by IZZAT RATNA / graphic by TMR

IWG, a global workspace provider, has recently added 314 new office buildings to its network in 2017, amounting to an additional 5.5 million sq ft of workspaces to date.

Founder and CEO Mark Dixon said the increased appetite for flexible workspaces reflected that business leaders are seeing the benefits that they offer — and that 2018 could be a tipping point in attitudes to work globally.

“Businesses around the world are increasingly recognising that flexible workspace can create competitive advantage, cut costs, boost productivity, and help attract and retain talent,” he said in a statement.

“We are at the tipping point — and the results of this will transform the working experience for millions of people.”

The additional office spaces are equivalent of 116 Wembley Stadiums, 261 Sydney Opera Houses and about 3,718 Olympic swimming pools.

As such, IWG is planning to open even more workspaces across the world. Currently, IWG is present in regions across the world including the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.