Alex Hillman answered a question about membership turnover.

Turnover

There seems to be a high turnover in coworking because people are more flexible.  They change jobs, can come and go when they want, etc.

However, sustaining members at Indy Hall has been successful because they have never been about being just a workplace.  The physical workplace is only part of what they do.

Why People Leave

Pay attention to why people are leaving and look for patterns.

One of the main reasons people give for leaving is that they are not using the space enough.  This tells the team that they are not helping explain the value they are paying for in a coworking space.  The majority of value someone can get from a community is not from the room, but from the other peers in the community.

If people are not participating or contributing in the ways they expect, they assume that they are doing something wrong.  Participation is often thought of as binary. However, the flexibility of coworking is that you can choose how to make the space fit for you.  As long as it aligns with the values of the space it is possible.

Providing Satisfaction

Stay away from building benefits or values into the business model.  Intrinsic benefits should be placed over extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is more sustainable.  Extrinsic benefits bring in short-term revenue but do not last very long. Relationships and connections that come with the intrinsic benefits of a coworking space are more valuable.  People look for things that make them grow which is why they are drawn to intrinsic benefits. The desire for mastery is a intrinsic motivation that you can do a lot with.

Most people that thrive in a coworking space are interested in sharing what they know or want to know.  It has less to do with work and more to do with personal passion or interest. Operators have to help them see and guide them towards these passions and interests.  Help people help each other and discover community for themselves.