Not just offering office space, co-working firms also want to keep you fit

Bengaluru: From organising yoga days and muscle therapy sessions to setting up badminton and pickleball courts and conducting sports leagues, operators of co-working spaces are going the extra mile to keep the people working at their facilities healthy, both mentally and physically.

Such efforts, say the companies, help create not just lasting interpersonal connections and enhance job satisfaction, but also open up informal networking opportunities across teams and organisations.

Awfis Space Solutions, which operates co-working offices at several cities across India, said it organised as many as 450 “engagement initiatives” over the past year to bring its community together. “We see the workplace as more than just a space to work; it is a place to connect, recharge, and thrive,” said chairman and managing director Amit Ramani.

Many of the spaces operated by Awfis have dedicated wellness and recreation zones, and two centres in Bengaluru and Hyderabad have specialised wellness rooms that can be used for meditation and mindfulness. The company also organises leagues for sports like badminton and soccer.

Almost 65% of the members actively participate in sports events, said Ramani.

In May this year, Bhive Workspace launched a fitness club, and every Sunday, members are encouraged to bike or run at Cubbon Park, a sprawling green space in Bengaluru. The co-working company has also added pickleball, cricket nets and other sports facilities at one of its centres.

“We’re focusing on making fitness more accessible and integrated into our members’ daily work life,” said founder and chief executive Shesh Rao Paplikar.

This month, the company is organising a fitness day featuring triathlons, duathlons, and multiple running events.

At 91Springboard, members can choose from badminton leagues, soccer, box cricket, indoor game rooms and inter-hub tournaments.

“We have also hosted Zumba workshops to encourage an active lifestyle and introduced hybrid desk yoga sessions, enabling members to recharge, whether working on-site or remotely,” CEO Anshu Sarin said.

Indoor games draw steady participation, while team-based outdoor sports often attract even greater involvement, significantly boosting overall morale and deepening member engagement across hubs, she said.

Others like IndiQube have conducted indoor sports tournaments covering table tennis, pool, chess, and carrom. Last quarter, IndiQube organised the IndiQube premier league, a 3-day cricket tournament in Bengaluru, with participation from 32 teams.

“We extended the cricket league to women employees and saw a great response,” said cofounder Meghna Agarwal. “We've also introduced on-site muscle therapy sessions at select locations, offering quick body relief treatments by trained professionals to help members de-stress, improve posture, and release physical tension caused by long hours of work,” Agarwal said.