WeWork will seek WELL Coworking Rating for more than 300 locations

WeWork has announced its commitment to pursue the WELL Coworking Rating for more than 300 of its locations, signaling a strategic shift toward health and well-being as a core competitive advantage. This initiative comes as the flexible workspace sector experiences steady growth driven by hybrid work models and a demand for smaller-format spaces in mid-tier markets. By prioritizing third-party health certifications, the company aims to meet the evolving expectations of corporate clients who increasingly factor workplace performance and wellness into their portfolio decision-making.

WeWork, currently the fifth-largest coworking provider in the top 50 U.S. markets, is seeking the WELL Coworking Rating to demonstrate how its flexible workspaces meet rigorous health and well-being measures. This move aligns with broader market trends identified by Yardi Matrix, which show that flexible space has become a staple for employers looking to accommodate hybrid work arrangements while reducing their overall real estate footprints. To achieve the rating, WeWork must document specific strategies across 10 WELL Building Standard concepts—including air quality, water, light, thermal comfort, movement, and nourishment—and submit them for independent third-party review.

The decision to pursue this certification reflects a growing emphasis on workplace performance within the industry. Sam Pickering, managing director of Incendium Consulting (part of the Instant Group), noted that health and well-being have become "increasingly important factors" for global clients when selecting workspace and making portfolio decisions. This focus on wellness follows other recent WeWork innovations, such as the April launch of WeWork Go, a service providing private office pods in high-traffic locations like airports and convention centers to capture demand for focused work outside traditional office settings.

Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), stated that WeWork's commitment sends a powerful signal to the market regarding the necessity of spaces designed for human health and performance. As the coworking industry continues to expand into new formats and markets, the adoption of standardized health ratings provides a framework for operators to validate their environmental and wellness claims. This initiative positions WeWork to better compete for enterprise clients who are prioritizing employee health as part of their long-term return-to-office and hybrid work strategies.