How To Build A Thriving Coworking Community

• Leveraging the power of technology can effectively bridge the gap between a physical and virtual hybrid community. 
• Engaging with coworkers to curate a calendar of social events around their desires and time commitments fosters workspace inclusivity.
• Community managers may not have the ability to change the workspace design, but bringing prompts into the workspace can do wonders to initiate social interaction.

Often an indispensable component of a coworking operations team, community managers are recognized for their warm and welcoming personalities and their ability to provide top-quality customer service. 

Their core mission is connecting people to one another, making sure everyone feels included and accepted in the workspace. But the hybrid nature of a coworking community poses a distinct challenge to a community manager. After all, community is something that doesn’t necessarily happen by chance; it must be cultivated. 

To help community managers engage and keep everyone in the loop with news and events within the workspace, we’ve put together some best practices to follow:

Use the power of technology

A distributed coworking community doesn’t wish to be bound by a traditional 9-5. Typically, U.S. workers come into the office Tuesdays to Thursdays, spending Mondays and Fridays working from home. Although this complicates the act of community building for community managers, adopting technology software can efficiently bridge the gap between a physical and virtual community.

Chat apps have become a popular digital tool for flexible workspaces. Slack, for instance, is a free-to-download communication channel with a simple user experience to make general announcements, organize events, and facilitate the all-important social interaction. With some chat apps, automated responses can be set up to answer frequently asked questions, freeing up time for making the in-person experience even better.  

Some coworking spaces invite the internal community to join the chat app, but others will open it up to visitors, creating a much bigger community beyond the limits of the physical workspace. It’s beneficial for workspace brands operating across multiple locations, and for allowing members to still remain part of the virtual community even when they’ve left the physical one. It fosters a sense of belonging — and the essence of community.  

Whilst the benefits of chat apps are multiple, not everyone wants to download another app, and notifications can easily go unchecked. To overcome this, a chat app can be integrated into the workspace management system for coworkers to book desks, meeting rooms, and phone booths. Adding pop-ups for crucial updates (for example, if construction work is due on the workspace), or house rules (to reinforce good behavior in the workspace), engages with a community who uses the system to manage their workday. 

But communication with the community shouldn’t be limited to chat apps. Multiple communication channels attract more eyes to news and updates in a coworking space, and community managers can post events on social media channels and write a newsletter with monthly news and member spotlights. The benefits are twofold — keeping the community in the loop, whilst attracting new members to the workspace. 

Build a thriving events calendar

Technology may engage a distributed coworking community, but it should not replace real-life human connection. Coworkers have joined a workspace not only to work but to meet others. Research conducted by Harvard Business Review found that 87% of respondents use their coworking space for socialization, with 54% saying they spend time with their coworkers outside of work. 

A community manager can incentivize coworkers to frequently come into the workspace by engaging them with a thriving calendar of social events. Themes should vary depending on the workspace location to the community it attracts, but popular workspace events cover themes like wellbeing, culture, and business. 

• Wellbeing: Fitness and wellness amenities are highly sought after in shared workspaces. Coworkers are looking for more than just a place to work, the commute has to be worth their time, and coworkers are keen to replenish their mind, body, and soul in between working hours. Popular well-being events range from active fitness to calming yoga and meditation sessions. 

• Culture: An individual wants to feel accepted and welcomed in their workspace. Community managers can foster inclusivity by hosting events for a diverse community, from celebrating International Women’s Day to Black History Month, and more. Celebrating every individual provides an opportunity to educate the entire community and bring people together in an engaging way. 

• Business: At the end of the day, coworking spaces attract people as places to work. Community managers can leverage engagement by hosting events around professional opportunities that enable people to upskill and network with others, sharing knowledge and ideas that may lead to fantastic work opportunities or business ideas.

Bear in mind — the social calendar in a workspace will vary depending on the community members and their needs. For instance, an introverted individual might find networking events too overwhelming to attend, whilst a coworker who has children is restricted on their time.  

Community managers can best understand which events work well for the majority by talking to each member in the workspace. Hosting a range of events promotes an inclusive workspace — which provides another outlet for community engagement. 

Create workspaces designed for collaboration

Community engagement can also be influenced by the design of the workspace itself, which can subtly initiate social interaction between coworkers. 

An example is at Work.Life Old Street in London, where the circular kitchen facility is directly opposite the workspace entrance. It provides a visual prompt for newbies when they first come to the workspace. Often, a community manager positions themself at the countertop, initiating the first interaction between coworkers, and making them feel comfortable when they arrive. 

Where a community manager places themself in the workspace can prove impactful for community engagement. For instance, working in a collaboration space such as a shared booth or hot desk area encourages other coworkers to join. Inviting coworkers to have lunch together cultivates a sense of community. Moving around the workspace throughout the day shows a community manager’s commitment to the connection they’re creating in the workspace. 

There are other visual cues to consider, too. A noticeboard can share the week’s upcoming events and welcome new members. Placing signs and affirmations cultivate a sense of “we’re all in this together” mentality, and imbues a positive vibe within the coworking space. 

Chatting with different coworkers throughout the day exemplifies friendliness and a social atmosphere across the entire workspace community, showing coworkers that they can come up and speak to their community manager whenever they require assistance or just a chat. Many coworkers look to their community manager to set the tone and feel within the coworking space. 

There are plentiful opportunities for community managers to get creative with their community engagement, and find the best way for their workspace to build a thriving and happy community.