In the ever-evolving landscape of coworking, the essence of community lies at the heart of its mission. Yet, as the world shifts towards a more remote and virtual reality, a pressing question emerges: How can coworking spaces extend their sense of community to a dispersed, digital audience?
Community is at the center of our mission as coworking operators. From opening a space that fosters individuality to hosting events that invite connection among our members, we constantly seek to build thriving communities. One question we often hear is how to achieve this when expanding our reach to a remote audience. The reality is, you don’t have to choose. As an operator, you don’t have to choose if you want a thriving community of physical members or the freedom and exponential growth that comes with Virtual Offices. In fact, you can pursue both, and create thriving communities regardless of location. Coworking spaces are uniquely positioned to cultivate vibrant communities and can leverage digital tools to foster human connection, creating a sense of belonging that goes beyond geographical barriers.
We’ve all hit the “follow” button because we enjoy someone’s content and are willing (and eager) to listen to what they have to say. Why should it be any different with your social media presence? Social media serves as a powerful tool for building virtual communities, from your local celeb to Duolingo’s TikTok — it’s bite-sized entertainment that appeals to everyone.
Now, we all know how powerful social media can be. Here’s how it can help you and your spaces:
By encouraging members to share their stories and interact, these platforms evolve beyond mere information channels. They transform into spaces of mutual support and engagement, fostering a strong sense of community among your members.
Online events, such as workshops and webinars, offer more than just knowledge exchange; they provide a platform for members to connect and collaborate. Breakout rooms and interactive sessions during these events can deepen relationships and encourage the exchange of ideas, further strengthening the community bond. Still not convinced? Go into the chat during a webinar and see the conversations taking place.
As for personalized interactions, hosting virtual events tailored to your audience is a must, but not all. Going the extra mile to bring your physical space’s hospitality mindset into the virtual realm involves acknowledging and celebrating members’ special occasions or achievements. These small gestures of recognition and care create a more intimate and supportive environment, it’s an extension of your IRL community bond.
An online community board or forum can serve as the heartbeat of the virtual office. It’s a space where members can interact casually, share opportunities, and stay updated with coworking space news. It can be a LinkedIn group, a FaceBook group, or any platform where members can talk and interact with each other. Maintaining such a platform helps keep the community vibrant and engaged, fostering a sense of belonging, regardless of where your virtual members might be. You can also promote virtual coworking sessions and collaborations among members who share a niche. Think of it as having accountability buddies, it never hurts to have someone to bounce ideas off of.
As a coworking space operator, you have a unique opportunity to create thriving virtual communities that offer more than just a place to work. You already know what it takes to create and foster community, so this is nothing new. You just have to adapt your message for a remote audience. By embracing digital engagement, fostering collaboration, and nurturing personal connections, you can build a community that members are proud to be a part of, one that supports their professional and personal growth.
PilotoMail is a mail management platform that creates recurring revenue streams for mailrooms through postal mail handling automation, and virtual mailboxes for the remote workforce. Property managers, coworking spaces, mail centers & registered agents can handle large volumes of mail efficiently, comply with all postal regulations, and increase revenue from their existing footprint effortlessly.
