3 Steps to Building a Shared Work Space Community

Professional industries are slowly, but surely, coming to terms with the concept of shared work space. Coworking venues have been popping up all over as businesses and professionals begin to revisit their needs and wants in office space. But what does it truly mean to be a shared work space: is it just a collective of desk space, offices and conference rooms, or is it something more?

Just as in any neighborhood, apartment or condo development, there needs to be something more than just physical resources and amenities; there needs to be a community. Each one of these types of developments needs to offer a place for people to adapt, learn and grow from each other. Any venture – commercial or residential – that neglects the importance of community is setting itself up for failure.

Our shared work space in downtown Tampa is focused on building a professional community in our space. We want to not only be an office rental space, but a sustainable platform for growth and business development. Our goal is to engage with our members and work space users through a concentration of educational and networking events.

Although we don’t claim to have all the answers, here are some things that we are focusing on to offer our shared work space users a more substantial experience than simple office space.

Building a Shared Work Space Community

• Find Your Niche
  • What do you want your shared work space to offer? Ask yourself who you want in your space. Consider these and shape a uniform vision for your space. It goes a long way in directing marketing efforts.
• Find Your Community
  • After establishing the purpose of your space, it’s time to find your community. Find out what your ideal community wants and focus on that. Don’t overextend yourself; it may lead to confusion about your space’s identity.
• Build a Hub
  • Tailor your space to offer events and services that will engage your targeted community. Establish monthly networking events for professionals in your work community. Hold educational seminars and/or lectures. Participate in other community events through sponsorship or partnership. The most important thing is to give your space members a reason to want to come back to your work space.

Growing a Community Takes Time

The most important thing to keep in mind is patience. To grow a sustainable community around your shared work space takes time; growth happens organically. Always be willing to adapt and meet new opportunity. As in any community development, if you stay true to your mission and make the commitment it will pay off. After all, as the saying goes, “if you build it, they will come”.