Community is always about a group that has a common interest and a communication channel that enables genuine exchange and delivers value to everyone involved. We already know and have always said that this is not enough for your community to have a solid foundation, to be engaged and for members to have a sense of unity and belonging. It's no wonder that according to research carried out by The 2023 Community Industry Report, community management is moving from a growth industry to a mature industry, as 22% of companies report having a dedicated community department, compared to 15% in 2021. So how do you create a community of collaborators within your company?
How to create an "Intra Community"?
Considering that companies unite employees who share common interests, goals and values, we can look at this internal environment and create an "Intra Community" to replicate some community practices, actions and strategy to promote collaboration, mutual support, improve the experience and thereby enhance your employer brand and reduce turnover.
Before starting to create an Intra Community, it is essential to clearly define its objectives and purposes. Questions such as "Why are we creating this community?" and "What are the expected benefits?" should be answered. The objectives can range from facilitating the exchange of knowledge to promoting innovation and employee engagement.
Strengthening the team
Working towards a united team should be a priority in your employee community, as mastering good communication skills will make this job much easier. Basic ideas such as team building exercises are important. These practices strengthen relationships between people and help employees feel part of the process and see their importance in the company.
Increasing employee retention
By creating this sense of belonging, employee retention will automatically be affected, as the chance of them looking for another job opportunity will decrease. As a result, employees will feel more engaged and this will generate more motivation and productivity.
It's worth remembering that none of this will be possible without a strong and well-defined culture. A sense of community is a great way to create a connection between employees and the company, but first they need to be correlated with the organization's values, mission and vision.
Rewards are always welcome
Don't forget to reward and appreciate members for their actions and work, which made sense and contributed in some way to the community. More satisfied employees are happier and healthier employees in relation to the business environment and will thus contribute to the acquisition of new talent, bringing more competitive advantage to the market and actively participating in the growth of the business.
Find out more about how comuh can help you create a community of collaborators in your company. Visit our website, explore the blog for valuable insights into Community as a Service and other community strategies. comuh is here to help your company harness the power of communities.
Author: Jen Medeiros.
*Jen Medeiros is the founder of comuh, the first company to offer CaaS (Community as a Service) outsourcing services. She has over 12 years' experience in the creation and strategic management of communities, is a teacher at Descola and the British School of Creative Arts and a volunteer at the Uberhub Code Club. She has created and managed the startup communities of Bossa Nova, Beta-i Brasil and Nuvini (Nasdaq IPO), and the educational communities of EBAC and LeWagon, among others. She was nominated in 2022 and finalist in 2024 for the Community Industry Awards as best B2B community professional, and is a fellow in the On Deck Community Builders program. She has been speaking since 2016 on entrepreneurship, innovation, women in technology and community management, at events such as TedX, Startup Summit, CASE, among others.
