Coworking Resources

The coworking industry talks about the member journey all the time.

But it’s hard to explain what that journey looks like without presenting it as a funnel, checklist or set of community activities. In reality, the member journey is made up of micro, everyday ‘moments’ that present as small wins or frictions; periods of elation or underwhelm.

When the member journey works, retention happens naturally. When it falters, churn happens suddenly – despite the little red flags popping up all along the way.
In this article, we’ll break down the member experience in coworking end-to-end, presenting it not as a set of milestones, but as a lived experience: where it succeeds, where it breaks, and how everyday decisions quietly determine whether members commit or drift away.

How does your current member journey compare to other coworking operators?

What “the member journey” actually means (not funnels, not vibes)

The coworking member journey shouldn’t be viewed as a funnel or a feeling.

It’s the sum of experience: the everyday decisions and actions members take as they move through time and space. It’s about discovery, access, communication and usage – and how they interconnect. The invisible concepts that govern everyday actions.

From the very first moment they interact with your space, members are constantly navigating and asking themselves questions: Do I understand how this works? Do I know where to go? Can I book what I need without friction? Do the rules feel fair? Do I feel confident showing up again tomorrow?

These questions don’t arise in isolation: they occur on a monthly, weekly or even daily basis; and the answers shape how members behave. When the journey is predictable and the way is clear, members are more likely to settle in. When it isn’t, confusion sets in.

The entry moments that shape expectations before someone joins

First impressions matter.

The first impression a visitor has can make or break their signup decision. Although obvious, this can be easy to forget when you’re running a busy space with lots of daily footfall.

How will you inspire those early confidence signals? Everything matters – from the ambience to the design, to the way you interact with prospective members. Make sure the vibes transmitted are the ones you want newcomers to experience.

Part of this is understanding and being able to communicate who your space is for. What you offer won’t be what everyone is looking for, so understanding your brand’s identity and who your space is intended for is another crucial element in making sure your space attracts members who want to become part of the community.

Trusting in your brand and clarity in terms of what you offer will accelerate decision making and commitment, and inspire people to make the decision that is right for them.

Onboarding: where confidence is either reinforced or lost

Onboarding isn’t about paperwork. It’s about orientation.

New members want swift explanations for basic processes, such as how to access the building, what the bookable resources are, what’s expected of them and what to do if something goes wrong. If these aren’t immediately clear, confidence wanes.

Inconsistent onboarding had a big impact on the member journey. This looks like explaining rules and processes in different ways, or sharing important details too late. Making assumptions about what people should already know is another pitfall.

Weak onboarding leads to support issues in the short term and frustration in the longer-term.

Effective coworking onboarding sets expectations through clear orientation, simple rules, and transparent access procedures. Early clarity goes a long way to reducing friction, and prevents confusion around shared resources. It also helps newcomers integrate quickly, confidently, and respectfully into the community from day one.

An onboarding email explaining how to book rooms, visitor policies, and after-hours access can prevent misunderstandings from the get go, while a short welcome guide outlining desk etiquette, security, and support contacts will reduce uncertainty and boost confidence.

Day-to-day experience: how small frictions quietly compound

The majority of member journey roadblocks aren’t dramatic. From members’ perspective, systems aren’t judged in isolation – everyday operational tasks are.

They’re the seemingly small and easy to dismiss ‘experience’ issues that build into a crescendo of frustration. It’s when booking resources feels confusing, or when rules aren’t applied consistently. Or when communication flows one minute and is stifled the next.

Payments can be one of the biggest operational pain points if not handled consistently and efficiently, which is where technology comes in. We all know that technology is so important for ensuring a smooth member journey, from touchpoint to commitment and beyond.

Members want to feel confident in their ability to make use of everything your space has to offer, safely and securely. The NexKiosk app facilitates this, enabling members to purchase food and drinks, passes, booking credits, or other products, without a member of coworking staff present. Purchases made through the app are automatically processed and logged in Nexudus, so you, the operator, can keep track of all them in the Admin Panel, while members can see all their previous purchases in the Members’ Portal.

Nexudus’ Automation Tiles help you to ensure consistency in the member journey too, by making journeys as simple as possible.They’re super versatile, and can allow you to become an almost entirely ‘contactless’ workspace where admin is concerned.

Every tile contains an NFC chip and a QR code which can be scanned, with members being redirected to the Members’ Portal and asked to log in to complete their request.

For instance, you can place a tile next to each hot desk, allowing members to check in and out, while also allowing members to see if a certain desk is available for use. Tiles can also be used to grant access to meeting rooms and resources, or even to provide members with a way to instantly book a room completely contactlessly.

Engagement over time: participation, belonging, and value

Engagement isn’t something you can necessarily plan or strategise: it’s what happens organically when the environment is designed to support participation.

Belonging manifests when people know how to get involved and feel like they have the option to show up and see value in it when they do. A sense of belonging is cultivated by those inclusive everyday moments, not just creative events programming.

Creating a warm, holistic and friendly ambience is way more valuable than spending thousands on the perfect fit out. Social engagement tends to happen when people are relaxed, for example enjoying a cup of coffee or tea in the kitchen.

Infusing character into the breakout areas with plants, which are known to reduce stress and boost creativity, can really help set the scene for participation. Adding artwork by local artists and switching this up every few months can also inspire conversation and ideas.

Here are a handful of micro-actions that have a macro impact on engagement over time:

• Greeting people by name and making eye contact when they arrive – it signals that you really see them from the moment they walk in.
• Asking open, low-stakes questions like “what are you working on today?”, to invite conversation without forcing it.
• Leading by example by sharing small resources or wins publicly (a tool, tip, or shout-out) to encourage members to contribute resources or wins too.
• Using inclusive language in everyday moments (“we,” “our space,” “join if you’d like”) to reduce social barriers.

Retention isn’t a metric — it’s an outcome of the journey

Members don’t usually leave without warning. Look closely and you’d probably see the signals appear much earlier on in the member journey: a prolonged dip in usage and lower participation in social events, for instance. Or even a physical isolation within the space itself.

Retention improves when earlier parts of the journey work together: clear entry moments, confident onboarding, low-friction daily use, and meaningful engagement. When those pieces don’t connect, churn feels sudden even though it’s been building for months.

Looking at retention as a number misses the point. You can’t optimise it directly. Simply put, it’s what happens when the journey makes sense from start to finish.

The factors causing members to leave can be attributed to flaws in the foundation of the service offered: elements that affect the productivity or comfort of the people using it. If a member’s tenure is short, there could be something about your service that is affecting them negatively in either of these ways, such as a slow, unstable or unreliable internet connection, poor air conditioning or climate control, uncomfortable chairs, or insufficient cleaning.

The social side that members seek to benefit from by being part of a coworking space is another reason for a person to leave – that is, if they fail to connect with others in the community. Connecting members with the rest of the community is essential the first few days and weeks after a person arrives. Staff play a key role in identifying what connections might be most interesting to people during and beyond the onboarding phase.

Summary: What the best coworking experiences get right

The strongest coworking experiences don’t lean on standout moments, but are shaped by consistency.

Members are loyal when the journey is clear, predictable and easy to navigate throughout. Engagement happens when expectations make sense at the beginning, are reinforced during onboarding, and supported day-to-day thereafter. Do this and commitment will follow.

Designing the best coworking experience isn’t about adding more, but removing friction, clarifying rules, and understanding how small decisions shape behaviour long after the first impression.

Think cause and effect: simple, everyday gestures in a coworking space – like welcoming newcomers or inviting input – cause people to feel valued, which in turn increases engagement and community trust. By stepping into a coworking member’s shoes, you can design experiences that truly reflect their needs, motivations, and sense of belonging.