Office or hotel? Workspaces embrace hospitality trends for employees

New-age offices and co-working spaces are adding creches, cafes, and concierge services

With employees looking for environments that enhance their well-being, creativity and productivity in the workplace, Indian offices and co-working spaces are witnessing a new trend: hotelification, wherein offices provide ambience and amenities inspired by the hospitality sector. 

Among those cashing in on the trend are Urban Vault, Synq.Work, The Office Pass (TOP), MyBranch, Bhive, IndiQube, and Table Space. Besides providing office space, many of them are incorporating features like wellness centres, collaborative zones, on-site cafés and restaurants, and even crèches, a facility only a small fraction of Indian offices provide, which is a reason several women drop out of the workforce after childbirth.

Some are even adding concierge services to the mix, besides providing tech-equipped meeting rooms and creating luxurious lobbies, while ensuring high-speed internet connection.

At Urban Vault, each property has client engagement managers, supported by security, valet, and a hospitality team. The Bengaluru-based co-working space is also spending serious money on furnishing and decor, introducing vibrant colours and themes. “In FY24, 20 per cent of our total furnishing cost went towards hotelification of our spaces,” said CEO Amal Mishra. “With the growing trend, we plan to increase it to 25 per cent of our total furnishing cost in FY25.”

The company has employed the services of an in-house interior design team, which has added customised furniture and eco-friendly paper lights in the lounges, while keeping the focus on natural lighting and open layouts.

Lounge area in an Urban Vault office

Gurugram-based Synq.Work is set to invest around Rs 40 crore on hotelification, enhancing infrastructure, amenities, and technology. In FY25, it will allocate an additional Rs 60 crore to develop new commercial spaces with hotel-like features.

“We started integrating the concept of hotelification into our commercial spaces as we saw a growing demand for sophisticated and service-oriented office environments among our clients,” said Rahat Bhagat, founder, Synq.Work. The company believes this will lead to longer lease terms and higher occupancy rates.

Since launching its hotelification initiative in 2022, Gurugram-headquartered TOP has invested Rs 12 crore and plans to allocate an additional Rs 7-8 crore in FY25 to expand and refine the project, said Founder and CEO Aditya Verma.

On average, companies lease around 31 seats from TOP. Each office is tailored to client preferences, with themes ranging from sci-fi series like The Avengers to rooms adorned with Lionel Messi-themed artwork and murals. TOP employs a panel of four architects and interior designers to create these bespoke environments.

Its in-house community managers, meanwhile, provide concierge-like services such as assisting with meeting room bookings, repainting the space to match the company’s branding, landscaping, trash removal, and scheduling pest control and termite inspections.

TOP has also introduced a "rewards and recognition programme" for member companies, handling venue booking, and food and travel arrangements for senior executives and employees. All of this is done largely in-house and external travel agents are employed only if specific requirements cannot be met internally. Other services include digital marketing, company incorporation, and GST registration, for which the company charges an additional 10-15 per cent.

At Mumbai-based MyBranch, which plans to pump in Rs 30 crore on hotelification in FY25 after an initial outlay of Rs 10 crore, gourmet coffee, fitness zones, personalised cleaning, and networking events are among the facilities on offer, said its co-founder, Kushal Bhargava. The office space provider has a community manager who organises events such as wellness sessions and gaming activities to engage clients.

Ergonomic furniture like Featherlite chairs and optimal indoor climate control are among the amenities Bengaluru-based Bhive’s Founder and CEO Shesh Rao Paplikar highlights. And Meghna Agarwal, co-founder of IndiQube, lists gym, gaming zone, break-out areas, collaborative spaces, cricket turfs, mini football grounds, crèche and a multi-cuisine cafeteria, besides services like concierge, visitor management, conference rooms on demand and employee engagement events.

The trend has caught the attention of realtors, too.

Mindspace Business Parks REIT by K Raheja Corp had invested nearly Rs 410 crore till March 2024 to enhance tenant experience through revitalised lobbies, expanded spaces, upgraded dining, energy-efficient lighting, and art-filled common areas. 

“Hotelification for us combines premium amenities with well-being, and so, we have on-campus crèches, health sessions, besides sports and health initiatives,” said Ramesh Nair, CEO of Mindspace Business Parks REIT. The employee-centric initiatives include waterbodies such as lily ponds, Wi-Fi-enabled open spaces, recreational areas, food arenas and bio-sonification zones, where plant sounds recorded and converted into music are played.

Besides concierge services and facilities such as cafeterias, gyms and crèches, Bengaluru-based office space provider Table Space also has salons for that quick haircut right at the workplace.

With people hard-pressed for time and competition among co-working spaces on the rise, the extent of hotelification could well be the differentiator.

Beyond the desk

Urban Vault: Each property has client engagement managers, supported by security, valet, and a hospitality team

Synq.Work: Set to invest around Rs 40 crore on hotelification, enhancing infrastructure, amenities, and technology

The Office Pass: Provides bespoke office environments with themes ranging from sci-fi series to sports icons & concierge-like services 

MyBranch: Offers gourmet coffee, fitness zones, personalised cleaning, and networking events

Bhive: Features ergonomic furniture like Featherlite chairs and optimal indoor climate control

IndiQube: Lists gym, gaming zone, break-out areas, crèches, collaborative spaces, cricket turfs, and mini football grounds

Mindspace Business Parks REIT: Invested nearly Rs 410 crore to enhance tenant experience through revitalised lobbies, expanded spaces, and upgraded dining. Has crèches, recreational areas, food arenas

Table Space: Provides salons for a quick haircut right at the workplace