Wallace considers how physical spaces can create opportunities for people to experience mattering. At the Bedford, a South London pub, regular programming brings neighbors of different generations into repeated contact. Its location within the neighborhood, mix of patrons, and regular programming reflect what civic researcher Sam Pressler identifies as the “where,” “who,” and “how” of community spaces. Wallace connects this example to the sociological concept of “third spaces”: places outside home and work where informal interactions can occur. She cites research associating social interaction in third spaces with higher reported well-being and greater access to civic infrastructure with stronger friendship networks. She also acknowledges that third spaces are declining because of high operating costs, underinvestment, and disruptions such as the pandemic. The availability of shared spaces shapes the opportunities people have for regular informal interaction.

Wallace encourages readers to begin with spaces they already use. She recommends designating a space for regular interaction or becoming more intentional about a place one already visits. Repeated presence gives people opportunities to recognize one another, notice absences, and gradually develop relationships. She also recommends adding “scaffolding”—food, games, or a shared topic—that gives people a reason to gather and makes conversation easier. Alex Hoskyn applied a similarly simple idea after experiencing isolation as a new mother, persuading cafés to designate tables for customers who wanted conversation; the “Chatty Cafe Scheme” later spread across the UK and internationally (214). A designated table changed the social expectations of an existing café by making conversation explicitly welcome.

During the renovation of Cossitt Library in Memphis, Tennessee, Shamichael Hallman asked local residents what they needed from the library and incorporated their responses into its redesign. The changes addressed food access and flexible community use, created employment opportunities for local people, and acknowledged the library’s history of segregation and the activists who had fought for desegregation. Hallman’s approach linked the design of a mattering space to the community’s stated needs and the history of the place itself. Wallace develops this idea through stewardship, encouraging people to contribute to shared spaces and to consider what they can offer the communities that gather there.

Chapter Lessons

• Strengthen mattering at work by helping people see their impact, trusting them with meaningful responsibility, responding to their needs, and investing in their growth.
• Recognize that workplace mattering is shaped by working conditions as well as everyday interactions; autonomy, flexibility, support, and manageable demands all affect how valued and useful employees feel.
• Identify a “third space” you already use and show up consistently enough for familiarity and connection to develop.
• Create simple “scaffolding,” such as food, games, or a shared activity, and look for ways that existing spaces can better support interaction and community participation.

Reflection Questions

• What aspect of your current work environment most strengthens or weakens your sense of mattering, and what change could improve it?
• Which space you already visit could become a stronger source of connection, and what could you do consistently to contribute to that space or the people in it?