A leading coworking space provider, WORQ, has expanded its outlet at Menara 1 Sentrum, Kuala Lumpur, adding a 7,200 sq ft space at Level 28 of the building, to its existing space in Level 20 and 21.
The expansion of this outlet, is a strategic partnership with Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (PHB), as the two existing levels, spanning 17,000 sq ft each, have been consistently fully occupied since its launch a year ago.
WORQ revealed that the new space will be fully occupied by two global companies such as Datacom Systems (Asia) Sdn Bhd, a New Zealand based IT services company and WithSecure Sdn Bhd, a Helsinki based IT security company, during the grand opening today (Jan 26).
Its co-founder and chief executive officer Stephanie Ping said the latest expansion at Level 28, Menara 1 Sentrum is part of its continued plans to expand WORQ locations at transit hubs and train stations.
The outlet in Menara Sentrum (KL Sentral outlet), will not only be the biggest outlet, it will also be the landmark outlet that’s going to connect all its other locations as it is located at Klang Valley main transit hub.
“We are aiming to elevate the commuter’s experience by linking up Klang Valley’s transit systems with a series of flexible offices. Our goal is to develop a local culture of public transport usage, similar to what we have seen in Japan and Singapore,” Ping said in a statement today.
She said this infrastructure will also prepare Malaysians for a hybrid work future that has become the norm in many developed nations.
“With the latest Employment Act 1955 incorporating flexible working arrangements, workers can enhance their productivity by choosing where and when to work.”
Ping added WORQ will also continue to develop its cloud office infrastructure to provide seamless flexibility for companies to scale their operations without costly financial commitments.
Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad (PHB) group managing director and chief executive officer Mohamad Damshal Awang Damit said PHB aims to incorporate more coworking spaces in its properties across Malaysia.
This is due to a growing demand in coworking space as well as the success stories of its buildings, like Menara 1 Sentrum, in partnership with WORQ.
Mohamad Damshal said as a property investor, PHB recognized the growing demand for green buildings and acknowledged the tenants’ commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG).
“Sharing space in a prime location like Menara 1 Sentrum, which is a green building certified silver by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver-certified building not only contributed to environmental sustainability but also fostered a more dynamic on-site community.”
According to a global real estate services firm JLL Research and Consultancy head Yulia Nikulicheva said the pandemic has accelerated the trend for companies to offer greater flexibility to their employees.
As of 4Q 2023, the total existing flexible space stock in Kuala Lumpur is approximately 1.3 million sq ft, translating into 2.2% of total Grade A office space and 1.1% of total office space.
“Aside from that, hybrid work styles that are now getting popular with larger corporations who are viewing coworking spaces as an
effective solution towards this goal.
“This is clearly shown by WORQ’s customer base expanding from primarily startups in its early days to small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) and now to large corporations.
“Today, 70% of WORQ customers are enterprise clients and multinational corporations (MNCs), as more international firms set up their operations in Malaysia,” said Nikulicheva.
WORQ said the collaboration with PHB underscores the commitment to revolutionizing workspaces to meet evolving market demands and to increase their tenants’ satisfaction.
“We aim to expand our space to 450,000 sq ft by 2025 and 1,000,000 sq ft by 2028.”
