The changing nature of the workplace and the future of office space

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline key changes happening within occupier businesses that will have a medium- to long-term impact upon the demand for office space and, ultimately, the property investment market. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on survey work undertaken for the City of London Corporation as well as direct experience in advising corporate occupiers on their accommodation needs. Findings – The findings suggest major changes taking place in the demand profile of office occupiers, in terms of both quantitative and qualitative demand for space. Practical implications – There are a number of practical implications arising from the findings, not the least being the need for investors to consider the appropriateness of current standards for base building design and fit-out in contemporary offices. Originality/value – The paper presents the output of primary research and consulting and is therefore of an original nature. Its value lies in the fact that the findings reflect the actual experiences and plans of corporate occupiers and can be taken as reliable indicators of future demand for office space.

The influence of the physical work environment of business centres on social networking and knowledge sharing in the Netherlands

“…The office building has become a setting for social interactions, collaboration and idea generation (Johns and Gratton 2013;Sykes 2014). In addition, the demand for spaces other than regular workspaces is increasing, for example in the form of event spaces, informal meeting spaces and project spaces (Harris 2015).…”

From walls to experience – servitization of workplaces

“…Consequently, traditional offices become out-dated and companies need more engaging spaces to attract people to the office (Määttä, 2012). They need more spaces such as informal meeting areas and event spaces (Harris, 2015). The office becomes a mediator between people, tasks, and other activities people perform and is used for social interactions (Vischer, 2008;Sykes, 2014).…”

Differences between business center concepts in The Netherlands

“…The serviced office market experienced a rapid growth over the past decades (Harris, 2015). The demand for office space shifted from a demand for only office space to a demand for more flexible and adaptable office space with more support services and managed technology (e.g.…”

“…Municipalities increasingly steer on facilitating start-up enterprises, SME's and self-employed people in business centers which offer affordable office space with a low service level (Mensen and Van Rijt-Veltman, 2005). Over the past decades, office space in business centers has been improved and extended with shared facilities and services to create value for both the tenant and the office owner (Peltier, 2001;Harris, 2015). Although business centers as a product have become more branded (Gibson and Lizieri, 1999), the business center sector is still difficult to define.…”

“…On the other hand, there is a growing demand for other spaces than a regular workplace in the office itself, such as meeting areas, project spaces and event spaces (Barber et al, 2005;Harris, 2015), because of the increasing social importance of office buildings as a setting for social interactions (e.g. Sykes, 2014;Van Meel and Brinkø, 2014).…”