Hub Australia

As CEO and founder of Hub Australia, my leadership role centers on building a values-driven national business that puts hospitality and experience at its core. My responsibilities include people, cash and strategy. I’m deeply involved in high-level decision-making, partnerships and ensuring we deliver world-class workplace experiences.

Evolving Community in Hybrid Work

Whilst community is synonymous with coworking, every business and every operator has their own definition. At Hub, hospitality best describes what “community” at Hub has evolved to. Not to be confused with customer service (e.g., our barista coffee or welcome desk), but the experience we provide is the way you make someone feel. In a hybrid world, the office is no longer a default—it’s a choice. I believe that workspaces need to earn the commute. And in the midst of a costof-living crisis, that bar is only getting higher. Employees are paying in time, transportation and lunch money to show up. So, the experience has to feel worth it.

At Hub, that means moving beyond surface-level perks. Our hospitality-first model is focused on everyday moments that make the workday easier, smoother and more human. From lifestyle concierge services that handle dry cleaning and last-minute errands to personalized moments of care, Hub is redefining what it means to feel well taken care of at work.

These aren’t flashy amenities. They’re the kind of thoughtful details that make people feel seen—and make them want to come back. Because in the future of work, the commute won’t be earned by free snacks. It’ll be earned through emotional connection, genuine service and a workplace experience that actually supports the way people live and work.

What Community isn’t and why Flex Matters

The most obvious is that all of the workspace briefs that come to market from large tenants include the requirement for flex and that all landlords are, in return, meeting the market with either their own offering or partnering with operators like Hub. What’s more, landlords are recognizing that “flex” means so much more than just workspace on more flexible terms than a traditional lease. It’s the value add that keeps their tenants and their teams using the workspace, which means that they remain tenants for longer and at higher rent.

Undervalued Experience Elements for Attracting Talent

Diversity of different workplace settings in the office is important. Decision-makers need to recognize that their workplace needs to cater for so many different ways of working and sometimes paradoxically, need to cater for so much more than just work. So often the main reason your team is coming into work is actually the social connections!

In our recent Love Where You Work report, 85% of respondents said they would not work for an organization that has dropped its DE&I policies. Despite a global trend of major companies like McDonald’s and Meta pulling back on DE&I investment, it's clear that employees still place a high value on inclusion and equity in the workplace.

The report also highlighted a concerning rise in burnout, with 56% of respondents having experienced it during their careers. Alongside DE&I, businesses must prioritize work-life balance and mental health support. Today’s employees are seeking workplaces that actively prioritize the well-being of their team.

Policy Shifts to Accelerate Flex Growth

1. Coworking is not just for freelancers and startups. In fact, the biggest users of flex globally are growing businesses and enterprises. Just like the hotel industry, there is a coworking space to suit your brand, business and budget.

2. We need to stop talking about hybrid work as a binary choice of work from HQ or work from home, otherwise we will miss so many of the productivity and work-life balance benefits that are on offer from all of the third places that people can work from.

3. Mandating days at the office, or at home, misses the point and it’s been frustrating to see this even politicized. The optimal mix will differ depending on the company and the person and further it will change over time.

Design the Environment with Hospitality First Approach

At Hub, we are redefining the flexible workspace sector by bringing genuine hospitality into the office experience, built on the principles of five-star service, not just flexibility. With a family background in the luxury hotel industry, this approach is deeply personal to me. But it’s not about simply adding a café or concierge. It’s a deliberate reimagining of what the workplace can be, drawing inspiration from fine dining, luxury hotels and high-touch service environments to reshape how people feel at work. And two others, if I may—HR should always be on the workspace selection committee and second, your workplace is an investment in your people, not just a cost center, whatever you choose makes a statement about your culture and brand.