Community at Work
Author: Christina Kenney |CoBiz Richmond | The Swiss Army Knife
I remember graduating from college at 20. I was wide-eyed at the possibilities of joining a company that I could consider family. When the opportunity knocked, I bought my first set of “professional clothes”, nailed the interview, and was gleefully told, welcome to the “___ family”.
Now at 32, I recognize that family does not hire/fire based on performance & family does not exchange your time for money to perform a function. Working environments are not families and depending on who you are talking to, that may be a good thing.
But, if companies should not aim to be like family, what should they be?
Community
What I longed for at 20 and what I have today is Community. Belonging to a team aimed at a higher good. That is a shared value between us; and a shared value system is not only essential in family but also in thriving communities. And during this time of our lives when everything changes at a drop of a dime, communities keep us rooted emotionally, professionally, personally, spiritually, mentally, and physically.
On average we spend 40+ hours a week at work. Meaning most of the time we are awake, we are spending that time in a working community. We share goals with strangers to achieve outcomes. And the energy surrounding the workplace impacts our ability to reach those goes efficiently. Think about it. During the pandemic, productivity was up. The central factor? People were working from home; giving them the opportunity to balance life better. They felt empowered and in control of their daily lives while balancing their work requirements.
In essence, they were Human Professionals.
Now, as we figure out what is the “Future of Work”, I think it is crucial to keep that same energy. Bringing compassion and shared values into the work place and adhering to what is created. Like we do here at CoBiz.
As the Community Manager of CoBiz Richmond, a 9,000 sq ft incubator & coworking space in Downtown Richmond, CA, my job is to uphold our values so that others our empowered to stay Human Professionals. Our values are:
- People First — Relationships are the true engines of wellness — economically and personally; therefore, CoBiz strives to role-model a people-first approach across all of our activities.
- Wellness — Everything we do promotes wellness of the individual as a human FIRST! And then as a professional to drive better communities and better enterprises.
- Tenacity — Our CoBizians display a fight, a grittiness, to overcome any and all hurdles which is why we are tenacious in our drive to empower our people in all of their endeavors.
- Accountability — Own up. We as a community cannot advance unless we own every piece of our Be — our inner and outer self. The good and the challenging pieces within us
- Collaboration — It is all about the “we”. Nough said.
- Innovation — Times are changing fast. Especially how we work. Here at CoBiz, we are intentional in being ahead of the curve in the future of work. But also not forgetting that we are people first.
Communities are essential to how we live. Although work can be done in isolation, being alone does not have to be an option. During these times, I empower you to consider which communities you thrive in.
What does it look like?
How does it feel?
And most importantly, does your current professional environment meet your communal expectations?
If not, seek a different place to be. I’m no Beyonce, so I am not telling you to release your job, but I am asking you to consider your wellness in how you do business. And find environments, like CoBiz Richmond (shameless plug), that foster an energy of empowerment, understanding, and wellness.
And if our community sounds like a place that aligns, come learn about us by by visiting our website, booking a tour, and signing up for a free day pass. We look forward to welcoming you.
