Shared Workspace Benefits

What happens when a company truly litsens to its employees? In 2020, Allstate (The Insurance Company) asked a simple yet transformative question: Where do you want to work—office or remote? The response was overwhelming—95% wanted flexibility. Allstate didn’t just listen; they took bold action. Fast forward to 2024: Allstate sold its Chicago HQ at a 62% loss, slashed real estate costs from $382M to $138M, and embraced a fully flexible workplace model. The result? Despite facing one of the worst years for the insurance industry due to extreme weather, Allstate’s stock hit an all-time high, up 77% since… going flexible. Key to this success is Lauren DeYoung Allstate’s “Workplace Futurist.” Under her leadership, the company has evolved once more: employees are now empowered to work from coworking spaces when needed. As Lauren puts it: “We need shared spaces for collaboration and training. But asking people to commute just to sit on video calls? That doesn’t make sense.” This insight shows how the workplace is being re-purposed. The office isn’t obsolete—it’s a strategic tool. For onboarding, collaboration, and team-building, in-person spaces are invaluable, cutting turnover in new-hire teams from 35% to 5%. But for focused work, flexibility remains supreme. The results? 📉 Real estate spending down by two-thirds (Read that again). 📈 Stock price soaring 77% to record highs. Remember: 10% of Fortune 500 companies are now fully flexible—while only 4% remain full-time in-office. The future of work isn’t about picking one model; it’s about blending both. Last time I checked Allstate is a Fortune 100. Allstate’s journey proves that by listening to your people and adapting boldly, any company can thrive in a rapidly changing world. #FutureOfWork #Flexibility #Leadership #WorkplaceTransformation

We say ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ but how often do we apply it to work? In the chaos of deadlines, back-to-back Zooms, and caregiving roles, physical wellbeing is usually the first thing we sacrifice. But here’s what research (and real-world teams) are making crystal clear: 👉 Physical rituals = mental resilience. No need for marathons or green smoothies (unless you’re into that). What matters more? Tiny, consistent actions that shift your state, physically and emotionally. In fact, recent UK studies show: 🧠 Employees who move more report significantly less stress 🧠 A 4-week workplace steps challenge improved mood and engagement 🧠 Even 10-minute daily walks can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression And in 2025, we need this more than ever. Burnout hasn’t gone away. But our strategies are finally evolving. The New Work-Wellbeing Equation: Mind + Body Here are 4 rituals that actually work tested by real professionals and easy to adopt: 1/ Morning Motion Start your day with movement: → 10-minute walk → A few stretches → Dance to one song before checking emails You’ll boost endorphins, clear brain fog, and enter the workday on your own terms. 2/ Midday Recharge Instead of scrolling at lunch, try: → A 5-minute “walking call” → 4-7-8 breathing (inhale 4s, hold 7s, exhale 8s) → Standing outside and taking 10 deep breaths Your nervous system will thank you and so will your next project. 3/ End-of-Day Wind Down Don’t let work bleed into your evenings. Try a closing ritual: → Tidy your desk → Quick yoga flow → Walk with your dog or around the block This helps your brain switch off and reclaim personal time. 4/ Share & Lead By Example Are you a founder, manager or HR lead? → Share your wellbeing habits (even imperfect ones) → Host a #MindfulMonday or #WellbeingWednesday chat → Create a space where small acts of care are encouraged Culture doesn’t shift with posters. It shifts with people. Why this matters for business: Burnout = 2.6x more likelihood of job hunting Movement improves decision-making and reduces absenteeism Teams that feel supported in wellbeing are more creative, loyal, and productive 💡 Think of athletes: they don’t train non-stop, they recover on purpose. We’re corporate athletes. Our game is mental. What’s one small physical habit that helps you feel better at work? Do you do squats between calls? Garden on weekends? Walk during 1:1s?

The key to a company that people actually want to work for? One answer for 2026: communities. Not more policies, not another flat engagement survey, not a fancy benefits deck. But real communities at work. Spaces where people feel seen, heard and connected beyond their job title. This is the way to become an established brand as an employer in 2026. But how do you actually build them (without it becoming another dead initiative)? 👏 Start with people. Start with a few motivated people and ask: What do you actually want to connect around? Identity, craft, parenthood, mental health, leadership, hobbies, real life stuff. Create groups or events around that. 👏 Give time, budget, and legit power. Communities die when they’re unpaid side projects. Give people time in their work week, a small budget, and a clear mandate. Signal: this matters. 👏 Let employees lead (and mess it up). Top-down communities feel like HR theatre. Let employees shape the agenda, tone, and rituals. Even if it’s imperfect. Authentic over polished, always. 👏 Create rituals, not just channels. A Slack channel is not a community. Think: monthly circles, shared lunches, peer mentoring, learning jams. Rituals create bonds. Communities turn companies into cultures, they turn colleagues into allies, they turn work into something people actually want to be part of, and make your company a brand that stands out. In a world of hybrid teams, AI tools, and constant change, community is the glue that keeps people motivated. And yes, you can create these options online also. Happy to give some pointers on where to start. Send a DM 📥 or get in touch via hello@house-of-inclusion.com. In the picture with me: Irene Hemelaar and Ivo van Spronsen

As leaders, we often separate mental and physical health initiatives. But at OpenUp, we've learned that these two aspects of well-being are deeply intertwined, regardless of work environment. The mind-body connection is powerful, and addressing both can create a multiplier effect on overall employee wellness. Here's what we've discovered: - Physical activity boosts mental well-being: Encourage regular movement breaks, even for desk-bound employees. We've seen how simple activities like lunchtime walks or stretching sessions can reduce stress and improve mood. - Mental well-being impacts physical health: Stress management techniques (like meditation or deep breathing) can lower blood pressure and improve sleep quality. - Sleep affects both mental and physical performance: Educate employees about sleep hygiene and consider flexible schedules to accommodate different chronotypes. - Nutrition influences mood and energy: Provide healthy snack/food options in office settings. - Mindfulness practices enhance physical awareness: Introduce mindfulness sessions that focus on body scans and present-moment awareness. This can help employees recognise early signs of physical or mental strain. Implementing a holistic approach isn't always easy, but the benefits are clear. It's an investment that pays dividends in the long run, not just for individual employees, but for the organisation as a whole.

🔍 Systemversagen → Systems fail when they stop to adapt to new reality: -Gabor Steingard - What Gabor Steingard describes in his new book for Germany mirrors what we see in the office industry today. For decades, the traditional office model worked. Long leases, static layouts, predictable demand. But the world has moved on — and large parts of the industry haven’t. Here are the parallels: 🔹 Rigidity vs. agility Germany struggles with an outdated “operating system.” The office market struggles with outdated buildings, outdated leases and outdated service models. 🔹 Slow decisions vs. fast expectations Administration in Germany moves in years. Many landlords still move in quarters. Tenants now move in days. 🔹 Wrong incentives Systems break when people are rewarded for the wrong things. In offices: – PMs rewarded for low costs instead of building performance – Brokers rewarded for deals, not retention – Landlords rewarded for sqm, not tenant experience 🔹 Missed innovation cycles Germany ignored digitalisation and energy transition for too long. The office market ignored IoT, AI, smart metering and flexible service models — and now pays the price in vacancies, brown discounts and value write-downs. What we can learn from the coworking industry ? 👉 That the office can reinvent itself. 👉 That flexibility, data and service outperform static models. 👉 That operational excellence is the new leasing strategy. 👉 And that the winners will be those who treat buildings as products, not as passive assets. As we meet in Berlin for Coworking Europe, the message is clear: The traditional system is failing — not because the office is dead, but because the old operating system is. The future belongs to those who build a new one. Let’s rethink it together. #CoworkingEurope #FutureOfWork #OperationalExcellence #FlexibleWorkspaces #PropTech #ESG #Systemversagen #NewWorkOffices New Work

Wellbeing Support Structures Checklist: (Save this post for later and see how many you have/need). People-based supports 👥 Peer support & mentoring - informal or structured buddy systems for connection and debriefing 👥 Microcultures - empowering teams to set their own wellbeing norms 👥 Wellbeing champions - trained staff who promote and support wellbeing initiatives 👥 Mental Health First Aiders/responders - early support for those in distress 👥 Health & wellbeing consultants - proactive guidance, coaching, and follow-up 👥 Employee Assistance Program - on-demand mental health support 👥 Psychological safety advocates - people trained to foster safe team dynamics Professional text and email support - anonymous if needed Leadership and organisational supports 🙋♀️ Visible and engaged leadership - role-modelling wellbeing behaviours and setting expectations 🙋♀️ Manager training - supporting leaders to respond to mental health, stress, and burnout 🙋♀️ Regular check-ins - catching issues before they escalate 🙋♀️ Return-to-work support - structured pathways back from leave or burnout 🙋♀️ Workload and role clarity reviews - aligning expectations with capacity Environmental supports 🏢 Wellbeing rooms/quiet spaces - for rest, privacy, or emotional decompression 🏢 Flexible work arrangements - autonomy in how, where, and when work is done 🏢 Rosters that respect recovery time - ensuring adequate breaks between meetings/projects/sprints 🏢 Ergonomic workspaces - reducing physical strain and supporting comfort 🏢 Healthy food access/hydration stations - subtle nudges toward better choices Digital and resource-based supports 💻 Digital wellbeing platforms - apps, platforms and web-based info and activities 💻 Resource libraries - self-directed learning, articles, and videos on the topics your people care about 💻 Anonymous feedback tools - safe space for raising issues or suggestions 💻 Pulse surveys - regular check-ins on stress, morale, and needs Support is more than an EAP phone number on a poster - it comes in many different forms. How many of these do you have in place? How many would be simple to implement? #humanresources #support

Are you planning any workplace wellness activities to kick off the new year? One of my newsletter subscribers recently asked me, “Our employees want us to highlight healthy lifestyles, perhaps by launching a ‘step challenge’ or hosting a 5K. While I love these ideas, we have some employees who use wheelchairs. For example, I struggle with organizing a step challenge because I feel this is not inclusive to everyone. Am I overthinking this? Or do you have suggestions that meet the ask but are inclusive to everyone?” I immediately contacted my friend, workplace wellness expert Laura Putnam. She recommended thinking about the various dimensions of wellness when designing programs. These include physical, emotional, social, financial, career, and community needs. By offering options in these categories, you’ll be more inclusive by design. With her guidance, I then researched possible activities. Here are some ideas: - Physical: Organize a “workout streak,” asking employees to record the number of days in a row they’ve done some workout—cardio, yoga, weights, stretching, or anything they define as a workout. Or arrange “stroll & roll” groups for breaks, ensuring paths are wheelchair-accessible. - Emotional: Designate an “Unplug at lunch” day, committing not to use your phone or devices and enjoying silence or talking with coworkers. - Social: Create a “Get to Know Each Other” week, with prompts to encourage coworkers to find personal connections. - Financial: Provide financial planning or budgeting classes. - Career: Host sessions to demystify the promotion process or other career-related topics. - Community: Organize a donation drive for items that a local non-profit needs. Then, once you have some options, let people design their wellness goals and choose activities that make sense for them. P.S. A few years ago, Laura and I collaborated on a thought paper titled "50 Ways You Might Have Wellness Privilege at Work" (https://lnkd.in/gBGfzhqv). It explores why wellness and inclusion should be considered holistically, with practical actions to take to improve workplaces everywhere.

Building a robust community among freelancers and self-employed individuals in Singapore is essential for mutual support and growth. Here are five effective strategies to foster such a community: 1. Engage with NICA Initiatives: Participate in programs and events organized by the National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA), an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). NICA represents freelance coaches and instructors across various fields, including sports, outdoor learning, visual and performing arts, fitness, and wellness. 2. Leverage Co-Working Spaces: Utilize co-working environments like HackerspaceSG, Singapore’s first co-working space, which provides a communal area for collaboration, networking, and skill-sharing among freelancers. 3. Participate in Online and Offline Communities: Engage in both digital forums and local meetups to connect with fellow freelancers. This balanced approach offers global insights through online platforms and personal connections via local events. 4. Attend Workshops and Training Sessions: Join workshops and training programs offered by organizations like the Academy of Sports and Exercise Science (ASES), which collaborates with NICA to provide courses that enhance professional skills and career sustainability. 5. Join Professional Associations: Become a member of associations such as NICA to strengthen support structures, improve work prospects, and have a collective voice in engaging stakeholders, the government, and major service buyers. By implementing these strategies, freelancers and self-employed individuals in Singapore can build a supportive and dynamic community, enhancing their professional journeys.

For 8 years, nobody wanted to touch WeWork India with a ten-foot pole. Today, it's going public with a ₹3,000 crore IPO. We sit out of a WeWork office in Bangalore. Every day I see how they've transformed the way startups and SMEs think about office space. No long-term leases. No massive security deposits. Just plug in and start working. Back in 2017, when WeWork entered India through Embassy Group, the flexible workspace concept was alien. Most landlords wanted 3-year lock-ins. Startups were cramming teams into expensive residential apartments because commercial space was unaffordable. WeWork changed that. They took Grade A office buildings,  designed them for collaboration, and  made them accessible on flexible terms.  By the day, by the month, or by the year. Here are some numbers on WeWork India  → ₹1,949 crores revenue in FY25 (17% growth)  → Swung to ₹128 crore profit from ₹135 crore loss in FY24  → 1.14 lakh desks across 68 operational centers  → 87,247 members as of June 2025 While WeWork Global filed for bankruptcy in 2023, WeWork India stayed profitable. Embassy Group's 76% ownership and local execution made the difference. The IPO opens Today with a price band of ₹615-648. It's an offer for sale, so no fresh capital to the company. Embassy and WeWork Global are divesting stakes. Here's why this matters beyond just one company going public: India's flexible workspace market has grown from 17.7% of total office leasing in 2019 to 20% in 2024. Companies are realizing that owning or leasing large offices doesn't make sense anymore. Remote work, hybrid models, and changing team sizes demand flexibility. Post-listing, WeWork India joins Awfis, Smartworks, IndiQube, and DevX on the exchanges. The fact that five co-working companies are now listed shows this is a real, sustainable business model. The shift from fixed to flexible workspace isn't temporary. It's how the future of work looks in India. #WeWorkIndia #IPO #startups #workspace

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about #teams, #teaming, #org_structures, #hybrid_work, #distributed_work, #matrixed_work, #work_identities, etc. and on my recent visit to India, a new idea set in. It’s one of those ideas that seems SO obvious after you say it out loud, and yet, it’s an idea that I’m not seeing/hearing in a lot of conversations about all the topics above. Here’s the idea: At work, people should be engaged with at least 3 work communities; community by Discipline, by Product Area, and by Place. In most cases, companies are compelled to create org structures that rotate on only one of these axes; putting greater weight on one type of community through official reporting structures and other corporate artifacts like distro lists, all-hands, etc. I sit within a Discipline-first Design org broken down into Product Areas. We’re relatively neutral on Place aiming to co-locate with Product Area partners where possible. We also use Place as inspiration for an epic, trans global snack exchange. I find the discipline-first approach to be important for Designers and other creative, process-driven makers. It’s helpful for reinforcing brand and documentation standards. Discipline-based community nurtures you, supports you with tools and process, and inspires you to push your practice. But a Product Area community is where we all bring our different disciplines into practice, collaborating with product managers and engineering partners. This is the community where we spend most of our time and make the most impact. It’s where we create value. And where we create some of the most lasting work friendships (if done right). And finally, Place; highly relevant with the rise of hybrid work. There was an awkward initial phase where people managers with distributed teams were (or maybe still are) faced with setting policies around days in office that result in little benefit for team or individual. But when the place is buzzing with other colleagues, it’s rejuvenating. It’s a great time to reconnect with your company’s purpose, give back to community, to network, etc. For teams that choose Place as a primary axis, there are clear efficiencies; consolidation of real-estate planning, recruiting, and adherence to state/country specific policies. In most cases though, I’d argue that Place-first makes the communities of discipline and product area harder to tap into, and deteriorates from overall company cohesion. However, it’s a great strategy if isolation is the intention though, for separate brands, incubators, local markets, etc. In short, an org structure can orbit around any of these facets of a person’s work identity—Discipline, Product, or Place—but take care not to neglect the others. You need to nurture all three to have an engaged team. Thanks again to Guruharan Ravi and #verizondesign colleagues in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai who hosted Andrew Pendleton and I earlier this month and helped spark this idea (and many more).