Mental health & Co-working spaces

Should Co-working spaces be concerned about the mental well-being of their guests?

In my recent participation in Kaan Azmi 's podcast Tech Life Stories, we took a side-step into mental health and co-working spaces; a question emerged: Can co-working spaces be concerned with the mental well-being of their guests?

With this question in mind, I embarked on a personal private investigation. As a digital nomad who is also blessed with ADHD, I find myself constantly shifting between different workspaces throughout the day. This restlessness leads me to seek a comfortable and conducive environment for a few hours of focused work. My experiences and insights from these journeys have been super helpful in understanding the importance of co-working spaces in promoting mental well-being.

One of my regular landing spots is the Capital One Café. It's not your typical co-working space. Yes, it's (kind of like) a bank. Still, it's also a unique co-working space, complete with various work areas, a café, and cutting-edge technology. Moreover, it's free and doesn't require a subscription or membership. As a result, it attracts a diverse crowd, from students to self-employed professionals, all mingling with coffee-loving passersby. Mine is on Delray Beach, Atlantic Avenue.

The Café is a case study in hybrid environments. The Capital One staff, like the guests, are always working in a hybrid capacity. I spoke with Omar Torres Jr. and Amanda Nelson, two of the Café's ambassadors, about Capital One's approach to guest mental health. Their surprising and encouraging responses highlighted the Café's contribution to its patrons' well-being.

Making Connections Job # 1

Mental-Health UK recently published a finding that 55% of workers aged 18-34 agreed that 'lack of contact time with their team' could impact their mental health at work. For many workers, this creates a feeling of loneliness

The Café Ambassador team sets out to create meaningful contact time. They always greet and introduce themselves to guests as they come in. Everyone has distinctive clothing and a name badge. The goal is to create a hospitable environment conducive to conversations about personal affairs, like finance.

Foster Community

Community provides a sense of belonging and acceptance, which is crucial for mental well-being. Community is all about connection. NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Stephanie Gilbert, 2019

Capital One Cafés often host community events, workshops, and educational sessions on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and personal development. These events are open to customers and the general public and provide learning, networking, and socializing opportunities.

I can attest to connecting with other guests. People from all walks of life frequent the Café: artists, developers, designers, chess players, and students. I know the staff and a fair number of frequent guests, like Anastasia (data scientist) and Terry (investor and chess player), by name.

Be Relevant and Apply Unintrusive Probing

In 2019, The Money and Mental Health Institute published the following findings:

• ?46 percent of people with debt also have a mental health diagnosis
• 86 percent of people with mental health issues and debt say that their debt makes their mental health issues worse
• People with depression and debt are more likely to still have debt at 18 months compared to their counterparts without debt.
• Those with debt are three times more likely to contemplate suicide due to that debt.

Amanda explained that Capital One Café has a specific program called Money and Life. Café ambassadors are trained to support guests with their financial queries and probe further to see any potential sources of stress. Omar gave an example, "A guest came in to ask about saving for a holiday; as I asked secondary questions, the real issue was they were in an unhappy situation and wanted to escape it. Just talking about it helped them, and we made a savings plan together."

Amanda explained that The Money and Life program also offers three free 60-minute 'deeper' sessions with a mentor. The program is available to anyone who drops in and needs to convert stress into success.

To answer Kaan's original question.

As I embarked on this investigation, my initial observation was that many co-sourcing locations have comprehensive approaches to general wellness, such as social events, table tennis tables, and gym memberships. At the risk of sparking controversy, mental health implies something beyond general wellness.

After my conversation with Amanda and Omar, I believe a mental health support role could and should be purposely fulfilled in co-working spaces.

Here are some simple guidelines we can ask co-working spaces to consider:

1. Have a team of trained ambassadors or counselors on-site. So NOT just at a reception desk. These counselors should be recognizable, walk around, be empathetic, and deliberately set out to make connections with and between guests.
2. Foster community through connections—not just events but simple acts of introducing guests to each other. Learn names, interests, and stories. Treat everyone as a guest.
3. Be Relevant and Apply Unintrusive Probing. A bank café offers a natural opportunity to chat about finances, significantly influencing mental health. Still, every co-working space should explore its natural hooks. Train counselors to be observant and to probe. Look to "Turn stress into success."
4. Keep things simple and avoid friction. Allow the moments to occur rather than try to plan them. (Walk in rather than sign up.) Create a spontaneous opportunity for meaningful connections. Co-working spaces should be about the co-working, not the spaces.
5. Have a referral strategy. Unless accredited in the field, no one should assume the role of a mental health specialist in these co-working spaces. Still, you can have names and numbers of specialists who can provide support where appropriate.

Let me know what you think. I am super interested in your findings and suggestions on how co-working spaces can improve their guests' mental health and well-being.

Article sources:

• Loneliness at work
• Importance of community for mental health - Stephanie Gilbert, 2019
• Money and Mental Health
• Financial wellness and mental health

By the way, just in case the thought crosses your mind. Capital One didn't commission, review, influence, compensate, or approve this publication. So, possibly someone, somewhere, is horrified that this is published without a comprehensive 9-step review by corporate comms. My apologies in advance, and I hope that no one gets in trouble :-)