Around the world, companies of all sizes find space to succeed at WeWork. Our Member Spotlight ( English ) series shares their unique stories.
The challenge: underutilised office space and a fear of change
GE Healthcare is a $19 billion business that specialises in medical imaging, biomanufacturing, and cell and gene therapy technologies. The company has more than 50,000 employees around the world. But a combination of long-term leases and strategy changes resulted in property problems. In Seoul, GE Healthcare Korea had an abundance of under-used office space, resulting in wasted spend and escalating inefficiencies.
The team saw an opportunity to optimize their portfolio. They sought a strategic partner who could save them a significant amount of money while reinvigorating their employees. “When I think about workspace, the people we have, and how we want to enable them, the key word for me is ‘empowerment,’” says Francis Van Parys, president and CEO of GE Healthcare Korea. He wanted to instill a culture of flexibility and collaboration among his employees.
The solution: a strategic partner with operational expertise
GE Healthcare Korea partnered with WeWork to design, build and operate a collaborative workspace that would be cost-effective – even with a prime Seoul location – and transformational for their culture. Mira Lee, HR leader at GE Healthcare Korea, envisioned a space that would bring their culture to the next level and democratise workspace utilisation by letting employees choose where and how they worked. The team wanted to minimise the number of fixed desks and include more flexible spaces for employees to collaborate in, network and host events.
To further emphasise flexibility and optionality, GE Healthcare Korea decided to utilise WeWork global access, which allows teams to work from WeWork offices across Seoul. Global access has given GE employees the opportunity to be closer to their clients and more productive on the go.
The results: cost-efficient space for flexibility, simplicity and collaboration
WeWork delivered the new space in just eight months, saving GE Healthcare Korea money and time. “We achieved a cost-saving project for GE while achieving cultural transformation to collaborate better together,” says Van Parys. WeWork also helped simplify the process. “Before, we managed infrastructures, landlords, utilities. Now we have one partner with whom we work and with whom we can expand with if we need to.”
The new environment is open and collaborative. It encourages interaction, bringing more diversity and creativity to GE Healthcare Korea’s employees and their guests. “Due to the nature of our work, we have many visitors, and they all love the space. The atmosphere at [our] meetings has gotten much better,” explains Young Woo Cho, a GE Healthcare Korea employee in Seoul.
Key highlights
- 15,000 square foot space customised to GE Healthcare Korea’s specifications
- Personalised space encourages employee engagement
- Timely delivery with the entire project completed in just eight months
- Global access memberships allow GE Healthcare Korea employees to take advantage of all WeWork locations in Seoul
WeWork offers companies of all sizes space solutions that help solve their biggest business challenges.