Coworking is gaining in popularity by the year. Data suggest that the number of coworking spaces will exceed 41,000 by the end of 2024. Even more, the number of people utilizing these spaces is expected to grow to 5 million over the same period. Some experts even suggest that coworking spaces are crucial for shaping the way modern startups work.
This is all wonderful news for coworking space owners. But the fact is, creating an office space that empowers people to flourish isn’t all that easy. Plus, if you’re working with limited funds or space, it can be a real challenge.
Fortunately, there’s a huge deal you can do to empower members to thrive in your coworking space. From setting goals to enforcing rules to making interior design adjustments, you can take several steps to guarantee your location is the perfect place for your clients to do their work.
So, without further ado, here are some of the most effective ways you can empower members to thrive in your coworking space.
Be Crystal Clear About Who Your Coworking Space Is For
One of the absolute best ways to ensure your members have everything they need in your coworking space is to be intentional when marketing your business.
Attracting an impressive number of users can be a great way to grow your brand. But the thing that will help you profit even more is retaining as many members as possible for a lengthy period. With this in mind, one of the best strategies for guaranteeing your members are happy and productive is to be mindful of how you market your space.
A good rule of thumb is to always be clear about who your offices are for. And, if necessary, don’t be afraid to point out who they won’t be a good fit for. That way, you won’t just attract the right audience. More importantly, you’ll prevent customers from having a poor experience at your establishment, ensuring your brand’s positive reputation in your area.
Set and Enforce Rules Regarding Space Etiquette
The second tactic for guaranteeing customer satisfaction and empowering your members to thrive is setting and enforcing space etiquette rules.
Ultimately, a coworking space can only support productivity, creativity, and networking if it’s a safe and healthy environment for all members. As its manager, it’s your job to maintain that environment.
In addition to installing security cameras, communicating rules, and addressing any issues promptly, be very direct when communicating space etiquette rules in the first place. Here are some things you can do to achieve that clarity:
- Make sure to talk about space etiquette during the onboarding process.
- Make use of signage.
- Employ digital booking systems to prevent conflicts in scheduling.
- Be precise with the expectations you have of your members, regardless of whether they pertain to cleanliness, noise levels, or how people should interact with each other.
Sure, all this may seem too strict — especially if you intend to build a coworking brand that encourages creativity or a laid-back attitude. Nonetheless, having and enforcing rules is crucial unless you want poor member behavior to reflect on your brand and diminish your customers’ experience at your coworking space.
Design Your Coworking Space to Work for Your Members
One of the things to remember when aiming to help your customers reach their productivity goals is that interior design has a tremendous impact on people’s work performance.
Numerous scientific studies have shown how the environment impacts productivity. Factors that can influence the suitability of a space for work include:
- Illumination
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Wall type
- Sound
- The presence of natural elements
- The flexibility to change work positions throughout the day
If you want to empower your members, you’ll need to consider all of these elements of coworking space design.
In addition to ensuring you do the basics right (like utilizing proper lighting and setting a comfortable temperature for work), do your best to designate zones for each type of activity — whether it’s deep, focused work, a zone for creativity, a relaxation space, or a booth for making phone calls without disturbing other space users.
Furthermore, don’t hesitate to invest in high-quality work (and leisure) equipment. Standing desks, ergonomic office chairs, and even flexible monitor arms can all improve the customer experience and help your members complete their tasks more efficiently. Provide complimentary snacks that will contribute to your customers’ overall well-being — like magnesium-rich foods, which are great at reducing stress and anxiety.
Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of a dedicated wind-down zone in the work environment. Make sure your members have access to a lounge area, an outdoor space, or a nap room where they can catch up on some Zs.
Offer Flexible Membership Plans
Employers often overlook the importance of flexibility when leading their teams. Yet, data shows that, along with agency, it’s one of the most significant contributors to workers’ ability to do high-quality work without burning out.
The good news is that, as a coworking space owner, you can encourage your members to control how and when they work. And the best way to do so is to present them with flexible membership options.
As coworking space users mainly consist of freelancers and remote workers, one of the most essential ways to support your clients is to allow them to use your space during unconventional hours. Furthermore, with the increasing popularity of hybrid work arrangements, it’s a good idea to offer a versatile range of monthly and annual memberships.
And, of course, remember that each member’s needs will differ. So why not do your best to meet a wide range of requirements, regardless of whether those pertain to equipment, amenities, or schedules?
Create and Promote Community-Building Opportunities
One of the most significant benefits of using a coworking space is that it allows remote employees to join a community.
Consider this: building and maintaining positive relationships with coworkers contributes to productivity and emotional well-being gains. So, you’ll certainly want to create and promote community-building opportunities in your coworking space.
In addition to inviting members to meet their fellow coworking space users and network with each other, consider other ways you can transform your customer base into a community. Something as simple as organizing an office-wide competition (in anything really — from foosball to pull-ups) can bring people together.
Or, if you want to be extra about it, you could organize a monthly get-together for members. And, if your city sees a lot of travelers during a specific season, you could even offer special deals for people looking to combine work and travel.
These are all excellent opportunities to improve your customers’ overall experience. They’ll help widen your reach. Plus, they could play a part in encouraging your clients to leave more positive feedback about your brand, ultimately helping you grow your business through social proof.
Provide Members with Learning Opportunities
Last but not least, as you explore strategies to help members thrive in your coworking space, don’t forget that lifelong education is an irreplaceable aspect of growth. If you want to do what’s best for your customers, why not provide them with as many learning opportunities as possible?
For example, invest in well-being-related learning opportunities if your clients care about a healthy work-life balance. Organizing guest lectures at your space is an excellent way to encourage members to learn new techniques for taking care of themselves. Or include some helpful stress-reducing tips in your monthly newsletter.
Alternatively, consider whether there’s a specific skill set that your customers could particularly benefit from. For instance, many coworking spaces cater to IT professionals, whose industry necessitates continuous learning. Why not explore ways to provide these educational opportunities to your members?
Whether you organize a series of lectures, a workshop, or a hackathon is entirely up to you. What matters is that the knowledge serves your clients and presents them with new opportunities to grow professionally.
Final Thoughts
The fact about running a coworking space business is that its success hugely depends on the success and satisfaction of your customers. To achieve the growth rate and profitability you expect, you must invest in your clients.
Amazingly, there are numerous ways to empower members to thrive in your coworking environment. Whether that’s by improving the amenities, setting and enforcing rules, adapting your marketing strategies, or organizing additional activities to help your clientele is entirely up to you.
But rest assured, doing your best to help your patrons prosper will pay off. And it won’t just reflect on your customer retention rates. It could very well be the thing that determines your business’ reputation and drives your customer acquisition efforts.
