Around the world, companies of all sizes find space to succeed at WeWork. Our case studies share their unique stories.
As we head into the future, one thing is clear: The new workplace experience is people-first.
Businesses are becoming more open and transparent, giving employees the tools, information, and space they need to do their best work. Workplaces are increasingly global, with employees collaborating from all around the world.
Slack, the workplace communication tool, provides a digital platform for the free flow of relevant information between employees. Slack helps companies become more open, transparent, global, human, and authentic.
“Slack enables employees to be more connected and collaborative,” says Robbie Kwok, Slack’s vice president of people. “We help them build a community with each other not just through work, but interests inside and outside of work. I really think that we are living up to our mission, which is to make people’s working lives simpler, more productive, and more pleasant.”
Since Slack’s launch in 2014, Slack has amassed more than 10 million active daily users in 150 countries. Customers range from small startups to 65 of the Fortune 100, across virtually every industry.
The challenge: How do we grow and put people first?
Slack is headquartered in the heart of San Francisco, with 10 other offices in cities around the world, from Vancouver to Tokyo. As they’ve scaled into each market, Slack has ensured that each new office meets their unique requirements.
“When we think about how to design our spaces and how we want them to function, I have an amazing north star: Slack, as a tool,” says Deano Roberts, Slack’s vice president of global workplace and real estate.
That means creating a space where employees can do their best work. Roberts and his team approach the workplace experience with empathy. They consider what employees need to be inspired and productive: areas where they can collaborate and space to focus. Best-in-class technology and tools to get the job done. Centrally located offices near public transportation.
When evaluating real estate partners, Slack knew they needed one whose values and approach aligned with their own. They saw WeWork as a kindred spirit.
“When I look at the most meaningful and impactful workplaces, I think there’s a deep alignment between tools, culture, and spaces,” says Roberts. “Slack is a collaboration hub where people can come together to do the best work of their lives. And WeWork is a physical manifestation of that.”
Slack was also looking for flexible real estate solutions that wouldn’t tie up their funds in 10- to 15-year leases.
“For any company, expenditures on capital is a dollar that we didn’t spend on R&D, it’s a dollar that we didn’t spend on marketing, it’s a dollar that we didn’t spend on head count,” says Roberts.
That’s why, when it came time for Slack to build out a New York–based team, they partnered with WeWork.
Slack’s New York office started out as a two-person sales team, which included Julie Maresca, now Slack’s director of large enterprise sales. They set up shop in a WeWork coworking location, but soon needed more space. In less than three years, the New York team had grown to nearly 100 employees in sales, customer success, engineering, and professional services.
The solution: space to get work done
In collaboration with their broker, Slack and WeWork built a custom, 15,231 square foot private floor office, which was completed and moved in to just eight weeks after the deal was signed. The team now resides in a private WeWork space in a prime New York City neighborhood.
It’s warm, inviting, and outfitted with Slack’s branding and custom artwork. Each personal workspace is built with ergonomics in mind. Conference rooms and various seating areas give Slack employees places to meet, formally or informally.
It’s truly a place that fosters productivity, connection, collaboration, and community.
The results: transforming work, together
Slack’s New York team feels at home in their space.
“WeWork creates a home-like feel here at work, and people love that,” says Maresca. “It allows us to shift quickly into work mode, but still get that energy, that warm, inviting vibe that we would have in our home lives.”
“For me,” Roberts says, “the litmus test is when I go into a space 80 days later and our employees tell me that they’re having a great experience.”
From the success of the New York office, Slack knows they can turn to WeWork as they grow their presence around the world.
“We believe we can change work from the thing that people have to do to the thing that people love to do,” says Ali Rayl, Slack’s vice president of customer experience.
Key highlights:
- Custom space designed to meet Slack’s requirements
- Slack branding and unique touches throughout
- Ongoing strategic partnership for scaling into new markets
- Flexible agreement terms reduce capital expenditure
- Timely delivery of space
WeWork offers companies of all sizes space solutions that help solve their biggest business challenges.
