Zoom opens new office in Marina Bay

SINGAPORE – US tech firm Zoom has moved to a new office in Marina Bay that features an expanded area set up to showcase its latest innovations.

This “experience hub”, as the company calls it, can stage live demonstrations of new artificial intelligence (AI) features for customers keen on experiencing Zoom innovations first-hand.

One feature allows users to request an AI Companion that can execute actions like shifting and rescheduling a low-priority meeting. This involves integration with third-party apps like work platforms Asana and Microsoft365.

The videoconferencing company, which had been operating from a co-working space in Asia Square Tower 2, will carry out a range of other functions in the new 7,500 sq ft office, including sales, marketing, research and development, human resources and finance. Employees will start working there from Aug 25.

Zoom has also expanded its data centre infrastructure here, underlining Singapore’s importance for the firm, said Mr Lucas Lu, its head of Asia, adding: “The new Singapore office and expanded ‘experience hub’ space demonstrates Zoom’s continued commitment to this market.”

An engagement hub, which is designed to empower hybrid work across in-person, remote and distributed teams, is another feature of the new facility.

Employees who live near the office need to be onsite two days a week to interact with their teams, and the hybrid working arrangement has been found to be “most effective” for Zoom.

“The role of the office has evolved. It’s no longer just a place where people come to do their jobs. Our new design strategy supports those moments when being in person adds real value,” Mr Lu added.

California-based Zoom’s global headcount grew steadily from pre-pandemic levels of about 2,700 in 2020 to around 8,500 in January 2023. Layoffs in February 2023 reduced this by 15 per cent to 7,400 or so in January 2024, noted a Bloomberg report.

Around 50 per cent of its employees are based in overseas locations such as Singapore, Japan, India, London and Australia. Zoom did not disclose its employee strength here.

Supporting front-line workers

Zoom launched new features in April designed to improve communications among shift workers in industries like retail, manufacturing and healthcare

These include enabling employees to request and manage shift swopping from their mobile devices and accessing critical information and safety protocols on the go. It also has a push-to-talk function that enables real-time communication.

A study released in June that polled around 1,700 front-line workers across multiple industries in the Asia-Pacific found that about 30 per cent said the communication tools their companies use “feel designed for desk workers”, and not them.

It also noted that poor communication and engagement have made deskless workers feel underappreciated.

Mr Lu said: “We are having active conversations with several companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and construction in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as Singapore, which is an encouraging sign that we’re headed in the right direction.”