FOCUS CORPORATE REAL ESTATE
According to Cooper, flexible spaces are
a good solution in providing employees
somewhere that makes them happy and
inspires creativity and productivity.
“Some of the key requirements include
location, facilities and amenities, price,
and hygiene. There are operators that
have spaces aimed at certain industries or
sectors. The key is to evaluate a space based
on your business needs, consider everything
from the reception area to communal areas.
Talk to other people already working there
and ask yourself if the culture is a fit for your
company.”
TAILORED APPROACH
It is expected that the
switch to a hybrid
model could
have an impact
on leasing,
with owner/
occupiers
looking to
optimise
existing o ice
space and
repurposing
existing o ice
space to meet
changing needs. Carroll
of JLL advises that employers
who lease larger spaces will have
to adopt a tailored approach to meet the
demands of their business and employees
in much the same way as any other
business.
“Repurposing existing o ice space to
provide employees with the flexibility they
30 APRIL 2021
need, particularly as we move out of the
pandemic, will be of utmost importance.
Vast swathes of uninterrupted fixed desks
will likely become a thing of the past,
replaced by multifunctional work areas.
Standing meetings and protective furniture
such as highbacked pods and broad
armchairs will also be encouraged. By
optimising o ice space in these practical
ways, larger spaces will remain attractive to
occupiers who have a workforce with rapidly
changing needs.”
Plum counsels it’s a matter of taking a
long hard look at current business and user
needs. “O ices should add value to the
work being carried out but if that is
to be the case, organisations
must understand what
people need (not
what they want) to
be e ective.
“AWA’s stance
for many years
has been on
maximising
agility in all
aspects of
organisational
operations.
Avoiding long term
commitments which
act as a real brake on
change if things either ramp
up or slow down might be a better
plan moving forward. Fixed assets are
very di icult to flex when you need to, so
while keeping things flexible may be more
expensive in the short term, COVID has
demonstrated the high cost of long leases
when things change quickly.”
The use of digital technologies to help run o ice
space will also play an important role in helping FMs
manage real estate more e iciently and enhance
occupier comfort and safety. Plum believes there is the
actual safety to consider, as well as a feeling of safety in
helping people feel reassured and comfortable.
She warns: “One bad experience will be very di icult
to row back from. Trust is huge here. Do people trust the
organisation to keep them safe? Are employers doing
their bit to reduce hygiene anxiety?”
Being able to book a desk in advance, via an app
for example, will be particularly useful in workplaces
regularly working at maximum safe capacity or if oneway
systems are in place.
Davies says: “Searching for a desk can waste
significant amounts of time, especially if someone has
already commuted some distance into the o ice. Where
few desks are available relative to the number of people
or employees have to walk around a one-way system to
find a workstation, this could grow further still. Sta that
have come into the o ice to work with colleagues will be
able to coordinate through the app to find collaborative
working areas.”
With JLL recently joining forces with GoSpace AI to
create a dynamic occupancy planning and management
o ering, Carroll predicts this kind of technology will
enable FMs to deliver an experience-centric workplace
for occupants.
“Technology will be fundamental in empowering
businesses to manage spaces e ectively, all while
making safety a priority. A truly integrated digital
workplace that meets and adapts to the needs of the
workforce is where we see the future.”
Technology will be
fundamental in empowering
businesses to manage spaces
eƚ eFtively all Zhile makinJ saIety a
priority. A truly integrated digital
workplace that meets and adapts to
the needs of the workforce is
where we see the
future.”
(i) www.corenetglobal.org/stayinformed/newsdetail.
aspx?Itemnumber=44626
(ii) www.us.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights/research/global-hybrid-
ZorkmodelsemerJinJZorkerprofi les
(iii) www.local.gov.uk/topics/housing-and-planning/one-publicestate/
about-one-public-estate
/newsdetail.aspx?Itemnumber=44626
/global-hybrid-work-models-emerging-worker-profiles
/about-one-public-estate
