--- title: "Flexible working: the next franchise frontier" url: https://burnaze.com/article/0234242b-fd77-400e-a802-1b22a6b82c3e source: "Global Franchise" original_url: https://www.global-franchise.com/news/flexible-working-the-next-franchise-frontier author: "Amanda Peters" category: "Franchise Industry" industry: "Franchise Industry" topics: ["Development & multi-unit"] published: 2020-02-28T15:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T22:33:03.850Z image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1497366811353-6870744d04b2?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop --- # Flexible working: the next franchise frontier **TL;DR:** The flexible working revolution is driving growth in the serviced office market, with IWG offering franchise partnerships to capitalize on this trend. The market is estimated to be growing at 24% annually, according to Forbes. *By Amanda Peters, originally published in Global Franchise on 2020-02-28. [Read the original](https://www.global-franchise.com/news/flexible-working-the-next-franchise-frontier).* ## Key facts - 80% of professionals require flexible working - Flexible workspace market growing at 24% annually - IWG has over 3,400 centers in 120 countries ## Story Appetite for flexible working is strong around the globe. Working in different locations is now accepted as the ‘new normal’ by almost threequarters of business people globally and professionals are even prioritizing flexible working as a benefit when choosing their job. According to the IWG Global Workspace Survey, 80 per cent of professionals said that they would turn down a job that didn’t offer flexible working, showing that the flexible working revolution is here to stay. Additionally, 85 per cent of respondents confirm that productivity has increased in their business as a result of greater flexibility– and this trend is only set to continue. ## Business benefits **Big business benefits** One key benefit is that flexible workspaces provide an antidote to everybody’s most hated activity – the commute. By adopting a flexible working model, businesses can boost productivity and happiness for their workforce. Time spent in transit is cut and people have more time to complete their work before enjoying time at home. The business benefits are big, too. Not only can businesses save on outsourced real estate by avoiding significant set-up costs, long-term investment and long leases, but they can retain talent and expand their pool of recruitment by enabling people to work in an inspiring space close to home. Because of this, using a flexible workspace is also good for business growth. Moving into new markets and geographies can be done with ease, while the flexibility of the space enables companies to expand, or contract, as required. The flexible working revolution allows everyone to reap the benefits, from employees and entrepreneurs to start-ups and multi-billion-dollar companies. ## Market growth opportunity **Conquering a new frontier** Flexible working is an unmissable opportunity; the market is estimated to be growing at about 24 per cent annually, according to Forbes. This makes the serviced office market one of the most exciting new growth opportunities in the franchise sector, with three in 10 buildings on every high street offering a new franchise opportunity in the coming years. Demand for temporary offices, meeting rooms, and coworking areas is growing exponentially as the workforce diversifies and globalizes, but to take advantage of this opportunity, the franchise frontier must be conquered. > “Demand for temporary offices, meeting rooms, and coworking areas is growing exponentially as the workforce diversifies and globalizes” As the global operator of leading workspace providers, IWG is offering the opportunity to form a franchise partnership with its operating brands such as Regus and Spaces. The opportunity is for individuals and companies looking for a multi-site franchise, in a fast-growing market with a strong, global partner. ## Franchise partnership **Breaking new ground** IWG is the first flexible workspace provider to offer a franchise opportunity to expert partners worldwide. IWG, with a network of over 3,400 centers in more than 1,100 cities and 120 countries, has launched its franchise offering based on its proven business model with over 30-year experience and leading global brands like Regus and Spaces. It’s an opportunity to diversify away from traditional franchise industries while benefiting from strong cash returns, with access to over 2.5 million customers, and rely on a strong partner to maximize your investment. Andrzej Mrozek-Folkierski, global corporate development director, IWG, said: “Partnering with IWG gives business owners the ability to participate in this growth story and take advantage of the huge demand for flexible, contemporary workspaces – one of the most exciting growth markets worldwide. “Our years of experience in the industry and our well-established global network has taught us that building a quality flexible workspace offering requires trust and support. We work closely with our franchisees to ensure that they have a framework to find the right location and design, backed by the strength of our operational and marketing support and the global customer service that IWG is known for.” The flexible office market has reached a tipping point and IWG is seeking franchise partners to help drive the pace of its growth across the world. - Have the financial and organizational capability to open at least five IWG locations over a two- to three-year period? ## Entities - Franchise Industry (sector) - Global Franchise (publication) - franchise opportunity (topic) - Multi-Unit (company) - Forbes (company) - market growth (topic) - Amanda Peters (person) - franchise partnership (topic) - Regus (company) - IWG (company) - Spaces (company) - flexible working (topic) --- Originally reported by Amanda Peters, Global Franchise (https://www.global-franchise.com/news/flexible-working-the-next-franchise-frontier). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/0234242b-fd77-400e-a802-1b22a6b82c3e).