5 Ways Coworking Encourages Community Working
It is a general belief that the internet has made the world seem smaller and more connected. Yes, it can be said without an iota of doubt that the digital space has created more links. However, the more skilled it becomes in forging online interactions, the less scope it leaves for the offline interactions to occur.
The lack of physical interactions is detrimental to not only our wellbeing but also our productivity. Several Global Coworking surveys and reports confirm that a significant share of the happiness of people is associated with socializing with other people.
It’s not just coworking, as a study by the London School of Economics says. The root of contentment is a) meaningful relationships and b) strong social bonds. In simpler words, a community is what makes us happy and productive.
This brings us to the topic at hand – how does coworking help you be a part of a tribe?
How does a Coworking Space Help Build a Community?
The coworking industry has evolved rapidly in the past few years. They are molding themselves to accommodate the needs of solopreneurs and enterprises alike. From an affordable payment structure to vibrant environments, from collaborations with neighbouring retailers to hosting events, shared workspaces offer a lot of services to a professional.
However, the bedrock of coworking doesn’t lie with these perks but with the communities, which thrive inside it and set the space apart. After all, a Wi-Fi connection and a comfy chair are anyway available at your home or a coffee shop. Yet that is not all a working person needs. Camaraderie is critical to one’s professional growth.
A coworking space offers just that. It gives you a community that embraces you warmly.
The first step to establishing a community is welcoming new people. A coworking lays these first stones by introducing new members to the current ones. The community manager breaks the ice by acquainting every new individual to the right members and sharing:
- what they are interested in
- what they are working on
By enabling connectedness, the community manager knits the very first link of a tribe.
Finding Like-Minded Individuals
An engaged community is built when people have something in common. It could be a similar purpose, like tackling current issues, or the same thought-process, such as exercising, which makes you more efficient as the outcome for the individuals in such cases is the same. When like-minded people meet, unbreakable bonds are created. A shared workspace gives you access to such people and the chance to work with them, helping you forge even deeper communities.
Bonding Over Shared Experiences
No professional, be it a freelancer or a founder, can say that their work-life is sailing smoothly. Hurdles and frustrations are always a part-and-parcel of it. Facing these challenges all alone leads to anxiety and stress.
But working in a space where someone else has gone through a relatable struggle and conquered it eases some of the tension. This is only possible in a coworking space, where members are always ready to lend a helping hand and share their past experiences of overcoming difficulties and finding solutions.
The Power of Collaboration
When people work together to solve a problem, it generates a feeling of camaraderie. Coworking spaces encourage members to work in concert. The open environment there focuses on making it easy for a member to lean across his desk and ask for another member’s opinion.
From ideating on a new assignment to brainstorming with a bunch of people from diverse backgrounds, shared workspaces are all about working in solidarity rather than on one’s own. In other words, the power and force of collaborations create more partnerships and community.
More Interactions, More Ties
The role of a community manager is not limited to breaking the ice (See #1). They help strengthen social bonds by maximising interactions and nurturing collaborations by organising events and activities. These events are extremely beneficial for a professional to become part of a collective circle and build deeper relationships.
· Social Activities
Activities, like happy hours, games, lunches, and more, give coworking members a chance to meet new people in a casual setting. As they are not confined to professional etiquette and rules, they find it easier to familiarise themselves with their coworkers and find a niche where they can belong.
· Learning Events
Skill learning activities, product launches, or meet-&-greets are excellent ways to find referrals and connections. When coworking spaces host such events, they give you a chance to connect with present members and the others invited to the event.
Encouraging Every Personality
A community has a powerful impact on one’s social life. It is why most extroverts work hard on building a network they can rely on. The same ability is not present in introverts or even ambiverts.
Coworking spaces encourage people to ‘come as they are,’ for the rest of the effort is put in by the community. It gives the less-social beings a feeling of higher satisfaction and allows them to become a part of the tribe they resonate with.
More than Just Space, Coworking is a Community
The best of coworking spaces are more than just ‘a desk and chair coupled with a broadband connection.’ They are home to people who support each other. They are a community made of corporate teams, digital nomads, freelancers, start-ups, and more.
Why is this community essential?
Because working in an atmosphere, which has people who think like you, helps you form personal relationships. Personal, of course, doesn’t mean that your professional bonds extend to your families, but that you get acquainted with the nuances of each other’s work and are ready to help or seek help whenever required.
Additionally, knowing a person’s interests or what they do outside of their work builds a sense of connection. This innate feeling makes work more pleasant. You stop seeing your desk and chair as “the place where you work” and rather view it as space, which helps you connect with a community and makes you more effective and productive.
So, take the bold step of finding your community and thriving in it instead of barely existing outside of it. Give WorkWise a shot.
We are a coworking space in Mumbai, which gives notable attention to breeding camaraderie. Our community managers work on fashioning active-togetherness that adds value to your professional (and personal) lives!
