealing for employees who want to work closer to home, making your business attractive to people looking to avoid lengthy commutes.

3. Are hubs cost-effective compared to traditional office spaces?

Yes, Connected Hubs are generally more affordable than leasing a dedicated office space, and sometimes even offer flexible pricing plans based on your needs (daily, weekly, monthly). This can help reduce premises and operational costs, especially for smaller teams or part-time use.

gteic @ An Tearmann - CoWork Plus an Tearmann, Termon, Co. Donegal

4. Can using a rural hub enhance my business network?

Yes, like all Connected Hubs, rural ones are hugely beneficial when it comes to members sharing knowledge and industry insights with one another. With a diverse pool of skilled professionals on-site, hubs are also excellent environments for networking, connection and collaboration.

5. How can rural hubs benefit hybrid and remote teams?

With superb facilities and all the expected furnishings and structure of an office, rural hubs are ideal spaces for hybrid and remote teams to regularly or occasionally work from. Their availability to workers who live rurally helps foster connection, boosts team morale and provides a space for hybrid and remote staff to work in-person with their colleagues. Particularly beneficial for any necessary team meetups, brainstorming sessions or project planning meetings, rural hubs can cater to the many ways that staff need to work together.

6. What resources and amenities are available at rural hubs?

A host of resources and amenities are available at rural hubs, like high-speed broadband, dedicated desks, meeting rooms, printing services, conference and training spaces, kitchen facilities, breakout spaces and more. Some hubs also provide additional amenities like video conferencing equipment, podcast studios, and event spaces. Services can vary depending on the hub and some specific services are unique to certain hubs.

When selecting the right hub for you, simply filter your search for your preferred amenities.

PorterShed, Co. Galway

7. What type of professionals work in rural Connected Hubs?

You’ll find a mix, including freelancers, remote employees, entrepreneurs, and business owners from a variety of fields. This diversity often leads to unexpected networking opportunities and collaborations, enriching the working environment.

8. Are there options for private workspaces within rural hubs?

Definitely. Many Connected Hubs offer private, ‘own-door’ offices or dedicated desks for those who need more privacy. A range of membership and use options allow you to choose a setup that fits your work style and needs.

9. Are there environmental or sustainability benefits to using a rural coworking hub?

Yes, Connected Hubs are often located closer to home than fixed offices, reducing the need for long commutes and cutting down on carbon emissions. Many rural coworking spaces also adopt sustainable practices, such as energy-efficient buildings and waste reduction efforts, supporting your company’s environmental goals.

The Building Block coworking hub, Co. Sligo

10. How can I decide if a rural coworking hub is right for my business?

Whether searching for a rural coworking hub as a business base or as a space convenient to your hybrid or remote employees, it’s important to be certain it meets all of your major requirements. You can do this by using the filter during your search and for further information, you can contact a hub’s own Hub Manager.

The Connected Hubs team are also on hand with a dedicated staff member to help you assess your needs and what available hubs meet those needs.

Dingle Creativity & Innovation Hub, Co. Kerry

11. Are there industry-specific resources or networking opportunities available?

Yes, many Connected Hubs feature industry-specific resources and facilities, as well as useful networking events.

For example, CO:WORX in Co. Longford, Enniscorthy Enterprise & Technology Centre, Co. Wexford, and Clermont Screen Hub, Co. Wicklow, among others, all feature podcasting/recording studios.

While other rural hubs such as BloomHQ, Co. Laois, Creative Spark Downtown Hub, Co. Louth, and MERITS, Co. Kildare, all regularly host professional, social and community events for members.

12. How flexible are hubs in terms of membership?

Although each hub is different, many offer flexible pricing plans based on your requirements. Each hub contains a different range of booking options on hot desks, dedicated desks, offices and meeting rooms. Online booking and support is provided directly by each hub.

To find out more, see our short FAQ on booking and using Connected Hubs. Be sure to contact the Hub Manager if you don’t see a membership plan that suits your particular needs.

13. What are some success stories of businesses that have used rural coworking spaces?

The largest custom research company in the world, IPSOS B&A, made the leap and branched out from a Dublin base to two rural ones during the pandemic. The global research firm now benefits from having teams located at Connected Hubs in Belmullet and Achill Island, Co. Mayo.

“What was amazing for us was how it allowed us to move fast” says Managing Director Damian Loscher, “that’s the beauty of the Connected Hubs - the speed and the flexibility. In Dublin if we want to open a new facility we have to find a new office manager, we have to find a new IT manager - in the hubs, those services are ready to go.”

Based at the Inishowen Innovation Hub in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, telemarketing business Forward Emphasis International has gone from strength to strength since adopting the coworking model.

“The hub’s been fantastic for us,” says CEO, Paula Kennedy Garcia, “because core to what we do is about building communities, investing in skills and putting jobs into communities in rural areas. We’ve got access to great talent, we’ve got the agility of how the hub operates and we’re surrounded with this culture of innovation which absolutely feeds everything that we do.”

Paula Kennedy Garcia working at the Inishowen Innovation Hub, Co. Donegal.

In Boyle, Co. Roscommon, The Spool Factory is a popular Connected Hub and a real hub of creativity too, thanks to resident animation studio Studio Meala. Early adopters of the hybrid work model back in 2019, these busy animation innovators started with one desk and now take up the whole top floor.

"There’s a real sense of community here and some lovely friendships have developed,” says CEO Stephen Fagan. “There are other Hub users in HR consultancy, accounting, IT. You have access to expert knowledge all around you and can get advice on anything, which is a huge positive.”

Specialists in precious metals, GoldCore struck gold when they established a second company base at the gTeic Spiddal Hub, Co. Galway. Having expanded its team to include staff hired locally, CEO David Russell cites the appeal of a coworking space within easy reach of workers as a real driver.

“It’s a new way of working – there are so many people who want a better work/life balance and the option to have shorter commute times. It’s great as a company to be able to provide that. We find that it really improves the energy and morale of the team too.”

Find your ideal coworking hub today, search the National Hub Network