Hey Members!
This has been a crazy 10 days. None of us have planned for this or know exactly what’s next – which is the hardest part. The togetherness that exists in this community is what keeps us going. The Member Circle is just one example of how the Work Nicer community has and will continue to prove that no one succeeds alone.
Part of Work Nicer is bringing us physically together. In recent discussions with advisors and in paying attention to government announcements, it appears as though the government may be readying next steps. Obviously we don’t know what’s going to happen for sure but we intend to honour and comply with what the government asks us to do. We are preparing all Work Nicer outposts so that we will be ready to close if the government asks us to.
Above all else, no matter how things change in the future, I want us all to remember that Work Nicer’s most valuable resource is each other. In the coming weeks and months, or perhaps a bit already, it’s likely that many of us will experience some sort of anxiety and isolation. Anxiety and isolation are precisely what we’ve aimed to curb as a community. Perhaps now, when we need each other the most, is the time to stand even closer together in mutual support. Being forced apart is showing us all how much we need each other.
There are a few things specifically covered in this message:
1) How to keep doing community
2) Outpost access, stuff you might need, and your mail
3) Membership rollover
How to keep doing community
Slack: You’ll notice some additions to Slack already and there will be more to come over the coming weeks. There will be even more focused ways to share the good and successes we are experiencing; a specific channel for some specifics about COVID-19; a place to dive deep into the brand new Work Nicer Member Circle; somewhere to share daily goals/accountability, and more.
I get that Slack can be overwhelming or has a bit of a learning curve. We are going to help you be more active on Slack by scheduling some group video sessions to help you feel more comfortable engaging. More information to come in the next week.
Zoom: We’ll create some “Zoom Rooms” (perhaps things like Drink Nicer, Floating Area, and Coffee Time) for us all to experiment with. The hope is that this will facilitate a sense of “presence” as well as the more serendipitous conversations that really make coworking special. There will be a specific schedule of online activities that allow us to come together online to work, stay connected, and support one another.
Web: The Work Nicer homepage will transform into a central resource. Here you’ll be able to find information about what’s going on in the community. You’ll also be able to find some of the ways that others have offered to help getting through this and more. As a team, we’ll share our stories and experiences with you throughout this whole thing.
Community: What’s important now is to understand that we are in this together. Work Nicer doesn’t stop being a valuable community when you’re working from home. In fact, I believe this time will show how important community, connection, and support truly is to each and every one of us. Remember, no matter where you are – you belong to a community of people who care deeply about you.
Please also keep ideas coming. This is your community – we work for you. What do you need? How can we help? Please reach out – let’s do a video call!
Outpost access, stuff you might need, and your mail
We are going to work on bringing the outposts to you 🙂 Do you need a desk, chair, monitor, office supplies, coffee, beer, or something else? We’re going to find a way to get it to you. Just let us know. Having a work station at home will make this feel more comfortable, normal, and provide you a place to “go to work” and then “leave work” – it’s hard to balance when it’s right there at home in front of you all the time.
Mail will be checked twice per week (probably on Tuesday and Friday) and we will notify you directly via Slack if you have any mail that comes in and we can coordinate appropriately.
Your Proxy access (Beaver House, Red Mile, Roxbury) and key fob (Stephen Ave) will not work after any government deadline that is imposed. If, after that time, you need to schedule a pickup of something from any of the outposts, please use this link. There’s also a possibility we could deliver it to you – just reach out.
Membership Rollover
We intend to credit your active membership during any potential closure towards future months once we are able to re-open the outposts. if applicable.
My primary focus through all of this is that the Work Nicer team is taken care of and that Work Nicer is still around for us all to return to when we get to the other side. In full transparency, in order for this to happen, I’m working hard to figure out our options financially.
My request to you, our community, is to please grant us time to formulate a plan. I recognize that everyone is concerned about finances right now, but if you have the means to maintain your current membership for even just a while longer, please do. That will give us time to come up with a better plan, work through details with building owners and government programs, and to ensure that Work Nicer can exist long into the future.
That being said, if your membership truly DOES become a financial strain, PLEASE communicate with me. The last thing I want is for money to keep any of you away from the Work Nicer community. Instead, we can figure out a way to work through it, make an exchange, or whatever needs to happen.
Just to close off I want to mention that there is an awesome global coworking community that I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with over the years. Recently, I reached out to Alex from Indy Hall – a coworking pioneer in Philadelphia. I just want to give him credit for providing and allowing me to use his resources and communications in terms of how they are managing this situation.
There’s plenty more to say – but this is long enough. I’ll be in touch again soon and remember: no one succeeds alone. As always, we want to hear from you. Your comments, your ideas, and your suggestions about how to continue making this place great. Please reach out.
Alex
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