OneCoWork: It's Time to Admit our Faults

OneCoWork is in no way perfect. In fact, we are far from it. We do not claim to be the largest, most successful or the biggest player in this new market. Nor do we pretend that we have everything set in stone. Some days are smooth sailing and others are rocky seas, yet we learn from it, we adapt and we constantly strive to be better. 

We pride ourselves on two things at OneCoWork. Design, in all aspects of the word. From interior, to visual, to interactive and human. We want the design experience to be as fluid as the waters our first coworking space sit on down at Marina Port Vell. Design is at our core, but it cannot be led from the top down. It takes experience of a design to learn from it and it takes empathy to understand others’ experience of design, how we can learn from it and how design can adapt to be inclusive. 

This brings us on to our second area of pride. Community. The OneCoWork community is truly the heart of our concept. They are the foundations that have made OneCoWork what it is today. We have new members of the community and members that have been with us from day one. What they all have in common is belief in OneCoWork and its future. We want this community to be as big a part of our future and its growth as our own team. That is why we recently released a company wide survey (NPS) to understand what the Community wants, what they need and where they see room for growth. It was and is time to admit our faults and address areas that need real work. 

Thanks to the results of this survey and members for speaking up and sharing their opinions, we are striving to make the following changes. Which we want to share with you now. We want to be transparent in our growth and to be held accountable for the things we are committing to change. So, here they are:

A Joyful Space

We’re striving to live closer to our mission of bringing JOY to the world of work. We’ll attempt to bring joy wherever we can, from the content we deliver online to pop-up breakfasts in spaces. We want our spaces to be productive and professional but that’s not to say they cannot be spaces filled with joy. We’re working on our inspace experiences, from connecting our members over games, connecting them a little deeper with Yoga or Meditation classes or connecting deeper still over a shared love of food! We will ensure we are staying true to our mission both on and offline and that JOY is always top of mind. 

A Positive Initiative Committee 

We noticed a need for a bigger purpose. As we grow in this space, freelancers, startups and corporates grow with us. It is up to OneCoWork, as a host, to dictate the way we work, the way we grow and how we can do both of these things leaving as green a print on the planet as possible. For this reason we have introduced ‘The Positive Initiative Committee.’ The committee consists of a group of volunteers from within our own team that feel passionately about this too. It is this team’s responsibility to flesh out positive initiatives that are scalable, with the United Nation’s 17 Global Goals in mind. 

The Breakfast Club

Whilst we look toward exterior growth we must also look internally and take care of the people within our walls. We’re introducing ‘The Breakfast Club’ to every space. This will be a once a month breakfast that all members are welcome to. All new members will be present and it’s a chance for introductions, forging new relationships and strengthening old ones. We chose breakfast for two reasons: 

1. We want to be conscious of those that work in non-European time zones and are therefore unable to attend events after work. 

2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. 

The Commitment Plan 

One thing that was a resounding YES was an applause for the OneCoWork community team. We’d like to take a moment to not only thank them but to let you know they are committed to caring for each unique community we see forming in every space. They are committed to investing in the lives of each and every member under their shared roof. They will laugh with you, cry alongside you and support you always. They have committed themselves to ensuring every member is as successful as they possibly can be.

The Quality Check

Opening a building like Catedral was a true hurdle we overcame. It was a lesson learned, grew stronger from, and we are more ready for the next one (Which may be sooner rather than later!). While we were busy opening buildings our members reminded us that it’s important to look after the ones we have. We’ve therefore knuckled down on quality checks across all buildings and will be making sure every building is as immaculate as opening day, if not, better!

Connect the Broader Community 

For a while we have been so focused on growth and ‘going global’ we forgot to go local. This survey reminded us of this as we saw a request from members to feel more connected with the “micro-community” around their space. They want to know the best places to eat, where they need to go to ship mail or where they can get a discount on their next camera. We’re striving to make sure each member feels as informed about their immediate community they work in as they can be. Plus, we’re always working on ways to connect the OCW community with the neighbours, to get you perks or new experiences across the city (check our app for more info!). 

At this point it is not whether we are perfect or not (if perfection is possible or even definable in such a new realm). It is not whether we are successful (defining what success looks like is too subjective anyway). What matters is that everything we do, we do consciously and with good intent. As we grow, know that we are doing it intentionally, consciously and always with Design and Community at the front of our minds, in our hands, and from our hearts.

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