FOCUS INTERVIEW
more of a concern for Legal Real Estate leaders
who want to avoid ‘bottleneck occupancy’
and empty or under-utilised space on other
days of the week. We see some law firms
implementing social team initiatives and food
and beverage benefits to encourage a more
even distribution of oˆ ice-based work across
the week.
Although law firms are engaging with their
workforce to agree or prescribe new working
patterns, we can’t lose sight that patterns will
also be aˆ ected by individual firm and team
practice requirements. It seems very unlikely
that a ‘one size fits all’ solution will emerge.
Flexibility and a clear understanding of the
trade-oˆ s involved will be critical.”
Q: Are you detecting any cultural/demographic
workplace trends within the sector?
“We see both a cultural and demographic
workplace contrast within the Legal sector.
42 JUNE 2021
From a cultural perspective, workplace
trends have been dictated by diˆ ering
government directives across the globe.
For example, lawyers have been deemed
‘critical services’ in Europe and parts of
America, which has encouraged higher
oˆ ice occupancy levels than in the UK. City
infrastructure, such as in Singapore, has
also impacted workplace trends. Some of
our Law Firm clients stated that the home
working environment and lack of space
have encouraged lawyers to return to the
oˆ ice.
From a demographic and work role
perspective, we see a split in behaviours.
Partners have sometimes struggled with
new or unusual working arrangements.
Some of our law firm clients have indicated
that they have adapted more readily to
working from home than envisaged. Still,
they will continue to use the oˆ ice as
restrictions ease.
By contrast, at Associate Solicitor level,
family needs have dominated future
oˆ ice occupancy decisions, whilst trainee
solicitors want to get back into the oˆ ice
most regularly to benefit from shared
learning practices as a more conducive
working environment.
Business support roles in the fee-earning
space have mostly adapted well to working
from home. This will only accelerate the
need for digital technology enhancements in
the Legal sector to support with digitalising
postal services, archiving, secretarial tasks
and other administrative services.”
Q: Does your research suggest healthy
buildings, particularly regarding air quality,
is seeing a surge in demand?
“Enhancing the experience of a workspace
is one of the key ways to attract and retain
talent. Providing good indoor environmental
air quality is one way of achieving this – an
area that has gained focus amongst our law
firm clients due to the pandemic. This has
been to ensure that ventilation systems are
not just a contributing factor in controlling
the spread of the virus and recognising that
improved indoor air quality is of growing
importance to employee satisfaction and
performance.
Measuring indoor air quality is vital in
ensuring that pollutants are identified,
enabling adequate levels of incoming fresh
air and the reduction or elimination of
internal sources of pollutants. Our engineers
have been undertaking work with our
major law firm clients to facilitate indoor
air quality improvements via changes to air
handling units and enhanced monitoring
of air quality. These activities also support
a move to a more formal recognition of
environmental management and control
through the WELL accreditation(ii).”
FURTHER INFORMATION
CBRE’s EMEA Legal insight report detailing
future workplace strategies will be
published on the CBRE research website:
www.cbre.co.uk/research-and-reports
REFERENCE NOTES
i httpshost.cbre.com
ii httpswww.wellcertifi ed.com
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engineers haYe been undertaNing worN with our maMor law fi rm clients to
facilitate indoor air Tuality improYements Yia changes to air handling
units and enhanced monitoring of air Tuality.ƌ
/research-and-reports
/host.cbre.com
/www.wellcertified.com
