Events You Can Throw At A Coworking Space Right Now!

A Workshop Taking Place at a Coworking Space

Throwing the perfect event can be a stressful experience. Something to consider when throwing said perfect event is the location. Of course, it might be more affordable to throw your event at the office or your home, however, a stand out event deserves a stand out location while at the same time, also trying to keep it professional. You’ll need a Coworking Space. Now that we’ve taken care of the location, what sort of event should you throw? Lucky for you, we’re here to help – here are some examples of events that work especially well at a Coworking Space.

Networking

A Coworking Space is the perfect spot for any networking event. Besides having the ability to choose a centralized location, a location that can be accessible to anyone (employees or persons who might live throughout the city or employees or persons visiting from out of town), You’ll also have the ability to choose your layout for said networking event (this goes for all events you can plan in a Coworking Space, FYI). a Coworking Space will give you the ability to choose a layout that will fit your networking event best, as Coworking Spaces usually offer more than one office or space layout. In the case of a networking event, deciding on one that is open to having people migrate from person to person and group to group would be recommended, as that is how most network within these type of events. Having nearby tables would also be a good idea, as people can put down their food and or drink, if catered (also a place to put down catered food) and also business cards or other materials, if the group is getting acquainted for the first time. The most important factor of any networking event is giving your guests the ability and opportunity to have conversation and the ability offer up what they can provide in experience and expertise. A good networking event ends when people from different backgrounds and know-how are able to develop new relationships that in turn will develop into business opportunities beyond the initial meet. Coworking Spaces also encourage that you host your networking event in their facility as it is a chance for said participants to get know about said space, in case they ever need a conference space or an office beyond the networking event. Because of this, a Coworking Space might be more inclined to make sure you have everything you need and might even provide further refreshment through snack and coffee bar. A Coworking Space is the perfect place to host your corporate event!

Workshops and Team Building

Another event you can throw at a Coworking Space would be Workshops. Whether educational, creative or active workshops, a Coworking Space is the perfect place to promote engagement and learning experiences.

If your workshop is especially education-based, then you’re going to need anything that will make your ability to teach easier. Items like whiteboards, smart televisions and projectors and the projection screens to go along with them are usually included in the Coworking Space spaces that are described as having them. If not, one can usually make a request for these items, which a well-equipped Coworking Space would happily oblige in providing them.

If you plan on throwing a creative seminar, usually what is required is space to, well get creative! Luckily, your usual Coworking Space will have a space with enough space to let that creativity flow. If more space is required than can be currently offered with the default configurations of what is offered, it is best to ask the office manager of the Coworking Space if its okay to move the furniture (it is impolite to move furniture without asking, as you don’t know the condition or weight of said furniture. We thought we’d drop some Coworking Space etiquette we’d like to share, FYI). Usually the staff at the Coworking Space will also be inclined to help for the sake of your workshop’s success.

If your workshop is more activity focused, you might want to consider throwing your workshop in a Coworking Space that can provide the space off the bat, without the need of moving furniture, etc. The rule of thumb for occasions like this is this: let’s say you’re hosting 10 people- then you’re better office getting a space that can accommodate at least double that for said workshop. When in doubt, use a space with double the capacity than those attending. It will go a long way in the end for both your guests and the wisdom you are trying impart on them.

Team Building events are another type of activity that is just perfect to host at a Coworking Space. Attending an event with a personal space a Coworking Space can provide is essential in getting your team to not only cooperate with each other, but will also encourage getting to know each team member on a personal level. That’s really the key to any team building-- having the ability to just be in the same space for some time in order to develop team member dynamics. This is especially important if most of the team works from home. Getting together and seeing each other off camera and in flesh and blood does wonders in creating a team dynamic. Coworking Spaces, because they give you options as to location and set up, goes a step further because it not also gives you the ability to control how the group interacts, but also how they do it in a professional setting. This encourages team-building activities. Instead of just assigning tasks, there is now real collaboration involved.

Personal Events

You’d be surprised how well a Coworking Space works when it comes to personal events such as board game night or gatherings. You might be thinking that events at a Coworking Space might lack the personal touch – we’d like to counter that’s exactly why you’ll want to throw your event at a Coworking Space! First all, like we’ve mentioned before, you’ll have the ability to pick a centralized location, which is especially great if you have a lot of out-of-town family and friends. Choosing the right location will make it super convenient for friends and loved ones to make it over to your event in no time, giving everyone involved the ability to enjoy themselves sooner. And if the right Coworking Space is chosen, one with a great location, somewhere in the city, for example, will also encourage the out-of-town group, after your reservation time at the Coworking Space is over, to go out and explore said city, or meet up with those who live in town to visit further through a shared dinner or drinks.

A second thing to consider: rather than have your personal home or office cluttered during and after an event, and then having to clean up after, why not instead hosting said event in a Coworking Space where they are equipped to handle any messes that might arise (though consider there might be a cleaning fee, especially if things get out of hand) with some exceptions (such as taking supplies you brought into the space back with you-- most Coworking Spaces ask that you do this). Also, one doesn’t have prepare or clean the event space, rather, the Office Space will have it ready for your use.

Something else to consider-- when hosting an event in your personal space, there’s always a chance that something you might find valuable or sentimental might break, due to being used or handled by guests. That’s not a problem in a Coworking Space for a couple of reasons. First, any items brought into the space were intended for the event, and so you were expecting them to be interacted with by guests. This is also true when it comes to furniture. There’s a chance that, due to interaction, that any piece of furniture, including your favorite chair, could be broken due to accidental causes or a guest not being careful. Office furniture is generally built at a higher quality and can take some stress (though it is not indestructible- please treat all furniture as if it was your own when occupying a Coworking Space, or any space that isn’t yours, for that matter. This shouldn’t have to be said, but you’d be surprised…). Though there’s a chance office furniture might get damaged (and you might have to pay for those damages if they were done out of negligence), the pieces in question will not be of sentimental value. Finally, if you have any friends or family who might-- to put it lightly – get curious-- enough to look through your things while you’re distracted hosting your event, there’s no chance of that happening in a Coworking Space!

A Coworking Space is a perfect venue for most events, whether corporate-sponsored or personal. With the stress that comes with hosting any event, crossing off having to find the perfect location, having to clean the venue, worrying about personal items and all the other reasons touched in this article, is a godsend for those pressured into making sure everyone has a good time. And so we encourage that you throw your next event at a Coworking Space!