What would you prefer — a private cabin with stable internet and zero distractions or a vibrant shared space stocked with snacks and beverages? Like in other cities, coworking spaces in Kolkata are transforming the work-from-home experience, making it a hit among corporate employees, freelancers, entrepreneurs and students. From Salt Lake to central Kolkata, these trendy spaces are popping up in prime locations across the city. Equipped with private cabins and conference rooms to high-speed Wi-Fi and food options, they offer flexible rental options — daily, monthly or even annually. Plus, one can also walk in and work for the entire day.
Looking back
The COVID outbreak and subsequent lockdown made working remotely a norm for most, between 2020 and 2021. Even as offices began reopening, many companies chose to continue with a hybrid working model. While working from home offers some conveniences, it also comes with challenges like slow internet, lack of privacy and limited space. This is where the concept of coworking spaces really flourished.
Soumalyo Ghosh, a corporate employee, found himself in a situation where working from home wasn’t the best option. “I joined my current company during the pandemic, initially working from home. Even now, with many companies calling employees back, our company sticks to the remote model. Since my home is small, setting up a proper home office wasn’t possible. That’s why I started working from coworking spaces. Especially during month-ends, when work pressure increases, I prefer to book a slot at Awfis or another coworking space,” Ghosh shared.
Not just corporate employees, even freelancers, lawyers, self-employed and students are making the most of these spaces. My Kolkata explored a few coworking spaces in the city to check out their facilities.
Ideapod: Where work meets leisure
IdeaPod is a coworking space featuring a dedicated cafeteria called Café Bloom and you can also avail private cabins that come with storage and other facilities
Located on the fifth floor of Prasad House on Sudder Street, IdeaPod is a coworking space featuring a dedicated cafeteria called Café Bloom. Here, you can enjoy a variety of hot and cold beverages, snacks, meals, and desserts. The facility includes open spaces, daily seating, private cabins, conference rooms, meeting rooms, a library, an unwinding zone, and more. Over the weekends, an event space equipped with a mic and sound system is available for bookings. The private cabins come with storage and other amenities. You can also avail technical support, printing facilities and parking space.
We observed a vibrant mix of entrepreneurs, influencers, and small business owners working in the café area.
Baishakhi Chakraborthy of Bluesky Immigration (Marketing), one of the patrons of the working space, said, “It’s a really cool place to work in. The ambience, staff, work culture, and the cafe are all really very good. I always refer them to my friends.”
Clients appreciate the ‘hassle-free’ environment, where they don’t need to worry about maintenance or staff overheads
Founded by Rachna Prasad and her husband, who doubles as her business partner, IdeaPod has become a hub for both startups and established corporate houses. “The popularity of coworking spaces is soaring, as shown by the sharp increase in registrations at IdeaPod. Clients appreciate the ‘hassle-free’ environment, where they don’t need to worry about maintenance or staff overheads and can afford a prime office in the CBD area. From open seats to private cabins and event spaces to conference rooms — coworking spaces are driving significant growth in India,” Prasad said.
Also, you can avail the space all day till evening. Bookings can be made through the official website of IdeaPod. Walk-ins are available on a first-come-first-serve basis for the open space adjacent to the cafe.
Open: All days
Timing: 9am - 8pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 520 plus taxes for daily seats, Rs 300 onwards for Café Bloom
Contact: 6292299064
Benchworks: The happy work zone
This space features flexible plans, such as pay-as-you-use, without any long-term commitment
New on Kolkata’s coworking spaces map, Benchworks is situated in the heart of old Kolkata, near the BBD Bag Metro station. The space offers comfortable seating with charging points, high-speed internet, printing services and sweet treats, like tarts, toasties and coffee from Piccadilly Square.
The space features flexible plans such as pay-as-you-use, without any long-term commitment. From private individual cabins for focused work sessions and single seats to spacious conference rooms equipped with projectors and focus rooms, Benchworks provides a range of modern amenities and facilities. Whether you need a desk, a customised office space, a community area or a meeting room by the hour, Benchworks has it all. It also includes a small library-cum-common area for unwinding between work hours.
Benchworks is a humble beginning to a new era of coworking, with a community feeling and some amazing coffee
Pulkit Baid started Benchworks to offer “a happy work zone for young minds”. He explained, “Our city is deeply rooted in creativity and culture, but the workplaces here are often traditional and lack functionality. I believe a happy work zone with modern facilities and open spaces will help young minds come up with better ideas and grow businesses. Benchworks is a humble beginning to a new era of coworking, community and some amazing coffee.”
Benchworks will soon expand with two more branches in Ballygunge and Salt Lake. My Kolkata found several corporate employees, lawyers and freelancers working from Benchworks. Sumegha Baroi, deputy vice-president at Bandhan Bank Life, has been using this space with her team for the last four to six months while their office undergoes renovation. “Since we cannot be in the office, we’ve been working from this space. It’s convenient for the team to be in one place. It is a quiet place with all the amenities. It has been quite helpful for us as it is located at a convenient address too,” Baroi said.
Bookings can be made through the official website of Benchworks. Walk-ins are also available for single seating.
Open: Monday to Saturday
Time: 9.30am - 7.30pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 299 onwards (per hour)
Contact: 98301 68568
East India Works: Comfortable and convenient
With options for daily and monthly bookings, you can also purchase hourly passes here
East India Works (EIW) operates three coworking spaces: Mission Row, Eden and Writer’s INC, all three located on RN Mukherjee Road. They also have spaces in Kalighat, Salt Lake, and Esplanade. We dropped by at Eden for a walkthrough. Like their other locations, Eden offers single seats, private cabins of various sizes, conference rooms and a fully stocked pantry. In addition, they provide complimentary tea and coffee, a lounge and a leisure area. There is no restriction on bringing outside food into the space. With options for daily and monthly bookings, you can also purchase hourly passes. They not only provide coworking spaces but also offer address registration for companies seeking office space.
East India Works was launched in 2018 by Udbhav Jalan, who comes from a family specialising in leasing assets. “We have maintained a risk-averse approach to growing our seat count, which is now approaching 210 seats across three centres. We are optimistic about coworking with value-added services and are exploring the FOCO/management fee model for growth in Eastern India. With our strong capabilities in building, operating and selling, along with a solid brand value, we now want to work with developers and entrepreneurs for our next stage of growth,” he said.
In November, EIW will be launching in Bengaluru under a new brand name
Jalan has focused on comfort and convenience with top-notch customer service for his coworking spaces. “In a market rapidly approaching commoditisation, we stand out. We focus on our locations and micromarkets, offer high-quality interiors and fitouts, but at much lower rates per seat, compared to the competition. We also provide excellent customer service. We strive to go above and beyond, as proved by our reviews, and we maintain an ethical approach to business that will never change. We are here for the long haul.”
In November, EIW will be launching in Bengaluru under a new brand name, A-way, with a state-of-the-art centre in Indira Nagar, tailored for startups and SMEs. EIW encourages prior bookings through their official website.
Open: Monday to Saturday
Time: 9.30am - 8pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 400 per day, Rs 15,000 per month for private cabins
Address: 19, RN Mukherjee Rd, Esplanade, B.B.D. Bagh and other locations across Kolkata
Contact: 08240663113