The general consensus in the corporate world now is that it is harder for businesses to retain their current employees while also keeping it open and engaging for new employees. With Gen Z taking up 27 percent of the global workforce by 2030, the traditional expectations of what a workplace and corporate experience should be or feel like are no longer sought after. This means the strict 9-to-5 work schedule, fixed lunchtime, and siloed departments are losing relevance altogether.
This generational shift in values also includes more discussion and action on inclusion in the workplace and dynamic office environments. It is a good thing that this shift presents new opportunities for more diverse groups of people.
So the question remains: How can companies in Malaysia keep this current generation fully engaged and productive?
What does Gen Z really want?
Now, many of these corporate companies are still using and operating in outdated office models, which will directly sabotage their business in the long run, as they lack the agility and modernisation that Gen Z is looking for. The idea of having a coffee corner, ping pong table, and even a chatting room was all great ideas initially, but we have moved past that. Flexibility, wellness, and people-centric environments are becoming the new currency of employee satisfaction.
Coworking spaces have become a go-to solution for businesses looking for flexible, cost-effective, and well-equipped office spaces — and most importantly, Gen Z approved. At WORQ, we‘ve built all our locations along train lines throughout the Klang Valley. This new generation of workers no longer prioritises work over their lives — instead, they are finding ways to balance both without compromising either. So, mobility and accessibility are a top priority when it comes to providing what this new generation views as work-life balance.
When it comes to the workspaces themselves, the goal is to make Google Offices everywhere, which means having innovative and tech-enabled environments that support the work and the people. They used to have a ‘coffee corner‘ to encourage breaks during the workday and call it a day. However, the reality is that this is nowhere near what the new generation actually needs, which is a workspace that supports collaboration, while also providing enough space to rest, work in groups, and hold team meetings in separate rooms.
For the longest time, both past and current employees have been suppressed to this work-life balance mindset, and even big-time CEOs do not believe in the idea of having a work-life balance. It is still baffling that some consider the idea unacceptable, especially when companies offering flexible work schedules have seen a 78 percent jump in job satisfaction.
What we do at WORQ reflects just that, we provide companies with the resources they need — tech-enabled office spaces and environments that support collaboration and productivity, just to name a few, for their employees, all while maintaining high standards of work quality.
Community and a sense of belonging in the modern workforce
On top of that, this new generation of workers also craves meaningful connections. Why so? When you are putting in hours at work and essentially spending half of your day at the office, you want that chitchat break, catch-up session in the pantry, debrief in the meeting room, for example. Some of us don‘t get that anymore because of the environment and office culture, and especially post-pandemic, we have become very selective about when, where, and who we are socialising with.
One of the things that companies can do is organise monthly events and gatherings to get employees together in one space and socialise. This can also be a good opportunity to network and participate in peer learning with colleagues from other departments. At WORQ, we do just that — in fact, we have our own networking events — the NetWORQ Party and the EQ series events, where business leaders and investors are gathered in one place. This is our ongoing effort to build a strong sense of community, not just within our space, but as a model for others. We hope to inspire the younger generation to embrace community-building in their own workplaces and prioritise learning and development in their own workplaces, experiencing the long-term benefits of connection and collaboration.
This also aligns with our focus on wellness and work-life harmony, which are more crucial than ever. Achieving balance requires the right resources to support it. With the help of various partners like Sealy, Balak‘s, and TTRacing, just to name a few, we are bringing in ergonomic furniture that blends comfort and style, all within a workspace that prioritises mental and physical wellness. As a result of that, employee retention will improve, as employees, especially Gen Z workers, feel more valued, comfortable, and supported in their work environment.
Coworking spaces in general are not just adapting to the needs of Gen Z, they are actively shaping what the future of work looks like, with people-centric environments, flexibility, and well-being at the forefront. We want to build more than workspaces — we are creating ecosystems that empower people to thrive.
We are committed to bringing changes here in Malaysia, as the only coworking space in Malaysia to implement TOD throughout all its outlets in Klang Valley, we are setting a new benchmark for corporate flexibility and employee satisfaction. It is a blueprint for inclusive, accessible, high-performance work environments that sit where people already live, reducing commute times, bridging urban gaps, and reimagining how and where work happens.
Stephanie Ping is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, WORQ Coworking Space. Stephanie is a highly accomplished entrepreneur with a strong academic background and a wealth of experience in both technology and real estate. She graduated in the top 5 percent of her class at Stanford University, where she earned a BA in Economics and an MS in Management Science and Engineering. With 14 years of experience in the United States, including a key role as Head of Business Development and Investor Relations at Axis REIT, Stephanie combined her knowledge of technology and real estate to launch WORQ, a leading coworking space and real estate innovation company in Malaysia.
Her inspiration was drawn from the vibrant startup community she experienced as both an undergraduate and graduate student at Stanford University and she envisioned creating hyper-localized communities at each WORQ site. Stephanie’s mission is to revolutionize the real estate industry in Malaysia, with a vision to create a world where people prosper by working together.
In 2019, she was honored with the Malaysian Venture Capital Association’s Outstanding Female Entrepreneur Award. Under her leadership, WORQ has achieved significant recognition, securing nine prestigious awards, including the esteemed TechNode Global ORIGIN Innovation Award for Best Community Builder. Stephanie Ping’s journey is a testament to her dedication to innovation, community-building, and making a positive impact in the real estate industry and beyond.
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Featured image: Annie Spratt on Unsplash
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