ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG flex

Ana Nekhamkin, Vice President of Real Estate and Projects and Michał Kwinta, City Lead Poland at Mindspace talked to Property Forum about their second office in Warsaw, the development of the flex office sector and the potential effects of high inflation.

Panattoni has completed an investment in the Warminsko-Mazurskie province. Almost all of Panattoni Park Elbląg's space has been leased to Flex, a global supplier of equipment and technology. The facility is also used by the courier network DPD Polska. 

Savills, along with its flexible office specialist Workthere.pl, anticipates that flex office stock in Europe will reach circa 20% of total office stock across the continent over the next 10 years. However, this will vary significantly by location and working culture, as the definition of what is considered ‘flex’ broadens.

With energy prices rising at an unprecedented rate and the system of governmental discounts on utility bills in Hungary significantly changing, working from the office might become a more attractive option even for those that love working only from home. In the coming months, not only employees but employers will also try to reduce their energy use. Energy-efficient office buildings will further increase in value as they will become a more attractive option for tenants. Flex and serviced offices will also see increased demand as they will be able to provide a more financially stable option for tenants with utility costs included in the rental fee.

One of the main advantages of working in an office is the opportunity to be around colleagues. Social interaction in the workplace is known to boost creativity and productivity which is why companies are focusing on providing employees with more space for socialisation and teamwork. As post-Covid working habits are still rapidly changing and the reorganisation of corporate headquarters takes time and money, many employers are providing their employees with the opportunity to work from flex offices, according to market feedback gathered by CEE-based operator New Work.

CEE-based flex office provider New Work has opened a new location in Prague. New Work Smichov Business Park offers fully furbished office space with up to 245 workstations in one of Prague’s most lively areas, with many offices and an outside terrace overlooking the Vyšehrad castle as well as beautiful green areas along the Vltava River.

One of the leading flex office providers in CEE expects to see drastic changes in the office market during the coming years. Property Forum talked to Hubert Abt, CEO of New Work about the drivers of the rapidly evolving world of workplaces.

IWG plans to add thousands of locations in the upcoming period as it sees pent-up demand for flexible office spaces across the world. At MIPIM, Property Forum talked to Thomas Sinclair, Chief Investment Officer and Giles Bateman MRICS, Regional Development Director – Continental Europe at IWG about the benefits of flexible spaces for corporates and the post-pandemic development of offices.

The change in the office market which we witnessed in 2021 was only the warmup for what is to come in 2022 and forward. The sharing economy and digitization are driving the disruption in the office industry and the adaption of hybrid work models from international corporations are acting as a booster. New Work’s annual Flex Office Market Report 2022, presented in Warsaw and broadcasted internationally, provides some insights.

Analysis of 44 key office markets in EMEA showed a 155,000 sqm increase in the total amount of flex workspace, according to Colliers. This increase equates to 25,000 extra desks. Contributing to this increase was the addition of 285,000 sqm of newly opened space, but this was offset by 130,000 sqm of space that closed and a further 23,000 sqm that was abandoned. However, nearly a third of the space that closed was due to WeWork streamlining its business in key European locations such as Barcelona, Copenhagen, London and Oslo.