How do you measure success at your coworking space? Is it the size of your membership base? Revenue growth? Perhaps the number of events you book at the space?
From a member’s perspective, success might look a little different. For them, a coworking space isn’t just a quieter alternative to a coffee shop. Yes, it’s important to have a designated place at which to be productive. But coworking spaces should be looked at less like a static “space” and more like the intersection of career and community.
Even if your members are freelancers, and in some cases, especially if they’re freelancers, they generally want to feel like they’re part of something bigger. They want to connect with like-minded people in a space that’s more approachable and less stodgy than a traditional office environment. And yes, they want to expand their networks. According to a study conducted by Small Business Labs, 79% of people who belong to a coworking space say that it has expanded their social networks.
If you haven’t leaned into the idea that your coworking space could double as a networking hotspot, there’s no better time to start than now. Here are 5 tips to help you transform your membership-based workspace into a buzzing networking hub.
How to Turn Your Coworking Space Into a Networking Hub
1. Set Up an Online Community
From hobbyist groups to fitness pods, online communities help us connect and stay connected to the people and things that matter the most to us. But when moderated strategically, online groups can serve as invaluable promotional tools and customer retention channels for your business. It’s no different for a coworking space.
Trying to settle into a new space that’s entirely unfamiliar, surrounded by people you don’t recognize can be overwhelming, to put it mildly. Online communities allow for new members to introduce themselves in a non-intimidating forum. Online communities are also a great way for your members to connect over job opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise found.
You can even use the feed inside your workspace app. In the Proximity App, for instance, users can set up a member profile, add a photo and details about their expertise or career, and search for other members by name or skill. This gives new members a chance to plug their respective businesses, and can help them establish a higher comfort level right out of the gate and increase the likelihood they stick around.
Remember, the goal, first and foremost, is networking. So make sure the group is facilitated with this in mind.
2. Host Regular Events
Hosting events is one of the most effective ways to encourage networking and socializing at your coworking space.
One of the best things about coworking spaces is the unique medley of people they attract. You’ll find people from all different backgrounds and industries coming together to form a diverse and vibrant community. Have you thought about leveraging this in the form of a skillshare class? Invite one of your members to teach about SaaS startup funding or coding. Whatever it is, if they’re passionate about the subject, they’re likely to attract more members.
Or, perhaps you want to hold a festive holiday party for your members. Maybe you want to set up a weekly trivia night with prizes from local businesses for the winning team. You could also just go back to the basics and plan a simple happy hour with beverages and snacks. No matter which route you go, you’ll give your members a chance to connect without the imminent demands of their workday calling.
If you haven’t already, check out our Guide to Planning Events for Your Member Community.
3. Revisit Your Layout
Networking means people have to talk to each other, and believe it or not, the placement of your furniture could be aiding or inhibiting social interaction in your space.
How much space is between your desks? If they’re too spread out, it’s possible your members won’t feel inclined to strike up a conversation with the nearest person. Of course, it’s a workspace first, and a networking hub second, but you want to give your members the option to socialize with one another, if they so choose.
Look for other opportunities to facilitate networking with your layout. For instance, your kitchen is a breeding ground for small talk. To further optimize it, consider adding some standing tables to encourage your members to stay a couple of extra minutes and chat. You never know which innocuous kitchen exchange between members might lead to a key business connection.
And it goes without saying, but offer some delicious coffee and tea and maybe some free snacks to invite members to leave their desks and take more frequent breaks.
4. Organize an Off-Site Outing
This one takes a little more planning, but it’s absolutely worth the investment.
Try a group picnic, hike, beach day, museum, or yoga class. These group outings will give your members ample opportunity to bond over a fun activity, without the pressure to discuss work, as they might inside the coworking space.
You can also invite them into the planning process, as they’ll likely be more excited to join in if they had a hand in setting it up.
5. Conduct a Survey
You can sit at your desk and speculate all day about how to facilitate more networking at your coworking space, or you can tap your single best resource: your members. Conduct a brief survey to gauge the types of networking opportunities in which they’d be most interested.
Some might prefer a more informal format, or even a strictly online approach. Other members might want to see more structured events, at which they can freely mix and mingle. You won’t know unless you ask.
Not to mention, surveys show your members that you’re taking the time to collect their feedback and using it to improve the space. When you show them that their opinions matter, you’re signaling to them that they matter. This will help you increase retention in the long-run, and it will improve your members’ experience right away.
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