An estimated 1.2 million people have located their business in a co-working space according to figures from Forbes. More affordable and flexible than dedicated premises, co-working spaces have sprung up around the world with many facilities fully embracing this more creative nature of working to update older notions of commercial spaces. If you're thinking of making the move to a shared space in 2018, read on for five trends to look out for:

Trend 1: Wellness inspired facilities
Mindfulness and wellness in the work place is a hot topic right now and we think this will shape one of the biggest co-working trends of the year. Whatever the type of co-working space you’re considering, look out for a plethora of wellness options such as yoga classes, fitness centres, organic food and drink and even guided meditation sessions.

Trend 2: Unusual locations
Co-working is a fresh alternative to a standard office space and we think that this disruptive approach will see a number of co-working spaces spring up in more unusual locations in 2018. Expect to find new co-working options popping up in spaces such as unused churches, old factories and even nightclubs. This is a great way to not only provide more affordable work space to more businesses, it also taps into urban regeneration and greener living. Even huge names like Vorizon are getting in on the act by converting dozens of buildings that used to house telephone lines into co-working facilities.

Trend 3: A move into the mainstream
Co-working has been a popular choice for start-ups and entrepreneurs over the last few years because it’s an inherently cost-effective option. Budgets aside, co-working spaces also foster innovation and inspiration, have a great sense of community and are perfect forums for collaboration. These advantages are exactly why more established names are also expected to move into the co-working space over the next 12 months. Facebook has already signalled its intentions and other big names such as Google, IBM and Cisco have followed suit.

Trend 4: More technology
If you think of a co-working space as nothing more than a cheap location for your desk, think again. The new co-working spaces come fully loaded with the hottest of cutting edge technology. We might not quite be at the stage of AI receptionist but expect perks such as voice search devices, state-of-the-art meeting and conference tech and even 3D glasses.

Trend 5: More networked spaces
With co-working spreading across the world, expect more networked spaces. This means that your own co-working space could well have a reciprocal agreement with a space on the other side of town, or even the other side of the world, giving even more freedom and flexibility.