WeWork India's Karan Virwani on Redefining India's Workplace Strategy with The Titans

India's Workplace Strategy Shifts to Prioritize Employee Experience

The conversation around workplace strategy has undergone a significant transformation in India. Gone are the days when it was solely a real estate decision confined to the back office; today, it is at the heart of a company's culture, agility, and long-term success. This shift was highlighted at the launch of the initiative, where Shereen Bhan engaged in a conversation with Karan Virwani, MD & CEO of WeWork India, in the curtain raiser episode.

Karan Virwani mapped out the human and financial realities of India's evolving work landscape, moving beyond the pandemic-era narrative of office versus remote work. He emphasized that the office has found a new, more vital purpose, serving as a place where people come together, share a common mission, and experience higher productivity.

Flexible workspaces now account for over 20% of new office leasing across India. With an estimated 10% to 40% of the modern workforce operating on a hybrid model, multinational corporations and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are actively seeking adaptable environments that prioritize employee experience over rigid, fixed layouts.

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To attract top talent and minimize attrition, companies are investing heavily in the spaces their teams occupy. Corporate spending on office interiors has effectively doubled, increasing from approximately ₹2,500 to nearly ₹6,000 per square foot.

Comparison of Corporate Spending on Office Interiors

In a bid to retain top talent, businesses are willing to pay a premium for highly amenitized, collaborative environments. Employees are aspirational, and with the right offerings, they are willing to pay for value.

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While flexibility remains the main draw, long-term commitment has not disappeared. Addressing WeWork India's financial health and sustained 20% to 21% operating margins, Karan Virwani pointed to a clear shift in how large enterprises view "flex" spaces.

Fully committed lock-ins on the flex side have increased to 28 months, indicating a significant change in perception. This compelling conversation reflects a much larger shift underway across India Inc., where businesses are rethinking how they attract talent, deploy capital, scale operations, and build cultures that can sustain growth over the long term.

This shift forms the backdrop for WeWork presents CNBC-TV18 The Titans, co-presented by PhonePe, which will unveil on 12th May 2026 in Mumbai. The summit will bring together business leaders, investors, and disruptors to explore how India Inc. is adapting to changing workforce expectations, shifting market realities, and new growth opportunities across sectors.

The Titans will feature discussions on workplace strategy, GCCs, investment trends, consumer behavior, and emerging business models, highlighting the people and ideas shaping India's next phase of growth.