To compete with the changing world of business and coworking trends, Accor has announced an audacious plan with WOJO to become Europe’s leading coworking brand by 2022, with the aim to implement 1,200 coworking spaces over the next three years. With the launch of WOJO, Accor continues to execute its augmented hospitality strategy, expanding into new verticals and becoming relevant in the daily lives of consumers.
The WOJO coworking spaces will be launched within Accor hotels worldwide with different offerings, across all segments (economy, mid-scale and luxury segments).
WOJO = Work. Live. Share.
Nextdoor (renamed WOJO in March 2019) is a joint-venture between Accor & Bouygues Immobilier created in July 2017.
Stephane Bensimon, CEO WOJO: “As we are directly in touch with companies and workers on a daily basis we have a thorough understanding of their needs and expectations in the work space. A personalized welcome, premium services, a friendly atmosphere and designer spaces are all essential features covered by our expertise. Through our new range of spaces, we are now able to meet a key customer need: combining the quality of work life with mobility. WOJO will offer three different products and experiences to deliver the broadest range of coworking solutions in the industry.”
WOJO Spots, making it easy to work anywhere
Rolled out initially across Accor’s brand portfolio, the coworking spaces make it possible for nomadic workers to work free of charge with the guarantee of a personalized service, a friendly atmosphere and a secure & reliable WiFi connection in design spaces. The worker can choose to work at the bar, in a restaurant or in the lobby (even if they are not staying at the hotel). For regular coworkers, WOJO offers a monthly subscription, which includes a 10% discount on dining and access to partner offers, events such as workshops & conferences and the WOJO business network & community. More than 150 WOJO Spots will open in Paris and Lyon by summer 2019, reaching over 1,000 spots in Europe by 2022.
WOJO Corners, for coworkers and locals alike
WOJO Corners are dedicated coworking spaces specifically designed for uninterrupted work, sheltered from the hustle and bustle outside. They will be located across a broad range of Accor hotels as a first step and then across train stations, airports and shopping malls. This coworking experience is designed for local and coworkers’ customers, with recurring weekly needs, seeking an informal and comfortable work environment. The first WOJO Corner was launched in 2018 in the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur hotel. Building on the success of this pilot in the heart of Paris, more than 100 other WOJO Corners will open throughout Europe by 2022.
WOJO Sites, the “all in one” coworking solution
These are unique stand-alone coworking spaces over several thousand square meters in dedicated buildings, combining communal zones (bars, lounges, kitchens) with shared spaces, meeting rooms and dedicated offices. They bring together on one site a wide range of entrepreneurs, departments of large companies, startups and smaller companies to form a dynamic, integrated community. Unlike Spots and Corners, it is possible to rent offices and benefit from a wide range of services. As heralds of a new lifestyle at work, WOJO sites are led by a “business partners” team who are dedicated to the wellbeing of members and to connecting them strategically with other members in the network to create new business opportunities.
These sites are developed in partnership with Bouygues Immobilier and WOJO will be integrated from the outset in certain real estate projects.
The strategic network offered by the combination of WOJO Spots, Corners & Sites reflects WOJO’s desire to provide shared workspaces in iconic, central and strategic locations. The WOJO sites are historically the first spaces to have been deployed: 10 sites are currently open in Ile-de-France and Lyon (with over 5,000 members). WOJO sites will expand rapidly across Europe with a target of more than 50 locations by 2022.
To drive this ambitious project, Accor’s Innovation Lab collaborated with the WOJO team to deliver a global coworking experience. Frédéric Fontaine, SVP Marketing Innovation Lab said: “This collaborative initiative with WOJO is fully consistent with the role of the Innovation Lab, whose objective is to create new consumer experiences & build unique value by observing and anticipating future consumer trends & habits.”
As a result, Accor is the first global hotel group to collaborate with a recognized player in the coworking field to present a brand experience that is unique in its scope and content and is open to travelers and locals alike.
Franck Gervais CEO Accor Europe, said: “We have the assets (brands, spaces, teams), we have the services (restaurants, bars, meeting spaces) and we are open 24/7. By participating in WOJO’s ambitious development, we are optimizing the use of these assets and are creating value for our owners by being open to a new type of customer, i.e. coworkers.”
