My name is Rob Williams. I work for the University of Northern Iowa in a co-working space (Purple Cat Co-Work, http://purplecatcowork.com/). Our incubator/co-work manager has tasked me to reach out to all of you and gather some thoughts about how we can better pull tenants out of their offices and hang with one another.
Unfortunately, our space setup includes many traditional closed off offices that surround an open networking area. What we have found is that tenants are working in their offices, and not getting out and interacting with one another. Past attempts to get people to network have included: hosting regional networking events at our location, installing an X-Box gaming system and large TV in the open area, and encouraging connections between tenants to be formed through hosting lunch-time events, etc. We have had limited success, and are now seeking other ideas.
Other co-working facilities in Iowa have used pool/foosball tables, dart boards, and beer fridges to get people up and interacting with good results. Right now our incubator manager is leaning quite heavily toward purchasing a foosball table as our next step. My question to you is two-fold: which of you have something like a fooseball table (and what has been your experience), and in what other ways do you get your tenants to network with one another in the co-work space?
Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. It is much appreciated!
-Rob Williams
p.s. If you'd prefer, please feel free to send your thoughts to us privately via rob.willi...@myentre.net.
On Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 2:21 PM, Rob Williams <i...@rob-williams.biz> wrote: > Good afternoon everyone!
> My name is Rob Williams. I work for the University of Northern Iowa in a > co-working space (Purple Cat Co-Work, http://purplecatcowork.com/). Our > incubator/co-work manager has tasked me to reach out to all of you and > gather some thoughts about how we can better pull tenants out of their > offices and hang with one another.
> Unfortunately, our space setup includes many traditional closed off > offices that surround an open networking area. What we have found is that > tenants are working in their offices, and not getting out and interacting > with one another. Past attempts to get people to network have included: > hosting regional networking events at our location, installing an X-Box > gaming system and large TV in the open area, and encouraging connections > between tenants to be formed through hosting lunch-time events, etc. We > have had limited success, and are now seeking other ideas.
> Other co-working facilities in Iowa have used pool/foosball tables, dart > boards, and beer fridges to get people up and interacting with good > results. Right now our incubator manager is leaning quite heavily toward > purchasing a foosball table as our next step. My question to you is > two-fold: which of you have something like a fooseball table (and what has > been your experience), and in what other ways do you get your tenants to > network with one another in the co-work space?
> Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. It is much appreciated!
> -Rob Williams
> p.s. If you'd prefer, please feel free to send your thoughts to us > privately via rob.willi...@myentre.net.
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I'm not anything resembling an authority on this, as I am yet to even launch my coworking space, but I take a different tack on this than Hillman does.
I don't see what you're describing as any sort of failure. You're offering space, people are using it toward a productive end - in the way they want to. Your job doesn't have to be to push them to spend their time in a particular way, in this case more socially. You create the opportunity for them to interact with each other, but if they prefer to go into their office and get work done without socializing, what is that, in the words of Hillman, a symptom of a "bigger problem"?
Is your space there to be a resource for people, or are you there to tell people how they should be running their business, using their time, etc? Is it more important to you that people interact in the way you think they should, or that you're providing a valuable service? If they don't need help, and just want to get work done in private... I'm failing to see anything at all wrong with that, or the opposite... or somewhere in between.
On Tuesday, February 7, 2012 1:21:26 PM UTC-6, Rob Williams wrote:
> Good afternoon everyone!
> My name is Rob Williams. I work for the University of Northern Iowa in a > co-working space (Purple Cat Co-Work, http://purplecatcowork.com/). Our > incubator/co-work manager has tasked me to reach out to all of you and > gather some thoughts about how we can better pull tenants out of their > offices and hang with one another.
> Unfortunately, our space setup includes many traditional closed off > offices that surround an open networking area. What we have found is that > tenants are working in their offices, and not getting out and interacting > with one another. Past attempts to get people to network have included: > hosting regional networking events at our location, installing an X-Box > gaming system and large TV in the open area, and encouraging connections > between tenants to be formed through hosting lunch-time events, etc. We > have had limited success, and are now seeking other ideas.
> Other co-working facilities in Iowa have used pool/foosball tables, dart > boards, and beer fridges to get people up and interacting with good > results. Right now our incubator manager is leaning quite heavily toward > purchasing a foosball table as our next step. My question to you is > two-fold: which of you have something like a fooseball table (and what has > been your experience), and in what other ways do you get your tenants to > network with one another in the co-work space?
> Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. It is much appreciated!
> -Rob Williams
> p.s. If you'd prefer, please feel free to send your thoughts to us > privately via rob.wi...@myentre.net <javascript:>.
Why is it that people think that foosball, ping pong or pool does anything to help creative productivity or professional networking (maybe at home or at a faceless corporation). It is a desperate band-aid and a myth created by the press. The CoWorking space I just moved out did this and they just wasted space and an gave an excuse for bored people to be also noisy. Beer socials and free food may get them out of their offices, but its just free food and not professional networking. True professional networking is something that can help with business. Does the event help with getting jobs, talent, new ideas for future business, creativity or products?
They way to figure out how to get people out of their office is to find something more rewarding than being in their offices. Ask each one what are their hopes and fears. After you have done this, find something that can help them stoke their hopes and relieve their fears by interacting. Be creative, caring and constructive. Otherwise you are wasting time and money. Its not a bad thing to be in your office being productive. but I agree, it is a waste being in coworking space with out the value of coworking, but it needs to be productive and self-managable to opt out.
The whole x-box and game thing is for employees, not entrepreneurs or creative catalysts. Just my thoughts. Cheers,
On Tuesday, February 7, 2012 2:21:26 PM UTC-5, Rob Williams wrote:
> Good afternoon everyone!
> My name is Rob Williams. I work for the University of Northern Iowa in a > co-working space (Purple Cat Co-Work, http://purplecatcowork.com/). Our > incubator/co-work manager has tasked me to reach out to all of you and > gather some thoughts about how we can better pull tenants out of their > offices and hang with one another.
> Unfortunately, our space setup includes many traditional closed off > offices that surround an open networking area. What we have found is that > tenants are working in their offices, and not getting out and interacting > with one another. Past attempts to get people to network have included: > hosting regional networking events at our location, installing an X-Box > gaming system and large TV in the open area, and encouraging connections > between tenants to be formed through hosting lunch-time events, etc. We > have had limited success, and are now seeking other ideas.
> Other co-working facilities in Iowa have used pool/foosball tables, dart > boards, and beer fridges to get people up and interacting with good > results. Right now our incubator manager is leaning quite heavily toward > purchasing a foosball table as our next step. My question to you is > two-fold: which of you have something like a fooseball table (and what has > been your experience), and in what other ways do you get your tenants to > network with one another in the co-work space?
> Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. It is much appreciated!
> -Rob Williams
> p.s. If you'd prefer, please feel free to send your thoughts to us > privately via rob.wi...@myentre.net <javascript:>.
