Frontdesk

The Omni Commons strives to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. To that end, we strive to maintain a presence at the front door of the building as much as possible. We have no official 'staff', only unpaid volunteers. This page contains information on the general protocol for holding down a front desk shift.

Step 1: Attend a monthly orientation

TBA

Step 2: Sign up for a shift

Shifts are loosely scheduled in 4-hour blocks from 10am-2pm, 2-6pm, and 6-10pm. You can sign yourself up by visiting https://omnicommons.org/frontdesk and adding your name to your preferred day.

Step 3: Show up!

Arrange the space

• The tall mobile whiteboard is typically used for listing the day's events. Visit https://omnicommons.org/calendar to see what the schedule is for the day, then copy it to the whiteboard.
• Check the info table along the Shattuck side of the entrance hall and ensure the following are present: Omni orientation booklets; Safer Space policy; Statement of Solidarity; volunteer info sheets and the info sheets on member collectives.
• Ensure the pathways to the ballroom, basement, and sudo/ccl are clear and wheelchair-friendly.
• Brew a pot of coffee, fill the hot water heater, and procure mugs from the upstairs kitchen for donation-based coffee and tea.
• Set out a donation jar and boot up the tablet. You can also accept debit/credit card donations using the Square app and card reader.

Greet visitors

Either keep the door open (so long as you're comfortable being accountable for all who enter) or answer when folks ring the bell. Something to the effect of "Hi! Welcome to the Omni! Let me know if you have any questions." Point people in the direction of the room they're looking for if they ask. If the person is visiting the space for the first time, offer to give a tour!

Closing down the space

At the end of the night (10pm-midnight), do a walkthrough of the building and ensure only collective members are present before you leave. Let non-members know that the space will soon be closing, and give at least a 15-minute warning. See Closing for an in-depth description of the walkthrough procedure. Make sure the door is *locked* when you leave, unless another volunteer is present to take over the front desk.