Open any coworking website and you’ll see the same checklist: high-speed WiFi, standing desks, meeting rooms, a kitchen with good coffee. These things matter — but they’re table stakes. Every space has them. The thing that actually makes a coworking space worth joining, and worth staying at, is harder to photograph and harder to build.
It’s the people.
The loneliness problem
The statistics on professional isolation are stark. A Microsoft Work Trend Index report found that over half of remote workers feel lonelier than before. And this isn’t just an emotional issue — it has direct business consequences. Isolated professionals are less likely to discover new opportunities, less likely to get referrals, and less likely to stay motivated through the inevitable rough patches of running a business.
For freelancers, solo founders, and small team leads, the social infrastructure of an office — the one you used to take for granted — is gone. You have to rebuild it deliberately.
What coworking community actually looks like
Community in a coworking space isn’t forced fun. It’s not mandatory team-building exercises or awkward networking events where everyone wears name tags. At its best, it’s organic and low-pressure.
It’s the developer who sits near you most days and gradually becomes someone you bounce architecture decisions off. It’s the designer who mentions a client who needs exactly what you offer. It’s the founder who went through the same compliance headache last year and saves you a week of figuring it out.
These connections don’t happen because someone organised a mixer. They happen because you share physical space, day after day, with other people who are serious about their work.
The weak ties advantage
Sociologist Mark Granovetter’s research on “the strength of weak ties” showed that your most valuable professional connections aren’t your close friends — they’re your acquaintances. The people you know well enough to chat with, but who operate in different circles and bring different information.
A coworking space is a weak-tie generator. You’re surrounded by people in adjacent fields — tech, design, consulting, media, and professional services — who have different clients, different networks, and different perspectives. The overlap is just enough to be useful, without the groupthink of an industry-specific incubator.
What makes community stick
Not all coworking communities are equal. The spaces where genuine community develops tend to share a few traits:
Consistent membership. When the same people show up regularly, relationships build naturally. A space full of day-pass visitors feels like a library. A space with regulars feels like a workplace.
Shared spaces that encourage interaction. A kitchen where people actually linger. A coffee machine that creates a natural queue. A breakout area where you can sit with your laptop and be approachable. The architecture of casual interaction matters.
Curated, not forced, events. A monthly lunch. A quarterly show-and-tell where members share what they’re working on. A Friday afternoon coffee that becomes a ritual. These touchpoints give people a reason to connect without feeling obligated.
A reasonable size. Communities work best at a scale where you can know everyone’s name. Once a coworking space gets too big, it fractures into cliques or becomes anonymous. The sweet spot is somewhere between 30 and 80 regular members — large enough for diversity, small enough for familiarity.
The business case
Community isn’t soft. It’s strategic. Here’s what it actually delivers:
- Referrals. The most reliable source of new business for small operators is word of mouth from people who’ve seen your work up close.
- Talent. When you need to hire, your coworking network is your first recruiting channel.
- Support. Running a small business is hard. Having people around who understand what you’re going through — and who aren’t your competitors — is worth more than any podcast.
- Retention. Members who have friends in a coworking space stay longer. The community is the moat.
Building it here
Canberra has a unique advantage for coworking community: the city is small enough that the professional network is interconnected. The designer you meet at Level 9 probably knows someone at the agency you’re pitching to. The consultant at the next desk might be working on the same government program from a different angle.
In a city this connected, sharing a workspace isn’t just convenient — it’s a strategic position in the professional network.
Good coffee gets you through the morning. Good community gets you through the year.