5 ways to celebrate International Coworking Day

If you didn’t already know, #InternationalCoworkingDay falls on 9 August every year and is celebrated by coworking operators and their members everywhere. It’s held on 9 August because that’s when, in 2005, software engineer Brad Neuberg famously published an article that introduced the coworking concept to the world.

The article is still live and its message continues to resonate to this day: ‘If we work at a traditional 9 to 5 company job, we get community and structure, but lose freedom and the ability to control our own lives. If we work for ourselves at home, we gain independence but suffer loneliness and bad habits from not being surrounded by a work community.’

Neuberg writes about how 'coworking is the most ideal for those who work from laptops, such as computer programmers and writers’.

Fast forward 15 years from when the article was penned, and coworking has evolved to welcome a wider range of sectors. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find educators, healthcare workers and many others in our niche coworking spaces.

This week presents the perfect opportunity for you, as a coworking operator, to showcase what you do, raise awareness about the benefits of coworking and get people into your spaces. Here are 5 things you could  do to commemorate the day this year:

1. Offer a complimentary coworking pass

The (Co)working Space in New Jersey is marking this year’s #InternationalCoworkingDay with a complimentary day pass for people interested in trying out the space. Those who want to take advantage of the offer need to register for a spot through Eventbrite.

Could you offer something similar? Nexudus customers can use our platform to create a free day pass event. You can make your events available to non-members and you’ll be able to set a maximum number of ‘attendees’ so that you don’t exceed your capacity.

Free day passes and free trials can help you attract new members by providing people with the opportunity to get a feel for your space, its amenities and community before they make a commitment. Even if a free trial-er doesn’t sign up, they might end up coming along to some of your future events, and could end up recommending you to their friends.

2. Celebrate on social media

Let your virtual community know that it’s #InternationalCoworkingDay by amplifying it on your social media channels. There are lots of ways you could do this. For example, why not take the opportunity to highlight some members who have been with you from the start?

You could also share some statistics about your growth or how your space is utilised (Nexudus customers can use data from their Trends and Insights Dashboard to do this). Other coworking operators might find this information interesting, and it could help position you as a thought leader within the coworking sector.

You could also use the day to explain to the world what coworking means to you. 

3. Do something collaborative

Mark the day by doing what you do best – facilitating something collaborative.

This doesn’t have to be anything big and time consuming, just a thing that everybody can participate in. You could create an #InternationalCoworkingDay playlist on Spotify and get members to add their favourite tracks, host a special brunch in your breakout space or ask members to share what they like most about your space in return for a treat. Providing they give permission, you could use their responses in your social media posts.

4. Set a new goal

You don’t need to wait until January 1 to set a work resolution. Why not use International Coworking Day as an excuse to sit down with your team to set a new target? Setting goals will help ensure you maintain a growth mindset, a sense of focus and accountability. Here are some ideas:

• You could start by sending out a questionnaire to your members. What services and amenities would they like access to? What’s missing? 

• Plan an access audit of your coworking space to determine how accessible it is, then act to make it better for your members.

• Plan something you’ve never done before – whether it's hosting a community event, collaborating with another local business or setting a net zero goal.

5. Give thanks

Lastly, take a moment to thank the people who make your coworking space what it is: your teammates, members, investors, visitors and the local community in which you reside. You could show you care by welcoming local people into your space, providing members with free or discounted access to amenities, and sharing their successes on your socials.

Speaking of which, we’d like to thank all of our wonderful customers for their loyalty over the last decade (2022 is a milestone for Nexudus – we’ve just celebrated our 10th birthday). We’re very much looking forward to seeing what the future holds for our sector!