As we welcome the new year, many of us have been reflecting on how much things have changed since 2020. One stark transformation that comes to mind is how quickly office environments have evolved. In the past 12 months, we have ushered in a different workplace era – one with hybrid work arrangements, a decentralised workforce in a ‘hub and spoke’ model, and a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration and employee empowerment.  

In recent months, there has been a growing preference for flexible workspace solutions to enable social interactions beyond the physical constraints of an office space. Gone are the days when our meetings and team collaborations are physically confined within the four walls of the office. Instead, many of us are empowered to choose how and where we work today.   

JustCo, the leading co-working company in Asia Pacific, has always strived to make work better for our members, by offering a total work solution that will continue to drive success to their businesses. In December 2020, JustCo launched its Digital Future of Work Platform at The Centrepoint, bringing a holistic work solution to the hustlers in town. 

In an interview with Frasers Property Retail, JustCo’s Vice President & Head for Singapore and Indonesia, Brandon Chia, shared about the new concepts that JustCo is piloting at The Centrepoint, and how these innovations will continue to foster a collaborative community and culture in today’s new normal of work.  

Have you observed any changes in the trend for coworking spaces since the Covid-19 pandemic?  

The pandemic has given rise to various concerns and uncertainties around business operations and cost pressures. We have seen an increased demand for coworking spaces from businesses of various nature and sizes, with a common need for workspace solutions that allow maximum flexibility.   

To cater to these demands, JustCo developed a Core & Flex workspace solution that allows companies to access a hybrid of customised office solutions, be it for headquarters set-up, fixed office suites for satellite teams, flexible Business Continuity Plans, or on-demand ‘work from anywhere’ spaces for short-term work. Such Core & Flex workspace solutions help our clients retain a traditional core office space, while dispersing teams across various locations to improve business productivity and continuity.  

As testament to the rising demand for flexible workspace in 2020, we have welcomed multiple new members to the JustCo community, such as:  

1. Tencent-backed Riot Games at The Centrepoint, Singapore
2. Thailand-based Super App, Kasikorn Line, at Amarin Plaza, Bangkok
3. ByteDance-owned TikTok at Amarin Plaza, Bangkok
4. Australia’s sovereign wealth fund, at Collins Arch, Melbourne

Why did you decide to launch your first smart coworking space at The Centrepoint? 

JustCo has always envisioned the Future of Work to be a technology-driven and innovative one that goes beyond a physical space. 

The strategic partnership between JustCo and Frasers Property has allowed us to leverage on their real estate network and secure anchor tenancy at prime locations like The Centrepoint. 

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw this as an opportune time to accelerate our innovation and offer businesses office-as-a-service for cost effectiveness, with immediate opt-in to an expansive community for networking effect. Geographically, there’s no better location other than a shopping mall situated at the heart of Orchard. 

Tell us more about your new on-demand workspace platform, Switch. How does it provide flexible short-term work solutions for individuals and businesses?  

Switch is the world’s first on-demand workspace platform, where users can enjoy fuss-free access to conducive workspaces that charges by the minute. With introductory pricing starting at just S$3.60 per hour or 6 cents per minute, Switch allows users to pay for exactly what they use. 

Switch customers can choose between accessing 17 JustCo centres, non-JustCo shared office locations, or proprietary Switch booths, based on their needs. Switch users will also benefit from unlimited co-working amenities such as hot-desks, meeting rooms, phone booths and more. 

Switch booths have already been deployed at nine¹ Frasers Property malls, in both central business district and suburban neighbourhoods. We have received overwhelming interest for these on-demand work booths, particularly in suburban locations where users want a practical alternative to working from home. 

How are you ensuring social distancing at your new coworking space at The Centrepoint?  

We have partnered SixSense, a software for spatial analytics and crowdedness detection, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members. Members can access real-time capacity levels of JustCo centres, which allows them to avoid crowded locations and pick workspaces that best suit their needs.  

The spatial analytics data collected in SixSense also allows our internal Design team to better strategize, optimise and improve the office designs of future JustCo centres, further enhancing the workspace experience for our community.   

We believe that digital tools like SixSense will further transform how companies and workers access office space. By giving users the ultimate flexibility to choose where and how to work, office space can now be consumed as an on-demand service.

Besides Switch and SixSense, what other exciting features can users look forward to at JustCo at The Centrepoint?  

Users can look forward to a wide range of smart tech-enabled workspace features at The Centrepoint. These include:  

1. Facial recognition:
   Our facial recognition turnstiles are specially designed to detect if members are wearing their face masks before they are allowed to enter. This is an added safety feature in this post-COVID-19 era.
2. Card-free access via Bluetooth: 
   Members can also opt for card-free access by scanning their JustCo App at the turnstile to gain access to the workspace, meeting rooms and private suites.
   
3. In-house fully automated café, RATIO: 
   To provide members with a seamless smart digital workspace experience, our in-house robotic café RATIO, allows guests to order their desired beverages via the JustCo App – bringing added value and convenience. Powered by robotics and artificial intelligence, RATIO offers custom-crafted western coffee, local kopi and cocktails, made to a high level of precision. 

Workspace technologies are only part of the full experience. Members will also benefit from full suite of other facilities and amenities – such as collaboration corners, breakout areas, a pantry with complimentary tea and coffee, enclosed phone booths, mother’s room, nap room, and games areas featuring table tennis, basketball arcade and air hockey stations. These spaces are designed to encourage interactions, collaboration, team bonding, and even privacy where needed. Members can use these spaces to seek new connections and explore business opportunities within JustCo’s ever-growing community of more than 100,000 members. 

How can a tech-enabled workspace foster deeper social interactions and collaboration? 

In today’s modern workforce, a successful tech-enabled workspace is one that effectively allows employees to work remotely, connect, and collaborate from anywhere on any platform or device. 

At JustCo, we believe in fostering collaboration within and across businesses and industries. We do this via two of our unique digital platforms – the JustCo App and JustCo Campus. Through the JustCo App, members can connect with our global community of over 100,000 business leaders and professionals, to attend events organised by JustCo and purchase business services.  

With JustCo Campus, members can access specially curated professional and lifestyle events where they get to learn and connect with like-minded individuals and businesses across the globe. Newly launched in 2020, the JustCo Campus initiative is a multi-format learning hub that allows members to consult, connect and learn virtually through a wide range of event formats such as seminars, 1:1 business consultations, curated panel discussions and more. 

Can you share more about the new clients you have welcomed to the JustCo community? 

We have recently welcomed a diverse range of small and large enterprises to the JustCo community. For example, at our latest smart centre, JustCo at The Centrepoint, we have welcomed these clients:  

• Tencent-owned Riot Games, the leader in the video games and esports industry, who is also well-known for developing and publishing popular player-focused games like League of Legends.  
• Singapore-based digital exchange platform, AirCarbon 
• Health-tech company, Good Doctor Technology 
• Tech accelerator, IoT Tribe 

How do you see JustCo as an enabler for businesses’ growth as they adapt to the new paradigm of work?  

With more than 100,000 unique members across Asia Pacific, the heart of JustCo’s business is in its expansive community. Going beyond a physical space, we continuously strive to provide an ecosystem for companies to explore new business opportunities, network and gain access to regular professional and lifestyle events specially curated by JustCo. 

We often see this as a two-way street – not only are we providing value to our members, but we are also forging connections with external parties and non-members to build a larger network. These connections go far beyond industry and business size. 

Ultimately, we aim to offer a total workspace solution that enables companies to grow with us on a long-term basis. 

Do I have to be a member to enjoy your amenities at JustCo at The Centrepoint? 

Yes, one would need to be either a member of JustCo or Switch to enjoy the various amenities at JustCo at The Centrepoint. To enjoy a free trial or special rates, click here. 

With these innovative technologies and myriad of amenities and facilities at JustCo’s future-ready workspaces, members can certainly look forward to work in a collaborative, flexible, and productive environment. To experience these exciting new features, head down to JustCo at The Centrepoint (L5), right in the heart of town. 

The original article was first published on Frasers Property on 2 Feb 2021. 

 ¹The nine malls of Frasers Property are namely Causeway Point, Century Square, Changi City Point, Northpoint City, Tampines 1, Tiong Bahru Plaza, The Centrepoint, Waterway Point and YewTee Point.