Workspace provider WeWork eyes to help businesses adapt to new normal

As businesses across Southeast Asia undergo changes to adapt to the new normal, more companies in the Philippines are similarly navigating how to integrate social or professional distancing policies brought about by COVID-19, and operationalizing these in the physical workplace. The situation highlights the need for learning and preparing for the future, and here is where WeWork enters the picture. 

For WeWork, a company that provides workspaces, the focus is on three main areas as they help businesses prepare for the new work order in shared spaces: professional social distancing, increased sanitation, and behavioral signages. 

“We are working to de-densify high traffic areas and implement changes to shared spaces that include our lounges, meeting rooms and common areas through revised spatial guidelines and establishing buffer zones to further support our team members’ efforts and compliance to professional distancing,” said Ray Tan, Head of Growth, Southeast Asia, WeWork. “Our priority is to provide a safe environment to ensure member’s confidence in our space.” 

“Our goal is to ease the transition back to the workplace by proactively revamping WeWork’s products, design and services to meet members’ new expectations for professional distancing and cleanliness, while maintaining our strengths as a partner of choice for turnkey, thoughtful and diverse space solutions.”

Over the course of the outbreak, the WeWork team in Southeast Asia and Philippines spent time reviewing feedback with its members in tandem with working with industry partners and government bodies across health and safety, cleaning, construction, and design to install enhancements. While readjusting to the new realities during this period, the emphasis lies on balancing flexibility, health and wellness for re-entry back to the workplace. 

The goal for WeWork – which has over 600,000 members around the world – is implement renewed workplace standards across their 828 locations. “Our goal is to ease the transition back to the workplace by proactively revamping WeWork’s products, design and services to meet members’ new expectations for professional distancing and cleanliness, while maintaining our strengths as a partner of choice for turnkey, thoughtful and diverse space solutions,” Tan emphasized. 

Over the last two years, the enterprise segment has gained great traction for WeWork in the Philippines and across the region, with this representing 45% of the company’s total memberships globally.