An amazing community atmosphere is one of the main reasons why freelancers, entrepreneurs and independent workers are attracted to coworking spaces. Besides the general appeal of a productive environment, the chance to meet, mingle and exchange insightful knowledge with like-minded people is an added bonus to solopreneurs who are used to working alone most of the time. These get-togethers quite often result in business partnerships and collaborations, which is another advantage to hosting interesting activities and events at your coworking space.
Taking into consideration the fact that the people frequenting coworking hubs usually come from different backgrounds, have diverse work schedules and can be interested in contrasting things, organizing an event to appeal to everyone might prove to be challenging. Nevertheless, making an effort to bring the community together will definitely benefit not only the workers in the office, but also those who run the coworking hub as well.
While there’s no general rule of thumb as to what a successful coworking event should look like, don’t be afraid to get creative and bring some life into the office. Get inspired by these 10 ideas for organizing some fun activities and events which will definitely make your coworking hub a fantastic place to work in:
Food-centric get-togethers
A sumptuous meal is one of the things that can definitely bring all kinds of different people together. Better still, putting together said a meal in a collaborative effort can prove to be an amazing community-building activity to everyone involved. Organize a bi-weekly or monthly potluck, have everyone contribute with a few ingredients and encourage them to show off their cooking skills. At the end of the activity, you will not only enjoy a delicious meal, you’ll also have a better sense of community as a result.
Group exercises
Those who spend 6-8-10 hours working at a desk are probably already aware of how important regular exercise is for their general wellbeing. Aim to emphasize the health benefits of everyday movement by introducing a short, but regular exercise routine at your coworking hub. By organizing regular morning runs, yoga classes or simple stretching exercises at your shared office space, you can even include individuals who don’t like the hassle of going to the gym while also improving the general community atmosphere of the hub.
Regular seminars
Besides hosting thematic courses aimed at a select number of people in a particular domain, you could hold regular seminars which tackle the daily challenges of entrepreneurial life, regardless of profession. These can undertake a wide variety of topics ranging from finance and taxes to social skills, marketing or even brand building.
Team-building activities
Get inspired by team building games which are often played at traditional companies and apply them at your own coworking hub. If you have a generous outdoor area, you can easily set up a fun round of scavenger hunt, but even if you’re limited to the indoors, there are still a wide variety of activities you can pursue like What’s my Name or Truth and Lie.
Brainstorming session
Oftentimes people look for the feedback of their peers or someone who works in the same industry. But it might prove to be quite interesting and even insightful to present ideas to one another regardless of one’s line of work. People who are not heavily involved in similar activities tend to view things from a different perspective, which might raise questions you haven’t even thought of and can show your project in an entirely different light.
Source: Shutterstock
Pitch practice
Pitching ideas to potential clients, investors and shareholders is part of the daily routine of entrepreneurs and freelancers, so they should definitely work at perfecting their craft in order to score great opportunities. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect, and it makes much more sense to exercise one’s speech in front of colleagues, instead of doing it in front of a mirror. Getting together regularly with others from the shared office space to practice the art of pitching can be beneficial for all parties involved and can definitely boost one’s confidence before a high-stakes meeting.
Milestone celebrations
Celebrating professional achievements together is another fantastic way to embrace the community spirit and inspire each other along the way. Major and minor accomplishments should all be commemorated, whether that’s with a personalized cake during a lunch break or a night out together with coworking colleagues.
After work happy hours
Whenever drinks are involved in social gatherings, the atmosphere seems to be more laid-back and informal. This is a perfect time to get to know your fellow entrepreneurs with whom you share your office space, so make sure to include happy hours after work every once in a while to ensure a casual atmosphere at the coworking office.
Game nights
While team building games and activities aim to improve teamwork and collaborative skills at the office, game nights should have the sole purpose of providing an entertaining and casual evening with your colleagues from the same coworking hub. Whether you opt for doing a trivia or a karaoke night (or something completely different) is up for you to decide, but just make sure all the participants will find the activity fun and enjoyable.
Charity events
Lastly, participating together in charity events can also bring together a wide range of individuals, people united by the desire to join forces for a good cause. Whether you partner up for a blood drive, provide meals to people in need or bring toys for less fortunate children, the community spirit is further enhanced by doing something beneficial, while simultaneously also giving back to the community.
