Making Memories and Connections: 8 Ideas for Co-working Events

Co-working spaces are gaining more popularity as places where people can work together, come up with innovative ideas and create a social support system for themselves. Co-working spaces are not just about sharing desks and wi-fi.

They are also about sharing experiences, enthusiastic participation and learning from diverse fields. For example, Grazian (2019) discussed how co-working spaces in Manhatten are a haven for people working in niche professions, and those who don’t like mainstream work culture.

Coworking events serve as the catalyst for networking, developing skills, and building more informal friendships. If you own or manage a co-working space, you’re going to need really good ideas to make these events work. In this article, we are going to look at exactly that. Let’s begin!

Coworking event ideas for community engagement

Happy hours

The classic happy hour idea never fails, people love to talk over drinks. In a coworking environment, it becomes an opportunity for members to set aside their work stress and find friends to have fun with.

Your common area can become a vibrant social hub with people getting beers, talking about their projects, getting excited over new collaborations, and finding their work besties! Happy hour could be a weekly event, or reserved for special occassions like holidays and birthdays.

Such informal spaces help people break the ice and make spontaneous connections with like-minded people.

Day trips, family events

Day trips are truly a great way to unwind, because they allow you to physically go away from the workspace and the routine of a city life, and have leisure time for yourself. You can also invite the families of members, as a way of showing your concern for their work life balance.

There are so many options when it comes to day outings- picnics, movies, arts and crafts sessions…the list is endless. If you’re not sure what your members like, you could take a poll and find out.     

Purposeful breaks

This is not exactly an event, more like a planned informal interaction. Basically, all members plan to take their break together, and it may last longer than usual. It’s not just about eating or relaxing, this is a socializing opportunity your members will look forward to when they come to work. If your tenants are teams of people from small organizations, they can use this time for team building exercises.

Sometimes, these breaks can also involve free brainstorming and sharing feedback. Often, brainstorming happens with a specific aim in mind. But sometimes, open brainstorming can give you ideas that you didn’t know you needed!

Activities for community engagement

Events happen once in a while, but there are some activities or rituals that you can do more often.

Member collage wall

A member wall is a bulletin board where members can pin their sticky notes, photos, artwork, and personal reminders for their projects, interests, etc. For example, someone can post a picture of their first day in the co-working space, and pin another picture every time they achieve a new professional milestone.

It gives a personalized touch to the coworking space. When people enter the space, they are introduced to not just the ambience and furniture, but also the stories and journeys of its members. It sparks curiosity and helps people initiate conversations.

In fact, these collages can be a way for people to find members who share certain interests. It could be the starting point of a collaborative project, or a relationship of support and mentoring.

Biking and carpooling

Biking is a great way of involving members in sustainability intiative. When people come together for a good cause, they feel better about themselves. This puts them in a good mood, and they find it easy to bond over it.

Carpooling also has similar benefits. It creates a sense of interdependence and support. For example, say there is a lot of traffic or rain and you find it difficult to drive to work. You have to end up working from home, and it might make you feel quite lonely and left out.

If you are part of a carpooling group, you will have someone to share this feeling with. You will call up people who live in your area or share your route, and ask them about their status. There is a sense of  “we are in this together”, which is precious in today’s enstranged urban lifestlye.

Special clubs

You can create special clubs for reading books, playing sports, practicing public speaking, etc. based on the members’ interests. When members find other people who share their interests, they feel more connected and attached to the coworking space.

Co-working events for prospective members

When it comes to potential consumers, these events become a part of your marketing strategy. Here are some event ideas for attracting more members.

Trainings and workshops

You can invite guest speakers who can give members insights into a particular industry. Of course, the content of these workshops will depend on what kind of members you want to attract. You can conduct a small local survey to understand these needs.

These workshops will attract the attention of young professionals who are trying to get ahead in their career. Apart from specific skills, you can also organize workshops on more generic topics like leadership skills, communication, preparing resume, giving job interviews, etc.

Open up your space for local meetups

You can rent out your space for local groups who meet regularly, like book clubs, kitty parties, support groups, etc. You can do this on weekends, when less people will come to work. It is a way of having people try out your space and services, helping in mouth-to-mouth publicity.

Things to keep in mind while planning coworking events

• Coworking events sound like a fun exercise. It is a fulfilling experience for both the organizers and attendees. While you do that, here are a few things that you should be mindful of, amidst all the enthusiasm and excitement
• Don’t go over-budget. Marketing and community engagement can be prioritized after you have established a stable home base in terms of finances.
• Safety is important. Don’t plan any events that might be a risk to the health of attendees, like adventurous sports or treks.

Inclusivity is important. Make sure that all members feel included and taken care of. For example, late night drinking is often percieved as unsafe, especially by women. Go for more neutral plans, like having cocktails or coffee in the early evening.

If you own or manage a coworking space, we hope this article gave you some ideas for how to organize your community engagement events and activities. Keep exploring!