Understanding the strategic role of the office

For the past three years, we have been engaging with the decision-makers on office leases in key UK locations to better understand their evolving needs during turbulent and transformational times.

Undoubtedly, the pandemic brought lasting change to how and where we work, with the daily commute consigned to history for a significant proportion of the office worker population.

During this period, organisations have had time to reflect on what they need from an office and the strategic role it plays in attracting and retaining staff, aiding productivity, and reinforcing company culture.

There is also now a more pressing need for organisations to consider the environmental credentials of their office/s in the context of increasing regulatory obligations, societal expectations and, of course, high energy costs.

These considerations are set against a backdrop of difficult trading conditions for businesses, which will inevitably sharpen the focus with which occupiers scrutinise the value of their offices.

In this report, we seek to identify if a more permanent approach to office usage is now emerging as the shadow of the pandemic recedes. How is hybrid working evolving, and what does this mean for day-to-day occupancy levels? What are organisations and their employees looking for in an office and are their expectations aligned?

We delve more deeply into the sustainability attributes of an office and ask if these features are now expected as standard – especially with new EPC regulations looming on the horizon.

Finally, we look at the increasing importance of wellbeing in the workplace and explore if it provides further scope for UK landlords to differentiate their offering.

We welcome your feedback on the findings.

For a summary of our research, download our slide desk for easy access to the key findings.

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