Many Aucklanders will have returned to the office after their summer holidays. Some may not have set foot in an office since 17 August 2021, when it was announced New Zealand was moving into Alert Level 4 lockdown - approximately six months ago. This is long enough for new ways of working to be established and new habits to be formed. What does this mean for the future of the office?
While businesses in more recent years have been open to flexible working, lockdown has brought this concept to the forefront of our minds and allowed us to consider the possibilities. Depending on your home setup, some will have seen working from home as providing an improved work-life balance. For example, there was no commute so more time for recreational activities. For others, including me, working from home while juggling home schooling was challenging. Depending on your circumstances, lockdown has highlighted the potential of increased home working.
There have been numerous surveys undertaken globally and in New Zealand which indicate the office is here to stay. The overwhelming majority of respondents want the best of both – the flexibility to work from home and the office. The pandemic has given both employers and employees the opportunity to consider the role of the office.
Rather than a permanent shift to home working, the pandemic has emphasised the importance of offices as critical spaces for creativity, knowledge sharing and collaboration. Although offices have a future, lockdowns are likely to result in people wanting more flexibility.
What do employees want?
Employees want more choice about where and when to work. Fixed hours are not so important if the job gets done. A person may prefer to start at 8am one day, 10am the next day and work from home the following day.
People need more than a place to work. In the office they want to connect with others, grab a coffee and have spaces for co-working and collaboration. Agility is key. They want investment into IT so that systems work effectively and at pace. Location and the environment also play a key role. This means the office must provide appeal. If you can attract talent, ultimately it raises productivity.
People also want businesses to be supportive of their responsibilities outside of work. Well-managed businesses are appreciating that collaboration and productivity all improve when employers understand the daily responsibilities of employees. This includes understanding situations where someone has dependents and may include drop-off and collection of pre-school children, the needs of elderly parents, or partners working abroad.
How do we expect employers will adapt?
Around the globe, the concept of the office is being dramatically transformed. The location, size, layout, amenities, meeting rooms, breakout areas, heating/cooling and daylight are all important attributes when carefully calibrating an effective office. If done well, office space can be optimised, which assists with attracting and retaining talent.
Employers are likely to offer more flexibility around how people utilise the office. There would be some businesses that would say productivity has increased as a result of home working, but they recognise this is not a permanent solution. People can feel isolated and it is difficult to achieve career development on a Zoom call!
People work better at different times of the day, so employers should focus on output rather than time spent in the office. Many employers will be considering hot desking, which means there is no longer a permanent workstation for each employee. Instead, people will find an available desk on arriving at the office or pre-book a workstation. Some may only be in the office for a meeting or short period each day.
If the needs of a business are well understood this can impact overall space requirements and potentially reduce occupational costs. Wherever possible, DABS work with occupiers to understand and optimise their occupational space needs.
The future….
We are seeing a modern evolution, culture and psychology around office spaces. Landlords are having to respond to these needs by providing suitable accommodation to meet occupier demands. At DABS we will continue to invest in commercial buildings and offices in locations where people want to work, live and play.
Our latest offer is 585 Main Street, Palmerston North. This investment provides ground floor showroom space supported by first floor office accommodation. The tenant, Enable, is an example of an essential health care service supported by the DHB. If you are interested in this property syndicate or future syndicates, please register your interest on our web site or contact DABS directly.
For further information or to discuss our current investor offer please contact:
Lara Weaver
General Manager
e. lara@dabsconsulting.nz
m. 021 230 5989
145 Kitchener Road, Milford
www.dabsconsulting.nz
