Coworking spaces and gyms tend to be discussed in very different circles but when you stand back and look at both models, they are more alike than we think.
A few similarities we noticed are they both sell memberships, depend on retention and they only work if people actually show up.
In this week’s episode of Flex That Worx, Anne-Marie and Graham dig into why gyms have become very good at understanding routine, habit, and real human behaviour and what coworking operators can take from that.
The conversation explores why people keep showing up to spaces that fit into their lives, even when those spaces are not perfect. It challenges the idea that better equipment, better coffee, or more events are what drive engagement, and instead looks at timing, accessibility, confidence, and clarity of purpose.
They also unpack the challenges operators need to manage such as intimidating first days for new members, over-engineered onboarding, serving very different people in the same space, and the mistake of assuming community can be manufactured on demand.
This is not about turning coworking spaces into gyms. It is about learning from an industry that understands where it sits in people’s lives, and designs around that reality.
Key takeaways for coworking and flexible workspace operators:
- If your space does not fit into someone’s routine, no amount of fancy equipment will fix that
- Accessibility and opening hours often matter more than amenities
- Over-structured onboarding can create pressure rather than confidence
- One space can successfully serve different audiences at different times
- Community is an outcome of environment
- Existing members still need support even if they have been there for years
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