Say hej to Hej!Workshop
Working from the office is great, but for many a bit restrictive too. And working from home? Comfortable, but quite lonely at times. So, what if we told you that there’s a better place to work between home and office?
You find it in our Kungens Kurva meeting place in Stockholm, and it’s called Hej!Workshop. Opened in early June 2022, Hej!Workshop is the first concept of community workspace owned by Ingka Centres and created in collaboration with IKEA for Business. It’s a generous space that offers all sorts of professionals plenty of meeting rooms, desks, soundproof booths for private calls, and lounge areas at very affordable rates. Hej!Workshop welcomes small businesses who need a dedicated workspace, freelancers looking for maximum flexibility and networking opportunities, retailers needing an extra meeting room for training and team building, shoppers who could use a desk to fit in a little work between browsing the stores, or anyone who wants to drop in and enjoy some focused me-time and work on something they love.
Why is it “better”? Because we took the best of working in the office and created a space where everyone can feel at home. For many people, working at the same desk from nine to five is too restrictive, leaving them little time to organise and enjoy the rest of their lives. And while working from home offers a more comfortable and flexible alternative, it has its drawbacks too, like too many interruptions and no colleagues at hand to brainstorm and socialise with. We believe that the most efficient way to work is somewhere between the two. That’s why we say that Hej!Workshop is a better place – offering the benefits of both without any drawbacks.
To create it, our meeting place team partnered up with IKEA for Business, who brought along their many years of experience in applying democratic design principles in work environments to enhance people’s lives. Our workspaces are not just practical, but playful and inspiring too – in Hej!Workshop, traditional formal work areas and meeting rooms find place next to informal workspaces where people can relax, socialise and network. It also includes privacy areas alongside workout spaces where you can swing from the monkey bars or take a swing at a punchbag. All in a healthy, green environment that follows biophilic design principles and keeps sustainability front of mind.
Our Kungens Kurva meeting place is conveniently located close to central Stockholm, which makes it easy for people to reach Hej!Workshop, cutting out the stress and environmental damage caused by long commuting. With work, shopping and leisure facilities all close at hand, Hej!Workshop allows people to make best use of their precious time, fitting their working lives around the needs of their families, rather than the other way round. We call it “lagom working” as “lagom” is a Swedish word you can interpret as “balanced” – working together towards a more meaningful and balanced life. Hej!Workshop also breaks down barriers and encourages the collaboration and cooperation that makes communities grow stronger. Professionals have the chance to meet other professionals to give life to new partnerships, share knowledge, and get access to all opportunities that come along with networking when we want to grow a business.
Also, the services Hej!Workshop offers are affordable for the many people: we know that everybody’s needs are different, so our charges are as flexible as our workspaces. We won’t charge people for more time than they need, and we’re constantly working on ways to make savings that we can pass on to our customers.
What happens in Kungens Kurva doesn’t stay in Kungens Kurva – we at Ingka Centres have great plans to apply the concept of Hej!Workshop to other meeting places that are part of our portfolio. Every community is different, so every concept of community workspace will be different, too. And while we don’t know yet how each new Hej!Workshop will turn out in different locations, we now its presence in the communities will create opportunities, provide tools, and help many businesses grow.
