Connecting Coworking Communities

Connecting coworking communities in the current economic climate, where the only certainty is uncertainty, and trying to coordinate messaging (let alone a community) seems near-impossible. Especially if attempted without member input or feedback.

Coworking spaces are designed, developed and run to support local individuals and businesses. Alkaloid Networks is no different in its efforts to connecting coworking members.

Virtual Town Hall Connects The Community

That’s why we held a virtual Town Hall to let the Alkaloid community coordinate what happens next, when and who is responsible to whom.

This event was very different from most since it was initiated by members; members that were coming in and wanted to honestly communicate with the community-at-large about how to keep Alkaloid a safe place to work (as much as is realistically possible). Everyone on the call was frank about how they were feeling. It’s a mix for us all right now: fear, anxiety, optimism.

By starting the conversation in this way, we could move to more purposeful and meaningful action.

Letter to the Alkaloid Community: Let’s Be Safe

We, a volunteer group of Alkaloid members, have developed this consensus:

With high community transmission and hospitals at capacity, we are worried and stressed about the safety of our families, households, friends, and ourselves.

Many of us have high-risk individuals in our lives, and we want to feel safe working at Alkaloid. That’s helped if each of us seeks to avoid risky situations as much as we can.

The normal precautions are well-known:

• Wear a mask to protect others and ourselves
• Avoid crowds, especially indoors — like restaurants and bars
• Beware of social situations with alcohol (when lower inhibitions cause poor decisions – ours or others’)
• Follow the Alkaloid rules
• Review the Exposure Response Plan

For those of us working at Alkaloid, we commit to go beyond the bare minimums. Alkaloid is a special place, and we have a special duty to keep it that way.

Ways to go above and beyond:

• Learn the precautions of everyone you share space with
• Speak up if you’re around someone who is endangering others
• If you may have been exposed to COVID, stay away from Alkaloid for 10 days (CDC recommendation).

Why develop this consensus statement?

To be an additional “voice in your head” saying this:

“You have a lot of coworkers asking you to please be extra cautious right now — and to take precautions in case you’re infectious and don’t know it.”

Each of our actions affect all of us.

Together, we can keep Alkaloid a safe place to do the best work of our lives.

Signed,

Caring members of Alkaloid Networks