The End? Part 2 – What is a WorkClub?

I recently wrote to a correspondent that, though the club is closing down in Emeryville, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure that eventually “there are workclubs in every city in every corner of the world”.

Then I realized that I have never clearly articulated what a workclub is, if its not what we built in Emeryville. What have I learned about the essential elements of a workclub that I would like to see in every city? If the concept is to succeed, there are going to be a huge variety of forms and types that will be variations on a theme – but at their core they will need to reflect some common elements.

So here goes a first pass at a definition: a workclub is a congenial place, where people can find work community in a location that is easy and quick to get to and provides them the work amenties they need to do the portions of their work that are not best done at home or at a centralized corporate facility.

That’s quite a mouthful. And it involves a number of concepts that bear further definition.

PROXIMITY
Probably the most important attribute of a workclub is that it is close enough to where you live and convenient enough to get to that you don’t have to think twice about popping in for a few minutes, or, when you’re there, running home for lunch or to check on the kids.

One of the things we know about community, is that they tend to form best around where we live – around people we share more than just one dimension of our lives with; people who there’s a good chance of bumping into while shopping or out for a walk.

Of course its also important to have a ubiquitous network of clubs, so that when you’re NOT at home your “office” is where you are, as you expect from your computer or your phone network.

COMMUNITY: specifically “work” community
The last half century’s transition to a knowledge economy has been devastating to community. Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone nicely documents all the factors that have contributed to this. It is inevitable that, social animals that we are, people will seek alternate forms of work community – and workclubs will play a significant role in transforming people’s identification with work.

AMENITY: all the advanced work support services you need
One could argue that this should be the starting point for defining a workclub; if it does not embody whatever the latest amenities are – appropriate space configurations, the latest productivity and communication technologies and admin and tech support services that you can’t get at home, then why would anyone actually GO to the workclub in the first place. The key point is that the amenities will have to be “state of the art”. After all, how many people would go to a gym that only had jump ropes and punching balls – or a exersize bicyle a la 1970?

WORK COMMONS
This goes hand in hand with “amenity”, but bears some emphasis; without a “commons” an area (or multiple areas with diverse characters) where people can work around other people, or maybe just relax or recreate around other people IN THE WORK CONTEXT, then you lose the opportunities for serendipidous interaction. And the true value of the work community is precisely the opportunities it presents for serendipidous interactions that lead to creativity bursts that could never be planned or anticipated. And more, much more, about the importance of workclubs in promoting creativity. Most typically, commons comes in the form of food, what we’re most familiar with relaxing around and sharing with others. But it will also be other things – a spa, a gym, a games room, a learning center.

CONGENIALITY
It is a truism that any successful institution must be available in sufficient variety to allow diverse preferences and inclinations. Workclubs need to be as diverse as the cultures of the people who use them. What they will have to have in common is what all clubs have in common – they must display all the stylistic characteristics that allow their members to feel truly at ease, relaxed and appropriate. Just like successful hotel chains, this will be the characteristic that will set one ‘brand” of workclub apart from the others, no matter how similar they might be in service offering.

No doubt I will return to these definitions many time. I will also return to some of the other organizational elements that will be characteristic of the more successful workclubs. I welcome your thoughts – what do you think is absolutely essential from an institution that can support work into the next century?

Comments

[ellen gordon]

I am so disappointed. I am very tired of working alone in my home office (I'm a graphic designer) and just found out about Gate 3 in Emeryville. I rushed down there-I live about 5 minutes away-to check it out and maybe sign up only to find you will be closing at the end of the month. I wish I'd discovered you a year ago. Where do you go from here and are you thinking of recreating this concept again in the near future. I think it's a great idea, especially for those of us in the Bay Area that can't afford to rent full time office space, but are feeling isolated in their home offices. Keep me posted.
Thanks,
Ellen Gordon

[Dominic]

These are very interesting post and blog,thanks.
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