Coronavirus: Co-working sector takes preventive measure to tackle pandemic

After a sudden surge in the number of Coronavirus cases in the country, the employees at Co-working sector are taking measures to contain the deadly virus at their offices. The premises are being cleaned regularly, and disinfectants are being provided to everyone at the shared space. The sector has also allowed the employees to work from home as the sector tries to combat the pandemic.

Talking about the preventive measures for a safe working environment, Sparsh Khandelwal, founder, Stylework said, "We are getting our offices sanitised and are not charging any additional cost from clients. We are also advising people to follow a hygienic and healthy lifestyle."

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Stylework has also been requested workers to avoid crowded places. They have made sanitisers and masks available for employees and are arranging a professional team to provide free Coronavirus testing to their employees.

More than 1.18 million are employed in around 35,000 co-working spaces globally. As per reports, India alone had nearly 1,000 co-working locations as of September 2019. Presently, India is the second-largest market for the co-working sector after China.

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Coronavirus hits the co-working industry

Coronavirus has not just economically affected the global trade, tourism and billions in stock markets, it has also hit the co-working industry severely.

"Currently, 10 percent of office spaces are occupied by co-working and are expected to rise to approximately 25 percent in the next few years. As per a report by real estate consultancy firm CBRE, in Q1 2019, the co-working segment witnessed a 277 percent an upsurge in leading to nearly 3 million square feet. The sector grew by 70 percent every quarter," says Abhay Chawla, Founding Partner, India Accelerator.

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India accelerators have advised its workers to follow the Government advisory on travelling to high-risk countries besides taking measures to maintain the hygiene. The company has advised sick individuals to rest at home and made tie-ups with hospitals.

"The company reportedly believes that the drop in clients is due to the virus and people are avoiding sharing office space in the fear of getting infected," adds Chawla.

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(with inputs from ANI)