IWG signs flexible workspace deal with Tesco – Image from IWG & PinPep
A global workspace provider is to convert excess space at the stores of supermarket chain Tesco into flexible offices.
IWG, which works with brands including Spaces and Regus, will first work on turning a Tesco Extra in New Malden into a flexible office space. Located on the store’s upper mezzanine level, the 3,800-square-foot Spaces will contain 12 OpenDesks, 30 co-working spaces and a meeting room.
Businesses and individuals will be able to access workspaces from mid-May, by joining up on the IWG platform customers will be able to access Wi-Fi, the in-store café, and the comfort of private working space.
This is part of IWG’s plans to add 1,000 new locations to its global network in 2022 as the demand for hybrid working accelerates. Other new IWG locations across South London will include Twickenham, Sutton, and the revamped Battersea Power Station. All IWG members have access to the rapidly expanding network of 300 centres across the UK and thousands worldwide.
The deal is the first collaboration between IWG’s Spaces brand and Tesco. The move reflects “part of a shift towards creating more self-sustaining, vibrant local communities that will greatly improve the work-life balance of local workers as well as having a positive impact on the environment by reducing the need for daily and costly commutes into central London”.
Research undertaken by IWG demonstrates the continuing popularity of hybrid working. Three-quarters (72%) of workers would prefer the long-term ability to work flexibly, over going back to the office five days a week, with a 10% pay rise.
The growth of IWG’s network has been increasingly focused on suburban locations, emphasising the demand for workspace solutions in the heart of local communities. About 77% of employees say a place to work closer to home is a must-have for their next job move, with workers four times more likely to choose an office close to home than a city centre.
IWG recently launched a new retail-based office-space concept 'OpenDesks'. This offers optimal flexibility and greater privacy than traditional co-working, using magnetic screens to create privacy, and cluster formations can be created for larger teams or for meetings. Each workspace can be accessed using Spaces’ mobile app, providing 24/7 working for members.
The company continues to invest in technology and recently announced a merger of its digital assets with Instant Group.
