Bengaluru: WeWork India, one of the country’s leading premium flexible workspace operators, has announced a refreshed suite of progressive employee wellbeing policies – Women’s Wellness Leave, as well as an extended Work-from-Home flexibility for primary caregivers, and an upgraded, future-ready health insurance framework – highlighting its commitment to building an inclusive, empathetic workplace aligned with the needs of today’s workforce.
Employee expectations have shifted markedly in recent years, with greater emphasis on wellness needs, caregiving responsibilities and long-term career wellbeing. The new policies are designed to address these realities in a structured, meaningful way, ensuring employees feel supported through different stages of their personal and professional lives.
In order to support diverse caregiving responsibilities, primary caregivers (of all genders) returning from parental leave, including biological, adoptive and commissioning parents as well as LGBTQIA+ families, will be able to work remotely for up to six months. This flexibility will enable a smoother transition back to work. Effective 5 January 2026, all women employees of WeWork India are eligible for one fully paid day of women’s wellness leave per month. The policy also covers transgender women and non-binary employees who menstruate. A key differentiator is that the one day of women’s wellness leave per month may also be availed to manage symptoms or issues associated with perimenopause, menopause or postmenopause – largely a taboo subject in India, rarely discussed in public settings due to deeply ingrained cultural attitudes. This initiative reflects WeWork India’s commitment to fostering a workplace that acknowledges health needs and promotes dignity, openness, and a stigma-free approach towards menstrual and menopausal wellbeing. Additionally, a new sabbatical policy will allow employees completing a five-year tenure milestone to take up to one month of unpaid leave for rest, learning, volunteering or other personal pursuits, recognising long-term service and the need for renewed focus.
Commenting on the wellness strategy, Priti Shetty, Chief People and Culture Officer, WeWork India, said, “Employees today manage diverse health needs, shifting family structures and evolving aspirations for meaningful personal growth. These policies address three critical realities – menstrual and menopausal health directly impacts workplace participation, the transition back from parental leave can shape career trajectories, and long-term contribution requires periodic renewal. By embedding this support into our culture, we are strengthening both our people and our organisation, and setting a new standard for inclusive employment in India.”
Alongside the wellness policies, WeWork India also provides a comprehensive insurance framework. Guided by three core principles – listening deeply to employees, using data responsibly, and designing coverage that reflects the diverse needs of different life stages, families, and health journeys, this approach underscores the organisation’s continued evolution and commitment to people-first practices. Recognised for one of the most comprehensive Group Medical Insurance policies in the industry, WeWork India has strengthened its offering for 2026 with additional enhancements, including doubling pre- and post-natal expense coverage over and above existing maternity limits, and increasing support for psychiatric and psychosomatic treatments for both IPD and OPD care. Additional enhancements include coverage of up to ₹50,000 for prosthetic devices or medical equipment required due to accidental claims, ₹1 lakh for planned sterility procedures, and cervical vaccinations. Equipped with employee insights and evolving demographic needs, including a rise in the average employee age to 31 years, WeWork India has structured a flexible and expansive health benefits plan. The company has curated six new customisable add-on options, enabling employees to tailor their health coverage to better support their individual and family healthcare needs.
Together, these initiatives reinforce WeWork India’s commitment to building a workplace that evolves with employee expectations and consistently sets new benchmarks for wellbeing, inclusion, and culture. Since inception, the company has taken a forward-thinking approach to people practices, rooted in the belief that employee wellbeing drives productivity, trust, and long-term organisational strength. Over the years, WeWork India has introduced several progressive, industry-leading policies, including insurance coverage for partners of LGBTQIA+ employees, an additional 10-days personal time off, scheduled for the end of 2025, over & above their progressive leave and holiday policy. Benefits such as a ten-day workation that allows employees to work from anywhere in India further reflect the company’s focus on meaningful work-life integration and empowering employees to stay productive while exploring new environments, thus making it a great place to work.