To stay competitive in the post-Covid world, one thing is for sure: strategic decisions need to be made.
In our most recent Asia Pacific Client Pulse Survey, 43% of business leaders cited workplace strategy as their biggest concern along with three key questions they are considering:
1. What is the purpose of our workplace?
2. What should our workplace look and feel like?
3. How should we structure our real estate portfolio?
The pandemic has forced businesses to re-evaluate the ‘why’ of their workplace. When speaking to our clients, we find that more than half of their employees value the physical office as a place for connection and community, and this is a great starting point for analyzing what your workplace could and should be.
Case study: Collaborate to innovation
The Unispace Auckland studio is one of the first built examples of a post-Covid workplace. From our strategy engagements, we found that 82% of staff believe that being together with colleagues supports innovation and creativity. This insight gave us a clear purpose when designing our new Auckland studio, with space reimagined to support innovation, problem-solving, and, community.
With a clearly defined workplace purpose, we can start to pull together the details of how the space will look, feel, and function, considering:
Case study: Reducing space to reinvest
This global software solutions provider was looking for a new ecosystem of work settings and spaces. Insights from our strategy engagements revealed that employees strongly valued remote working. However, more than half wanted to come into the office to collaborate, and more than a third needed somewhere to meet with clients. With these insights, the company decided to consolidate three separate premises into one shared space across 1.5 floors. The resulting workplace has an almost even balance between problem solving, innovation, and community, enabling them to achieve a 60% reduction in seats and a 48% reduction in commercial real estate.