Occupiers’ property strategies have two clear elements: cost-reduction, and alignment between real estate and wider business aims. Priorities focus on making efficiency gains and enhancing workplace strategies in a quest to “make space work smarter”: in other words, improving both the efficiency and user appeal of their buildings.
Corporates’ priorities also include:
- collaboration between customers, colleagues and co-workers is the top driver of workplace strategy, according to 65% of occupiers;
- 50% see technology as a component of successful flexible working strategy; and
- 70% have tried to reduce costs over the past year by introducing efficiency measures.
So not surprisingly, corporates place greater value on flexibility and the ability to respond to external events. Nearly half pointed to business flexibility as a motive for workplace strategies. Companies will need to adopt a more innovative approach to their space solutions, and a willingness to experiment.