Coworking activities are an essential part of creating a strong community in your shared workspace. We offer several suggestions for activities to keep members interested and involved.
It’s one of the main benefits of coworking spaces to create an environment where like-minded colleagues can meet and collaborate.
Coworking activities are essential to fostering a sense of community. Increasing shared job satisfaction among current members, attracting new members, and even benefiting the neighborhood are all possible benefits of these programs. However, to keep the coworking community interested, you’ll need to come up with new activity ideas regularly.
Coworking days reserved for members
Happy hour:
You should encourage members to relax with a beer or glass of wine at the end of the workday. Members are more likely to attend if happy hour is held regularly and starts around 4pm.
Lunch meetings:
It’s never too early or too late to host a book club or brainstorming session at lunchtime. Another strategy is to bring in outside experts to give members advice on various topics, such as accounting, software development or work-life balance. To ensure that lunch topics are interesting to members, allow them to choose them.
Targeted networking:
The most successful networking event ideas put the onus on the organizer to make connections. Focused networking. Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to meet someone who can help them grow personally and professionally by selecting the audience.
Accountability Cohorts:
Resources like “motivation” can be used to form short-term accountability groups for interested members.
Helpful Breaks:
Break spaces and entertainment areas abound in today’s offices. Make classic board games available for members to play together in common areas. As long as there’s enough room, foosball or ping-pong tournaments are always popular activities.
Day trips:
This may be just what your members are looking for. Take advantage of group discounts to organize team-building activities and share memories. It could be a day at the beach, a trip to the country or even a confidence-building exercise. The calendar should be filled with a variety of activities that will engage a diverse group of people.
Family Activities:
When employees’ families are happy, so are their co-workers. Therefore, hold some of your networking events in a more natural setting, such as a park. It’s a great place for casual conversation, and nothing breaks down barriers like children.
On the membership wall:
Okay, this is not an activity. Post photos of members’ loved ones, professional accomplishments, or anything else that’s important to them on a shared wall. Community members can discover common interests this way, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
Guests of Honor:
Invite a thought leader in your field to give a talk or presentation, either internally or through a conference. You’ll meet new people and get some much-needed inspiration, as well as some much-needed social time!
Bike to work:
Decide which day of the week you want to start a cycling group and see if you can make it last all summer!
Book Discussion Group:
Are you in the mood to read literature? Perhaps some of your co-workers share your enthusiasm for books. Getting a group together, choosing a book and pouring some wine is a surefire way to have a good time.
Activities for potential coworking space members
Some of your members are now able to work in dedicated offices because you have encouraged them to give their best. That’s why you need a steady stream of new clients. There are copiers and a generator in every coworking space, so don’t just show them around. Instead, you need to impress them by making them feel like they are an integral part of your coworking space.
Observation:
Invite potential members to observe a current employee performing their daily duties. Persuade the current member to introduce the potential member to other members they know who might be interested in meeting with them. Non-members can discover the benefits of membership by spending time in the space.
Happy Hour (again!):
In the middle of another Happy Hour, be sure to greet new members by name. Introduce yourself to current community members one-on-one.
Training:
Take advantage of your coworking space to host public training sessions that are free to attend. Offer classes on topics that would be of interest to your members, based on your knowledge of their demographic profile.
For example, if you have a lot of tech companies in your area, you can offer training on the latest programming language. Non-member participants will see that your workspace is relevant to them. They may even meet someone from their network on their commute.
Morning Yoga:
A great way to familiarize new members with your coworking space.
Meetup group:
Like preschool moms, tech enthusiasts, or even a local craft group, can help you attract new members by introducing your shared workspace to those who might be interested in joining.
Launch Parties:
A great place to host a launch party is always in high demand by independent record labels, small book publishers and other creatives. Of course, there are also new tech startups to consider. Make yourself the center of attention and see what happens!
In conclusion, to foster an even stronger sense of belonging in your coworking space, consider participating in one of the activities from the list above.