BENGALURU: It’s no longer just the established companies which pamper their employees during sports matches. The trend has caught on with startups and co-living spaces too. With the ICC Cricket World Cup scheduled to begin on May 30, several youngsters will be flocking to their own residence or office spaces to watch the matches rather than making the usual trip to pubs and bars.
Co-live, a co-living startup launched in March, is going to provide several such hubs in the city. The firm has properties spread across areas close to the IT corridor, such as Nagawara, BTM layout, Bellandur, KR Puram, HSR layout, Whitefield and Marathahalli. “We plan to set up cinema rooms in some of our properties in each cluster, with a screen, projector and audio systems. We have four to five properties in each cluster, and eight clusters in total,” Gautam Kini, head of marketing, Co-live, said, adding that one or more properties will have the screening and residents living in that cluster, for example, Bellandur, will be invited to attend it. “This fosters a sense of community and helps people make new friends or network,” Kini added.
Co-living spaces distinguish themselves from paying guest accommodation by having facilities such as fitness and recreation rooms having board games, ping pong and foosball, and weekend events such as karaoke and movie nights, and stand-up and open-mic shows.“We also screened IPL matches recently. For India matches in World Cup, screenings will be organised in more properties,” Kini said. Another co-living space set to go buzzing for the event is Grexter Living. The residents here, aged 18-30 years, comprise students and young officer-goers.
“Going to a pub to watch a match does not give the feeling of belonging to a community,” Radha Deodhar, community brand manager, Grexter, said. “Youngsters like to socialise, and co-living spaces have activities and properties designed for people to get to know each other,” she added, recalling that during the IPL screenings, they organised a pizza party and also painted people’s faces. They also organised screenings of Game of Thrones as early as 6.30am.
“For the World Cup finals and semi-finals, we plan to organise bigger screenings in a few clusters and invite everyone. The matches will be screened in the common area on the ground floor or terrace. Snacks and soft drinks will be served and residents can bring their own alcohol,” Deodhar added. Also gearing up for the matches are startups. Instamojo, a fintech firm, is planning to hold a screening for their employees for the first time.
“In a cricket crazy nation and office like ours, we understand the bond our employees share with the sport. Moreover, with World Cup being a once in a four-year event, it is impossible to miss out on the adrenaline rush,” Barnali Roy Chowdury, VP-Human Resources, Instamojo, said.
“Experiencing the live screening within the office premises will help our employees deal with Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), create a fun-filled environment and also help them beat work stress. We encourage them to maintain a work-life balance to avoid burnout, and such initiatives will help them work towards the same,” she added.