The Community in Coworking: Fresh Ideas and New Perspectives

Community is the reason most people stay at a coworking space. Beyond Wi-Fi, coffee, and desks, it’s the human connections and shared experiences that set coworking apart.

Coworking community is the network of relationships, shared norms, and everyday interactions that turn a shared office into a place people want to belong to. It’s built on purpose, not bought as an add-on.

At the FlexWorld 2024 Conference, the session titled “We Put the Community in Coworking: Fresh Ideas and New Perspectives” looked at how coworking operators create, sustain, and grow strong communities while keeping the business healthy.

The panel brought together Liz Elam, founder of GCUC, Cat Johnson, host of Coworking Convos, Brandon DeChirico, Community Director at ALX Community, and Crispin Piney, Managing Director UKI at OfficeRnD. Here’s what they shared.

Community: the core of coworking success

In coworking, community drives membership retention and satisfaction. So how do operators build it without losing sight of profitability?

Baking community into the business model

As Cat Johnson explained,

Community isn’t an amenity you tack on; it has to be intentionally created from the start.

A strong community pays back by attracting members, keeping them, and creating room for organic growth. Measuring this ROI isn’t always about hard metrics; sometimes the energy in a space is proof enough.

Practical approaches to building community

Listen and adapt

Brandon stressed the importance of listening to members. As he put it:

It’s not about creating programs you think they want but understanding their needs and meeting them where they are.

Operators can use surveys and regular feedback loops to spot member preferences. Liz Elam noted that asking members for input, even on ideas like hosting a dog-friendly happy hour, builds engagement. When members take ownership of an initiative, the community has gelled.

Engage beyond the workspace

Strong coworking communities reach past the walls of the space. Brandon encouraged operators to connect with the wider local community through partnerships and events, creating a ripple effect that benefits members and neighbours.

Personalized experiences

Not all members want deep engagement. Some prefer a quiet, heads-down workspace, while others do their best work in busy, collaborative rooms.

Cat pointed out that respecting these differences matters, so spaces can serve a range of needs without diluting the community vibe.

Community vs. profitability: finding the balance

One of the biggest challenges operators face is running a healthy P&L alongside serious community work.

As Brandon pointed out, community shouldn’t stretch resources thin. Strategic partnerships and thoughtful programming can deliver high-value experiences without blowing the budget.

Liz added that knowing your target audience and self-selecting members who fit your space’s ethos makes the difference. As she said:

Not everyone will be a fit—and that’s okay. Point people to a space that suits them better and focus on the members who align with your vision.

The role of technology in building community

A double-edged sword

Technology can help or hurt the coworking experience. As Liz put it:

If your technology creates frustration, you’ve failed.

Good tools for booking rooms, accessing spaces, and joining events lift the member experience. Poorly built tech becomes a barrier.

Automation for more human interaction

Brandon’s point was that technology should handle admin so staff can spend time with members. As he said:

Automate the small stuff—like check-ins and payments—so you can spend more time building relationships.

This is where a platform earns its keep. OfficeRnD Flex is coworking management software that automates the day-to-day, from bookings and billing to member communication, so community teams can focus on people. Its AI Hub adds an AI automation layer inside OfficeRnD Flex, starting with an AI Sales Agent that responds to leads around the clock across chat and email.

Mobile-first mindset

Members run their day from a phone, so the mobile experience has to work. From booking a room to joining an event, the mobile journey needs to be clear and quick. Cat added:

The tech should remind me about events and help me connect—but the real value is in showing up and engaging with the community.

Fresh ideas for community building

1. Chili cook-offs and social events
   Cat shared the success of a chili cook-off at her coworking space, which brought everyone together in a relaxed setting. Events like this build bonds and create memories.
2. Outdoor activities
   Paddleboarding, bonfires, and community outings create connections beyond the desk. These give members new ways to interact and build deeper relationships.
3. Corporate integration
   Liz pushed back on the idea that corporate members don’t fit into coworking communities. “At the end of the day, they’re just people too. With the right approach, they can integrate seamlessly into the community.”

Why community in coworking matters more than ever

The panellists agreed that coworking has a role to play in the loneliness problem tied to remote work. The numbers back them up.

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2024 report found that one in five employees worldwide reported feeling lonely a lot the previous day, with fully remote employees reporting the highest levels at 25%, compared with 16% for on-site workers and 21% for hybrid. A 2024 Household Pulse Survey analysis found that people working remotely more than 3 days a week had higher odds of reporting loneliness than those who didn’t work remotely, while 1 to 2 remote days showed no such link. Coworking spaces offer the middle ground: connection and structure without a full return to a traditional office.

Liz ended with a challenge:

If you don’t find a space that fits your needs, create one. The world needs more coworking spaces to help people connect where they spend the majority of their day—at work.

Key takeaways from the session

• Community is a feeling: It can’t be bought or forced; it has to be built authentically.
• Listen first: Regular feedback and open communication are the way to understand member needs.
• Balance profitability with authenticity: Sustainable community work fits business goals through intentional programming and partnerships.
• Use technology thoughtfully: Good tech improves the member experience but shouldn’t replace human interaction.
• Respect different needs: Serve both highly engaged members and those who want quiet, focused work.

Frequently asked questions

What is community in a coworking space?

It’s the network of relationships and shared experiences among members, staff, and the surrounding neighbourhood. It shows up in events, casual conversations, referrals, and members helping each other, and it’s the main reason people choose one space over another with the same amenities.

Why is community important for coworking operators?

It drives retention and referrals. Members rarely leave over the desk itself; they leave when they never felt they belonged. A strong community lowers churn and creates organic growth, which protects revenue.

How do you build community in a coworking space?

Start by listening. Use surveys and feedback loops to learn what members want, then run events and partnerships that match. Let members lead initiatives, respect different engagement levels, and connect with the local community beyond your walls.

How can technology help build coworking community?

By removing admin so staff have time for members. Tools that handle bookings, billing, check-ins, and member communication free up community managers. OfficeRnD Flex automates these tasks and gives members a branded app to book resources and stay in touch with the community.

Final thoughts

This session at FlexWorld 2024 was a reminder that community is what makes coworking work. Technology and financial sustainability matter, but the human element is the differentiator, and it can’t be automated away.

For operators, the job is to balance community and profitability, using technology as a tool for connection rather than a barrier to it. Do that, and coworking spaces become what they’re meant to be: places to collaborate and belong.

Check out the next two conference sessions:

1. The Secret to Happy Members and Seamless Workspace Management
2. Future-Proofing Your Coworking Space: Emerging Trends in Coworking Technology