Collaborative campuses reshaping workplace concepts

‘Co-working’ is the buzzword in HR and corporate circles. New-age professionals, including freelancers, consultants, entrepreneurs, owners of SMEs, and even bigger corporates are opting for workplace options that save them an immense amount of operational and infrastructure costs, while simultaneously providing a platform to form associations and network.

Firms that encourage co-working as a concept have established a range of well-designed workplaces that provide amenities like gyms, spas, meditation zones, swimming pools, cafeterias and an enthusiastic ambience to work, conduct meetings and chart out business strategies.

And, besides targeting freelancers and entrepreneurs, co-working space providers are eyeing corporate giants that offer employees the flexibility to work out of shared office spaces.

Says Sudeep Singh, chief evangelist, GoWork, which offers co-working campuses for 12,000 professionals in Gurugram, “Globally, corporate giants are moving their office modules to co-working spaces to achieve a cost-reduction of 10-15% which goes into real estate. These companies are demanding the same offerings in India, especially for their regional and satellite offices, and this has been a driving factor of the co-working industry.”

According to Himanshu Bindal, founder, ONE Co.Work, from just start-ups and freelancers, today companies of all sizes seek out co-working spaces, “as they don’t want to worry about rent, electricity, internet and other infrastructure costs and want to move into a one-stop solution office. Companies now value the concept of a hassle-free plug and play experience where they can focus on their main goals, while having the administration part outsourced.”

Experts say besides the dramatic cut down of costs, co-working campuses carry multiple other advantages. They also allow professionals to learn about modern disruptions since they turn into venues for hackathons, learning sessions, events and workshops, and encourage working alongside a community of industry veterans.

Sensing the demand, co-working campus providers are expanding with more modern centres and top-class facilities. WeWork, a New York based collaborative workspace, recently entered India by opening up a centre for 2,200 professionals in Bangalore. Ole Ruch, managing director, WeWork Asia-Pacific says they will bring WeWork to Mumbai and New Delhi soon, “and are looking forward to seeing what innovative new ideas will come from these communities.”

GoWork is looking to launch campuses in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai soon, says Singh.

Meanwhile, Bindal says ONE Co.Work, which presently has four operational centres in NCR and Bangalore with seating for 700 professionals, will open up in Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Hyderabad, etc.

WORK AT EASE

• Co-working campus providers are expanding with modern centres and top-class facilities
   
• Firms don’t want to worry about rent, electricity, among others, experts say