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The observation is clear: today in the wellness and professional space rental sector, there is a real gap between supply and demand. The market only offers fixed rental practices for a day or a half-day, with a lease and a long-term commitment. In contrast, therapists are looking for flexibility above all.

Indeed, in a fixed daily or half-day rental, beginners do not find themselves in a position to do so. They don't have the budget or the desire to feel trapped in a one-year lease and restrict their practice to one day a week. How do you convince your first clients/patients to all book an appointment on the same day. If I lease a practice on a Monday, how can I get my patient in on a Wednesday?

On the contrary, the young practitioner will initially accept every appointment that comes along and will want to honour every new request, whether it is during the week or at the weekend, during the day or in the evening. Limiting yourself to renting a practice for half a day or one day a week does not address the experience of those working in the mental or physical wellness sector. Supply and demand are totally out of sync. It is impossible to get stuck into a day or half-day practice rental.

Whether it's for wellness practitioners who are just starting out or for those for whom it is a complementary activity to another profession or those who are looking for more flexibility, a real problem arises today when they have to look for a professional space to practice their discipline.

The traditional rental of a practice by the day or half day has become far too restrictive. Prices are often exorbitant, especially in highly sought-after geographical areas. Some popular areas charge obscene rents. In addition, fixed rental requires a long-term commitment with a lease usually of at least one year.

In short, practices rented by the day or half-day no longer meet current needs, especially in these complicated times. More than one therapist has had to leave his practice since the beginning of the crisis. The contact professions have not been able to carry out their activities for months on end. Some could no longer afford the rent and charges that continued to fall each month.

The general trend is therefore towards a return to total flexibility and a desire to be able to rent a practice when you want, according to your needs, at an affordable price, in a good location. No more constraints and a return to total freedom of action.

The ideal for these practitioners is therefore a shared space, open seven days a week, already equipped and totally flexible in terms of pricing. Renting offices by the day or half-day has become obsolete. The era of sharing, space optimisation and mobile workers is well and truly upon us.

Over the last few years, the concept of coworking or collaborative workspaces has developed particularly strongly. These shared workspaces are mostly offered to self-employed people, or to people who usually work alone at home, via booking platforms. The idea is to rent a space for a specific hour on an occasional basis. In a society where technological progress consists of the search for ever greater flexibility and mobility, the concept of sharing premises between professionals meets a growing demand.

In this sense, coworking is a phenomenon in the same line as uberisation. Both movements have brought about a significant change in the daily habits of work, workers, and consumers in the 21st century. Angela Merkel also cited the phenomenon as an "emancipatory practice competing with the current neo-liberal politics of individualisation". Moreover, if the arrival of the internet in everyone's habits has played a crucial role, the progressive development, first of smartphones (capable of going on the internet anywhere with one's phone), then of 3G, and 4G, has definitely allowed the creation of coworking. The extent of the phenomenon has not gone unnoticed in many professional sectors, particularly the medical field.

The aim of this article is to examine this new phenomenon of health professionals sharing space and to identify what it brings with it. Is its success a flash in the pan, or a trend that will accelerate in the future?

Coworking is constantly evolving:

Since the emergence of the first coworking practices, which started as an alternative to conventional office space, coworking has become a global trend and even a way of life. Indeed, the number of flexi-offices has grown exponentially year after year and today every major city in the world has its own coworking space. Brussels is no exception to this rule and offers a wide variety of them.

Since 2018, the number of collaborative workspaces in Brussels has increased significantly. As a result, coworking is definitely starting to become part of the working habits of the people of Brussels, especially the self-employed. The medical sector itself has embraced this new trend, allowing a 'hybrid' way of working to emerge (between dedicated workspaces and conventional consulting rooms). The phenomenon is such that it is becoming an industry in its own right and is participating in the evolution of the economy (network economy) and society.

Advantages and disadvantages of medical coworking:

There are many advantages to working in a shared space. The first is the creation of a community. By being surrounded by professionals working in different branches of the same field (e.g. medicine), everyone has the opportunity to exchange ideas and problems, creating a stimulating atmosphere and even developing a network.

Another advantage, and not the least, is the flexibility that this type of system offers. There are no fixed and strict timetables. The independent practitioner can come and work, and stay, in his place of work, only for the planned hours (turnkey solution). Cost management is also a positive point. Users will only rent space when they need it. No more and no less. This avoids wasting money on a fixed, long-term rental that few can fill.

Having a dedicated space 7 days a week is also a significant added value, where renting a fixed day can be very restrictive for a beginner who is adapting to the schedules of his first patients.

In short, medical coworking offers flexibility, cost management and ease of use.

However, co-location of health professionals also brings with it a number of disadvantages. The first is the loss of corporate identity. Indeed, many disciplines with different working principles work under the same roof. Thus, workers have to make an effort to fit into the new mould, causing a dilution of identity. Another disadvantage is that this concept of co-location of health professionals can be distracting for workers. Indeed, the degree of uncertainty and the almost exclusive use of open-plan offices can make it difficult to manage work. Another disadvantage is the potentially greater risk of conflict between freelancers due to the more frequent 'friction'.

In summary, coworking among health professionals is an interesting working format for many people: young freelancers, recent graduates wishing to develop their patient base at their own pace, freelancers, non-profit associations, large companies or even startups may be, for different reasons, interested in this practice. Thus the field of clientele seems wide, suggesting that coworking may continue to flourish for some time to come. Therefore, this practice seems to have a bright future. Especially since, in the immediate future, the current health crisis (Covid-19) tends to increase the demand for this type of space.

However, in order to remain in vogue, coworking will have to be able to reinvent itself and adapt to future innovations. Indeed, each trend may end up being forgotten. Thus, the main challenge will be to remain competitive and to continue to establish itself as an essential part of the working world.

Over the decades, small, cheap rooms for rent have become increasingly important and useful. From the rental of auditoriums to the rental of consulting rooms for therapists, the liberalisation of societies and economies has offered ever greater flexibility in everyday life and also greater capacity for movement. As a result, today's people can travel more quickly and can afford to take more short business trips. These new trends have influenced the rental of rooms.

Indeed, over the years, room rental offers have become more and more specific, both in their size (smaller rooms) and in the duration of the rental (hour, ½ day),
day,...).

Technological progress, which has made it possible to speed up interconnections and increase the number of journeys, particularly at short notice, has led to a demand for short-term rental. Over the years, several types of rooms have appeared. Among them are the consultation or treatment rooms that can be rented by the hour. The aim of this article is to present the different therapy rooms for rent, their particularities and their different uses.

In the therapeutic field in particular, 4 of these small, inexpensive rooms for rent have appeared: small rooms for group coaching, small rooms for small group training, small rooms for an introductory day and consulting rooms or treatment rooms. Introductory day rooms are very interesting because they allow the trainer to introduce his or her practice, subject or field to potential clients for a first day of introduction, before starting a more complete training, for example.

A beginner trainer will not need a large room in the beginning. A room with a small capacity will suffice at the beginning, while he/she grows. His group of prospects. The cost of renting this small room should remain relatively affordable so as not to dissuade the trainer-therapist and his clients. Coaching rooms, on the other hand, are aimed more at coaches who accompany their clients towards personal or professional development. The coach can work one-on-one or in small groups. There are many different types of coaching. Today, everyone wants a coach: life coach, nutrition coach, career development coach. In short, there are many different types of coaching. Here again, the professional needs a space to welcome and accompany his or her client during the session. There is no need to rent a large space. A small room will suffice. By the same token, this type of room is ideal for specialities such as psychology. Indeed, these therapists can offer group therapy in this type of room.

Then there are the small rooms for small group training. Here the subjects are endless. A specialist in a subject decides to train his peers and pass on his knowledge. Once again, he will need a room or a small, inexpensive room to rent to give his first training sessions while waiting to fill larger spaces once his training is known.
Finally, the consulting or treatment rooms are intended for practitioners from a variety of disciplines. As these cabinets are equipped with the basic furniture used by these therapists and are completely flexible in their use, they are probably the solution for a multitude of new professionals in the health and wellness sector who are looking for flexible and inexpensive solutions.

In summary, the use of small, inexpensive rooms for hire in the therapeutic environment has a bright future. The variety of room types will make it possible to specify their offers for ever more specific demands. Moreover, the current situation we are experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic is ironically accelerating the development of companies offering cheap small rooms for rent, as the demand for this type of infrastructure is drastically increasing. Even more mobile workers, even more flexibility demanded, even more budget cuts.

However, in the more distant future, it will be necessary to monitor the development of transport (especially individual transport). Indeed, if this develops to the point where travel is no longer a constraint, then this type of location could be marginalised by home working. Also, it is important to note that the different types of rooms discussed above are adaptable to the new schedules, especially by the hour. Finally, given the considerable impact that multimedia innovations have had on everyone's habits, and on the rental of small, cheap rooms (internet, online payment, social networks, etc.), the future creations of this industry will also be worth watching.

We live in a world where forms of violence have multiplied and diversified. Indeed, depression is commonly referred to as the 'evil of the century', which gives some indication of the trends in the world today. Indeed, Publilius Syrus said 'the pain of the soul weighs more than the suffering of the body'. From the trauma of physical violence, to sexual harassment, to emotional breakdowns, the negative consequences of these 'non-tangible' injuries are increasingly taken seriously. As a result, the place and importance of psychologists has increased in today's world. With the help of technological progress, psychologists now have a freedom of movement in the exercise of their profession that they did not have in the past.

Moreover, Brussels, as a major European city and capital of the European Union, has an international influence that attracts professionals from all sectors, including psychology.

The aim of this article is to highlight the advantages and numerous interests for a practitioner to work in a psychologist's office for rent in Brussels.

The attractiveness of Brussels

The first asset of our capital, in the perspective of hosting a psychologist's office for rent in Brussels, is the international scope of our city. This makes it an interesting meeting point for professionals and freelancers wishing to stay in the capital for a short time. Moreover, practising in the city offers better accessibility to consulting rooms for both patients and therapists.

With a population of 2 million, Brussels has a potentially large client base. Due to its large population and considerable local economy, there are more cases of burn-out or people in need of psychological counselling. Moreover, although Brussels is a large capital city, it has the very significant advantage of not being as hectic as Paris or London, due to its lower population density (2 million inhabitants compared to at least 10 million for the other cities).

It is therefore an ideal compromise between a large international exhibition without having an excessively stressful activity.

A psychologist's office for rent in Brussels is also an interesting option, as Brussels is a large international city and the prices of premises are higher. Renting offices, especially in the short term, is therefore an opportunity for psychologists to practice their profession without having to spend too much money. Moreover, Brussels is increasingly being touted as a city conducive to entrepreneurship. As a result, start-ups seeking to rent therapy premises have a good chance of success.

Finally, Brussels is the host city of the Faculty of Psychological Sciences and Education of the ULB, a major university specialising in research related to the fields of psychology and which attracts many professionals in the sector.

External factors also influence the issue. Indeed, with the Coronavirus pandemic hitting Belgium hard, the demand for psychological care is growing as a result of the discomfort and damage caused by confinement, job losses and uncertainty for the future.

While a psychologist's office for rent in Brussels is primarily intended for psychologists in need (especially young graduates and relocated psychologists wishing to move closer to the capital), this type of office can also be used by other practitioners, such as therapists in alternative medicine ('non-conventional' medicine) and psycho-body and energy therapists. These practitioners, particularly at the beginning of their careers, are more interested in gaining professional experience than in the costs of a fixed practice. It is the more experienced practitioners who subsequently aspire to stability in the practice of their professions.

To sum up, Brussels has a number of assets that make it a good place to rent a consulting or care practice.

For entrepreneurs, developing a start-up offering one or more psychologist's offices for rent in Brussels makes sense because the city is economically vibrant with significant human activity. Indeed, setting up such a service in the countryside without any transport network, with psychologists and clients who would have to wait at least 30 minutes to reach the premises, would strongly compromise the prosperity of the young company. Especially since short-term rental formulas (by the hour and half-day) are developing. These formulas are precisely designed for self-employed people who are not looking to set up permanently and who need the space to be located in a place that is easy and quick to access for them and their patients.

Thus, developing a start-up offering a psychologist's office for rent in Brussels is an ideal choice for entrepreneurs, psychologists and their patients. Indeed, the interests of all these stakeholders can be found here!

Are you looking for a practice, a consulting room, a workspace dedicated to your discipline or simply a cosy room to rent by the hour in Brussels? SmartRooms is the solution for you. This new concept, unique in Brussels, offers fully equipped practices and training rooms for small groups, which you can rent by the hour, in a shared agenda, on an easy-to-use online platform.

Renting a practice in Brussels is not always easy. Most of the solutions on offer are expensive and not very flexible. When you have just completed your training and are starting out in your discipline, it is not always easy to rent a practice because the solutions currently on offer are expensive and quite strict in terms of working hours. If you do not yet have a patient base, renting a practice in a multidisciplinary centre implies a long-term lease and also fixed time slots. Being locked into a fixed slot of 4, 6 or 8 hours in a row is not easy for a beginner.

At the beginning of your career, when you start to develop your clientele, you will sometimes have a patient on Monday morning, a second one on Tuesday afternoon, a third one on Saturday evening, etc. Limiting yourself to a fixed time slot, as the centres currently offer, will not be advantageous for you. You will have to adapt to your patients' requests and not the other way round. You will find it difficult to force your first clients to come together on the same day or even the same half-day. This will make it difficult for you to fill the fixed time slot that you pay for each month.

One solution is to rent only the hours you need. No more and no less! Being able to rent only the time you need, any day of the week, would be the most practical solution for you, in terms of flexibility for your first patients and also in terms of cost for your wallet.

That's why this new concept called Smart Rooms supports mind-body therapists and wellness and mental health practitioners by offering one practice rental in Brussels per hour. The spaces are open seven days a week from eight in the morning to ten at night. You can therefore accept all the requests of your first patients, whether during the week or at the weekend.

Renting a practice in Brussels will no longer be a heavy burden on your shoulders and a headache to convince your patients to come and see you all on the same day.

After your training, you will be able to concentrate on the development of your patient base, on the launch and promotion of your new activity without worrying about renting a work space. You will benefit from well-equipped, soundproofed and well-located spaces to practice your discipline and develop your patient base step by step. This hourly rental system will also appeal to practitioners who are decentralised and practice far from the Belgian capital. Indeed, before embarking on a long-term practice rental in Brussels, this is a good opportunity to test this city. Limit your risk-taking!

Once you have enough patients, there is still time to rent a work space in a centre and pay a fixed rent. Unfortunately, the current economic situation does not allow us to spend money recklessly anymore.

This system of renting a consulting room in Brussels is undoubtedly in the spirit of the times of shared spaces and nomadic workers limiting costs and allowing young graduates to develop their activity at their own pace!