There’s a lot to love about the global coworking movement.
We’re a community of people who collaborate, share and support each other. Building on the Open Coworking values of collaboration, openness, community, accessibility and sustainability, the movement has maintained a sense of purpose, even in the face of insane industry growth.
If you’re already tapped into the community of coworking space owners, operators and professionals, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re not tapped in and would like to be, here are eight communities I recommend you join.
Joining the Coworking Google Group is a must for new coworking space operators and veterans alike. Every day, people ask questions of the group about topics ranging from software, furniture, printers and market research to solving internal challenges, forming regional alliances, building community, educating the local ecosystem about coworking and so much more. How would you like the pioneers of coworking to answer your questions and point you in the right direction? That’s what this group is.
I’m a member of several Slack teams. Some of them are so active it’s hard to keep track of everything, and some are so sleepy that I rarely visit them. The Coworking Leadership Slack strikes a nice balance. It’s a great tool for getting a quick response and for brief conversations about coworking wellness, regional alliances, small-city coworking, marketing and general questions and ideas. Nice resources and insights are shared via the different channels and it’s a good way for people who don’t use Facebook to plug into casual community conversations about coworking.
The Coworking Content Alliance is a new Facebook group dedicated to content marketing, social media, video marketing, etc. I started the group as a way to share best practices, resources, tips and questions and I’ve already learned quite a bit about Instagram marketing, Facebook Live, naming your social media channels, content accountability and more. If you could use support, encouragement and accountability around creating content for your coworking space or project, join the alliance.
4. Women Who Cowork Facebook Group
Women Who Coworking is a Facebook group dedicated to, well, women who cowork. The member list is a who’s who of women doing amazing work in the industry. Topics discussed range from wellness, diversity and recruiting female entrepreneurs to driving membership, community-building, operational best practices and everything in-between.
5. Coworking Worldwide Facebook Group
Coworking Worldwide is a big Facebook group (4,000-plus members) that has a global membership. It provides a valuable glimpse into what’s happening in the coworking movement and industry around the world. People share space profiles, industry news and announcements about their local coworking space and scene, and also ask questions and share inspiring articles. You can also stay in the loop about coworking vacations and coworking-aligned industries, such as coliving and digital nomadism.
The Coworking Wiki is a good first-stop for the coworking curious and people potentially opening a space. It lays out the basics of what coworking is, gives a history of the movement, and shares the values of Open Coworking. It’s also a nice resource for existing space operators and members to locate other spaces, get further involved in the movement and find coworking resources and research. The website describes the wiki as a “free, community-owned and operated resource for everyone involved or interested in the world of coworking.”
The Coworking Visa is part of the Coworking Wiki, but it deserves its own mention as I think it’s an under-utilized resource for coworking space members and a great way for spaces to connect with people from around the world. The Coworking Visa allows members of one coworking space to use other spaces for free for a set number of days, with each space operator setting their own terms. At last count, there were more than 450 spaces around the world participating in the program.
The GCUC Facebook Group is for anyone who has ever attended the Global Coworking Unconference Conference. It’s a great resources for catching up on the latest industry news and conference details, as well as asking questions, sharing resources and learning best practices for starting, growing and running a coworking space.
Your turn: What have I missed? What other online communities should coworking space operators and teams know about? In the comments, let me know.
Related Articles
How to Attract and Retain Members with a Coworking Community Audit
Coworking Wisdom No. 002
50+ Blog Post Prompts for Busy Coworking Space Teams
