Accor’s Wojo Goes All In on Remote Working Spaces
Skift Take
Investor appetite, rather than remote employees themselves, will be the driving force that determines where work gets done in the future — including shopping malls.
Train stations, airports and shopping malls — remote work locations will spring up in all kinds of new spaces in the future, according to Wojo.
The brand, a joint venture between Accor and French real estate group Bouygues Immobilier, wants to branch out beyond Accor hotels and dedicated co-working buildings. Success in converting a football stadium into a remote work hotspot for a week last summer has something to do with it, said its CEO.
"It demonstrated we’re capable of working anywhere," said Stephane Bensimon. "We showed that companies can allow staff to work anywhere, as long as there’s the minimum structure in place, like Wi-Fi and space."
Overall 1,000 workers headed to Parc des Princes, in Paris in September 2021, with an "unbelievable" waiting list. "We’ll see if we can do more things like that," Bensimon said.
Shopping AroundWhile Wojo has an exclusive partnership with Accor, which owns 50 percent, it's pushing ahead w
