ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG workplace

In a compelling panel discussion at the recent Bucharest Business Forum, industry leaders explored the complex landscape of modern workplace dynamics, addressing the ongoing debate between remote work and return-to-office strategies.

The Realism development group has introduced the concept of so-called unlimited vacation and encourages all members of its team to use as many days off as possible. At the same time, it has adopted a new method of corporate education.

Whilst significant ink has flowed in relation to the ‘E’ pillar from the vast ESG spectrum, the ‘S’ pillar is beginning to catch up in prominence particularly in the office sector across the UK and Continental Europe. Post-Covid behaviours have had a massive impact on the office offering and workforce demands - the office is by no means dead, but its role has certainly had a significant rethink, writes Mirela Calota, Director, Deal Advisory - Real Estate and Infrastructure at KPMG, in an article prepared for Property Forum.

Office real estate in Poland, as in the entire CEE region, is trying to forge a new identity for itself in the new times of hybrid work and lower demand. Participants in the panel on the future of offices at Future of Real Estate 2023 discussed how this process is taking place. The event was organised by Property Forum and RICS in Warsaw.

IWG, the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with brands including Spaces, Regus, HQ and Signature, is expanding its Hungarian portfolio with four new openings, adding a total area of 5,944 sqm to its footprint. The openings are being delivered in partnerships with different locations that have chosen the IWG flexible workspace platform and have entered into a management agreement with the Regus and HQ brands.

Colliers has appointed Dávid Horváth as Head of Workplace Advisory Services in Hungary. He joined the Colliers Occupier Services team in 2015 as a workspace consultant. After a short break, he will continue as Head of Workplace Advisory Services, which has been strengthened into a strategic business unit, starting from February 2023.

Demand for offices will shrink in the future due to the adoption of hybrid work arrangements, which also helps companies save money, commented speakers of the workplace strategies panel of CEE Property Forum 2022, held in Vienna.

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.

After two years of the pandemic, every fourth woman is considering leaving the labour market, says a study by the McKinsey Global Institute. According to Colliers, this can be prevented and easily reversed by the employer by adjusting the working environment and conditions or by investing in the employee's reskilling. It is necessary to consider as such an exodus of women from the group of productive employees would weaken the Czech labour market.

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.