Skift Take
The hotel giant is quietly tip-toeing its way across Europe, but a hospitality slant may prove to be a weakness rather than a strength.
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Favorable winds are blowing behind Accor’s co-working brand Wojo. It has now launched dedicated spaces in Germany and Austria, while in its home territory of France, the government is ceding control of remote work — or “teletravail” — regulations to companies.
Wojo has also just completed a three-day takeover of a football stadium in the heart of Paris, designed to showcase to employers that employees can work or have meetings in "extreme" locations, according to its CEO.
Suites, stands and lounges at the Parc des Princes, home of the Paris Saint-Germain football club, sold out in hours. The changing rooms were considered, but with no natural light Wojo decided not to include them. "We want to show companies that things have evolved," said Stephane Bensimon. "Companies need to find a new model, to show a day here can be efficient, and productive. You meet people, and it inspires creativity."
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Accor has been rolling out its Wojo Spots — effectively a secure Wifi connection and a plug — across the group's brands, including Ibis and Adagio, for several months. But on September 1 it expanded deeper into Europe. "What we’re doing with the German Accor team is transforming meeting rooms and offices, and in Austria as well," Bensimon added. Playing Catch Up The stadium publicity stunt was likely needed to shake up mindsets in what is a conservative country. "Culturally, management likes to have their teams close to them, physically speaking," said IWG's Christophe Burckart, managing director, Regus France, Monaco and North Africa. "France is c