The How To’s of Starting a Club Outside of Work
As a self-proclaimed bibliophile and introvert, it’s been a herculean feat trying to find a community of fellow book lovers, where we could spend hours dissecting the minute details of a novel — a group where we could gush about favorite characters, express our shock at plot twists or even rant if we detest something. With this longing for community and a love of books, I took a chance and reached out to my Innovative team to start a book club together. Most of us are editors and (unsurprisingly) big readers, but I never expected the club to take off in the way it has.
We’re almost a full year into the club, and I can confidently say that starting this group has been such a positive experience. I feel more connected to my colleagues, which has made working on a team even easier, and we have a creative outlet outside of work. (We even have a strict rule not to discuss work during the club!) And we’ve all been introduced to fresh perspectives and books we might not have normally picked up.
It doesn’t have to be a book club — it can be a Zumba class, crafting club or even monthly dinners — but I highly recommend forming a non-work group with your colleagues. I know, having to spend extra time with coworkers might not seem appealing; typically, you want to ignore anything work-related while off the clock. But creating a club can be a positive way to get to know your coworkers beyond their office personality. So, how can you get started?
- Find the Niche
The first step is to figure out what your group should be. I recommend thinking about the current hobbies and interests of your team. Maybe you and your colleagues have discussed trying to get more active. You could start a walking group or do a weekly workout class. Since we’re a team of editors whose job is literally to read, a book club simply made sense. Maybe you have coworkers who enjoy knitting, crochet or another type of craft. You could meet up and work on your chosen craft or discuss ideas together. Is your group musically inclined? Bring out the instruments and jam or get together and listen to the latest album of a favored artist.
- Get the Party Started
Next is setting up the group. The Innovative book club started when I asked if anyone had set up a book club before, and my team said they’d love to join one together. From there, I polled who was interested and created a group. Decide your communication method — maybe it’s through the Discord app or a group chat — and the frequency of your meetings. This is a great time to brainstorm ideas together — don’t be afraid to get creative.
- Flexibility Is Key
Although I technically started the club, I’m always asking the group for feedback and ideas. We’ve reworked how books are selected and how meetings are run multiple times. Adaptability is key. Just like at work, it’s important to stay a team. If your group has designated meetings, consider having a different person step up each time — that could mean choosing the craft, deciding on snacks, picking a location or running the meeting as needed. Do frequent check-ins to determine what’s working and what’s not.
- Make It Your Own
From there you can work out the details as a group. Utilizing polls is one way to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Apps like Discord or even Microsoft Teams or Slack have poll features. It’s important to determine the balance between life and work. Will there be a rule to not discuss work during club meetings? How often do you want to meet outside of work, or would you prefer to conduct meetings during lunch or breaks? A lot can depend on whether you work in person, remotely or with hybrid schedules. Determine when group members want to meet, and how often and how intensely they want to be involved. Since this is a group with fellow colleagues who you have to see and work with daily, I recommend not giving one person complete control. Make sure every member feels like they have a voice. There can be one person who is in charge of organizing and facilitating, but make sure that person doesn’t overtake the group. The key is to have a fun and creative outlet, not conflict.
Jessica Sears is senior writer at Innovative Publishing. She can be reached at jessica@innovativepublishing.com.
What Is Discord?
Discord is a communication app originally created for video gamers that lets groups talk through direct and group messages, voice calls, and video calls. Think of it as a mix of Slack and FaceTime, a mini social network that you can customize for your needs.
You can join a group’s “server” via invitation, then participate in the group’s discussions on its channels. For example, our book club includes channels for voting on the next book, reviewing previous selections, sharing bookish content from YouTube and TikTok, and off-topic discussions. And we hold our monthly meetings right in the app.
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