FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
The global real estate advisor has strengthened its Scotland advisory team with the appointment of Ashleigh Corbett as Head of Flex.
Corbett brings a wealth of experience to this unique role in the Scottish property market, having spent the last decade working in sales and operations roles for flex space operators across Scotland including Flexspace, IWG, and more recently Orega. At Orega, Corbett spent six years as Regional Sales Manager where she gained unparalleled insights from an operator’s perspective that will complement CBRE’s existing office advisory services.
The strategic appointment responds to the growing demand for flexible office space from occupiers, landlords and operators who seek to grow their footprint in Scotland. The current provision of flexible office space in Scotland is behind availability in competitor cities, despite strong levels of demand.
In Aberdeen, 1.7 per cent of available office space is flex, with Glasgow offering 1.1 per cent and Edinburgh 2.54 p[er cent. This is low compared to Birmingham (4.5 per cent), Manchester (6 per cent) and London (12.5 per cent).
Corbett will be responsible for securing space for new occupiers, advising operators on growth opportunities, supporting landlords on the diversification of existing office space and managing turnkey solutions, which is a bespoke service now offered by CBRE.
Speaking about her new role, Corbett said: “Joining CBRE at an exciting period of growth, I’m really looking forward to expanding our flex advisory services in Scotland. The demand for flex space has undoubtedly surged over the past five years, and the Scottish market presents an exceptional opportunity to broaden and enhance its offerings.”
Matt Willcock, Executive Director at CBRE, commented: “We’re excited to welcome Ashleigh who brings a depth of insight and knowledge around flex, importantly from an operator’s perspective. As Head of Flex, Ashleigh will play an integral role in the future of flex space in Scotland, which is undoubtedly going to accelerate.
“We have created an exclusive proposition in the market that will benefit our clients, whether that’s landlords, occupiers or operators. We already offer such services in Manchester, Birmingham and London and we’re proud to be the first advisor to do so in Scotland.
“Around 50 per cent of occupiers seeking new space in key Scottish cities are considering flex opportunities. Traditionally, smaller businesses sought flex space, however we are now seeing larger firms, including a significant number of our own corporate clients, also consider flexible office space.”
Corbett’s appointment underlines CBRE’s commitment to the sector, bolstering the existing team led by CBRE’s UK Head of Flexible Office Solutions, Michael Glynn, Jordan Saleh, Head of Flex, North, and Daniel White, Head of Flex, Midlands and South.
Frontline workers form the backbone of facilities management services, serving as the face of the brand and interacting directly with customers. Yet research by both L&G and the Living Wage Foundation reveals the majority feel overlooked and expendable.
Accelerating the problem is a growing technology gap. Despite having 2.7 billion deskless workers worldwide, representing 80 per cent of the global workforce, only one per cent of software and technology investments has been allocated to this segment. This means there is a huge disconnect between frontline workers and their headquarters, leading to lack of sufficient training, communication challenges and low employee retention.
For this webinar, FMJ has teamed up with frontline training platform Lingio to bring together a panel of experts, to discuss how easy-to-use and efficient AI tools can help create engaging and gamified learning experiences that fit the needs of underserved deskless workers. The result? Better software and learning experiences lead to improved staff engagement and reduced staff turnover by up to 95 per cent, according to McKinsey.
To register for the webinar taking place on 11 September at 11:00 am click here.
