TL;DR: Micro-communities are small, informal groups built around shared interests, like run clubs, lunch walks, book clubs or creative hobbies. As people look for more meaningful ways to connect, these groups are becoming a simple way to support employee wellbeing and belonging.
Run clubs are having a moment.
Scroll through social media or head to a local coffee shop on a Saturday morning and there’s a good chance you’ll spot one. Groups of people are meeting up to run a few miles, grab coffee and spend some time together.
And plenty of them seem to be there for the people as much as the workout.
In 2025, new clubs on Strava nearly quadrupled, reaching more than one million total clubs. Running clubs alone grew 3.5 times, while club-organized events increased 1.5 times year over year.
That popularity points to something bigger than running. People are looking for smaller communities built around shared interests, goals and values.
You can bring the same idea into the workplace.
A lunch walking group. A book club. A group of coworkers training for a 5K. A monthly crafting lunch. These informal employee groups, sometimes called micro-communities, can give people an easy way to connect while supporting their wellbeing at the same time.
And they might be one of the simplest workplace wellness ideas you're overlooking.
What Are Micro-Communities?
Micro-communities are small groups of people who regularly connect around a shared interest, activity or goal.
Unlike a company-wide wellness challenge or formal employee event, these groups tend to be casual and employee-driven. People join because they actually want to be there.
Think about the little groups that may already exist around your workplace.
Maybe a few coworkers walk together after lunch every Tuesday. Someone started a group chat for employees who love to read. A handful of people are training for the same local race. There might even be a group swapping recipes, talking about gardening or meeting once a month to work on creative projects.
Those are micro-communities.
They don't need an official committee, a big budget or matching T-shirts. They just need a shared reason for people to keep showing up.
Why Are Small Communities Becoming So Popular?
For all the ways technology keeps us connected, people are still feeling pretty disconnected.
Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report found that 22% of employees worldwide experienced loneliness a lot of the previous day. Among employees under age 35, that number climbed to 25%.
Work location makes a difference, too. Gallup found loneliness was reported by 27% of fully remote employees, compared with 21% of on-site employees whose jobs can't be done remotely.
At the same time, we're seeing people seek out real-world communities built around their interests.
Run clubs are a great example. Strava found that 39% more Gen Z respondents than Gen X respondents said they use fitness to meet people who share their interests. Another 37% of people surveyed said they see run clubs as a good place to meet people.
The run is part of the appeal. So is having somewhere to belong.
That same need for connection doesn't disappear when people clock in for work.
The Workplace Wellness Benefit We Don't Talk About Enough
When we talk about employee wellness, it's easy to focus on individual behaviors.
Drink more water. Exercise. Get enough sleep. Manage stress.
Those things matter, of course. But wellbeing also has a social side.
Having people at work you enjoy talking to can make a long day feel a little lighter. A standing lunch walk gives employees a reason to step away from their screens. Joining a book club can introduce coworkers who might never interact during a normal workday.
Over time, those small interactions can help employees feel more connected to the people around them.
That's especially useful in hybrid workplaces, where spontaneous conversations don't happen as often. Employees may come into the office on the same day and still spend most of it sitting at a desk or jumping from one virtual meeting to another.
Micro-communities give people a reason to actually spend time together.
Workplace Micro-Community Ideas to Try
The nice thing about this approach is that you don't need to decide what everyone should be interested in.
Give employees room to create groups around the things they already enjoy.
Here are a few ideas that could work:
Lunch Walking Groups
Pick a day, time and meeting spot, then head outside for a 15- or 20-minute walk.
Keep the pace casual so employees don't feel like they need to be particularly fit to participate. The goal is movement, fresh air and conversation.
Run Clubs
If you have runners in the office, help them find each other.
A workplace run club could meet before work, during lunch or after the workday. You can also give the group something to work toward, such as participating in a local 5K together.
Just remember that not everyone wants to run. Consider a walking option so more employees can join in.
Book Clubs
Book clubs are an easy option because they work for in-person, hybrid and remote employees.
You can read books related to personal growth or mental health, but you don't have to turn every selection into a professional development assignment. Sometimes a mystery, memoir or beach read is exactly what people want.
Creative Clubs
Painting, photography, knitting, writing, baking and other creative hobbies can give employees a mental break from work.
Try a monthly creative lunch where employees bring whatever they're working on. It doesn't need to be a class. Give people a place to sit, work on something they enjoy and chat.
Personal Growth Groups
Some employees may enjoy getting together around a shared personal goal.
That could mean a meditation group, financial wellness club, gardening group or a monthly discussion around a podcast or personal development book.
Keep these groups voluntary and employee-led. Personal growth means different things to different people.
Volunteer Groups
Shared purpose can be a powerful way to connect.
Employees who care about the same cause might organize a volunteer day, donation drive or ongoing community project. Your company can help by offering volunteer time or connecting employees with local opportunities.
Parent or Caregiver Groups
Sometimes the most helpful community is simply a group of people who understand what you're juggling.
An informal parent or caregiver group can create a space for employees to share resources, recommendations and experiences with coworkers in similar stages of life.
How HR Can Help Without Taking Over
This is where companies can accidentally make a simple idea way too complicated.
Micro-communities work because they're personal.
HR doesn't need to create 15 clubs, recruit members, schedule every meeting and send weekly reminders. Instead, make it easy for employees to find one another and let the groups develop naturally.
You might create a Teams or Slack channel where employees can share new groups. Offer meeting space during lunch. Give each club a small annual budget for supplies or an occasional coffee meetup.
You can also periodically ask employees if they'd like to start a group and give them an easy way to advertise it.
Then get out of the way.
Some groups will last for years. Others might meet three times and fade away. That's okay. The goal isn't perfect participation. It's creating more opportunities for employees to connect around something they genuinely enjoy.
Keep Workplace Clubs Inclusive
A little planning can make these groups more welcoming.
Avoid building your entire approach around fitness, especially high-intensity activities. A run club might be popular with one group of employees while a walking club, crafting group or book club appeals to another.
Think about schedules, too. If every group meets after work, employees with caregiving responsibilities or long commutes may never be able to participate.
Remote employees shouldn't automatically be left out either. Book clubs, hobby groups, gaming groups and discussion clubs can work surprisingly well virtually.
And most importantly, participation should always be optional.
Employees shouldn't feel like joining a club is another work expectation disguised as wellness.
Start With What Employees Already Love
You may not need to launch anything new.
Look around.
Is there already a group that walks together at lunch? Are five people talking about the same upcoming race? Does someone constantly recommend books in your company chat?
Start there.
Ask employees what they're interested in and give them an easy way to find coworkers who enjoy the same things.
Because sometimes workplace wellness doesn't need another big initiative.
Sometimes it looks like five coworkers taking a walk after lunch, talking about anything except work and coming back feeling a little more connected than they did 20 minutes earlier.
That's a pretty good wellness win.
