Freelancers often face a unique kind of loneliness. It's one that doesn’t come from a lack of work, but from a lack of connection.
In a recent article from the Association of Health Care Journalists, several independent writers and creatives shared how they build community in the absence of a traditional workplace. Their tips ranged from virtual coworking to showing up consistently in the same local spaces.
It’s a powerful read, and it highlights something coworking space operators can’t ignore: freelancers are actively looking for belonging.
So we flipped the script.
Because the dream of freelancing usually starts with freedom. No bosses. No commute. Just flexibility and creative control.
But it doesn’t take long for many freelancers to hit a wall. That wall? Isolation.
As a coworking space manager, you're in the perfect position to fix that. You’re not just selling a desk and Wi-Fi—you’re offering a chance to belong. And when freelancers find a place where they feel seen, supported, and connected, they stick around.
Here’s how to shape your space into a home base for freelancers who want more than just a place to work.
You don’t need to throw a giant mixer to create community. Sometimes all it takes is a small nudge.
A weekly coffee chat. A Slack thread for weekend plans. A post-it wall where people can share what they’re working on. Low-pressure ways to meet each other go a long way.
The key is to make showing up feel easy, not awkward. We talked with Margaret McNab, a super connector, to learn her best practices in creating effective and memorable events for this audience.
Freelancers are busy. They're balancing client work, deadlines, and self-promotion. That means events need to be worth their time—and respectful of it.
Try a mix of scheduled and pop-up happenings. Think:
Monday morning accountability circles
15-minute “Show and Tell” sessions
Lunch roulette where folks get paired up for casual conversation
These help people form habits around showing up while still keeping it fresh. In a recent Coworking Convo panel, host Cat Johnson assembled four seasoned operators — Rebecca Pan of Trellis, Felena Hanson of Hera Hub, Jamie Dundas of Goodspace, and Kane Willmott of iQ Offices — shared what they’ve learned about creating the kind of spaces where relationships thrive.
When people have a say in their environment, they treat it like home.
It’s tempting to only spotlight big wins—published articles, product launches, six-figure months. But solo workers also need space to be human.
Create ways for members to share what’s hard, not just what’s working. Try a “freelance fail Friday” or a “what I learned the hard way” lunch session.
Normalizing the ups and downs makes people feel less alone. And that’s community. The Hospitality in Coworking conversation featured four panelists from across the coworking world. The session illuminated the power of storytelling in creating authentic hospitality experiences and using those stories as marketing tools.
Not every freelancer wants to network. Some folks come to coworking for quiet focus with a dash of social time.
Offer spaces and events that meet different energy levels. That could look like:
A “silent disco” style work block
A puzzle table in the lounge
An opt-in mentorship board instead of forced meet-and-greets
Low-pressure interaction matters just as much as high-energy events. We talk more about what they need here.
One of the biggest gifts you can offer your members is the ability to find their people.
Use your coworking software (like Coworks!) to help connect members by interest, skill set, or industry. Set up a digital member wall. Use tags and search features to help folks discover collaborators.
Facilitating these micro-connections leads to macro-loyalty. And its the leading function of community managers, as they reported in our Operator Survey.
Send out a quick survey. Start a feedback channel. Host a town hall. But most importantly, act on what you hear.
People will remember that you cared enough to listen—and changed something because of it. We just published a guide to an end of year survey, but that can be captured any time.
Freelancers get enough pressure from clients, algorithms, and deadlines. Your space doesn’t have to be another source of “doing more.”
Instead, be the place that offers breathing room. Encouragement. Laughter. A sense that no one’s doing this alone.
That’s the kind of coworking community people talk about. And it’s the kind they never want to leave.