Our Global CEO, Steve Quick, and Chief Revenue Officer, Michael Casolo, spoke to journalists across the globe last week, telling the likes of Fast Company that the future of commercial real estate is very much alive. And the Unispace methodology is key to helping our clients’ real estate portfolio evolve and survive.
What will the future office look like?
COVID-19 has shaken the world of workplace. With lockdown came the rapid rise of home working. This left many questioning the need for a workplace and its long-term role. Last week, many media outlets were quick to ask our new CEO, Steve Quick and CRO, Michael Casolo what they thought.
Steve Quick, Global CEO, told Fast Company “I think we’re going to see a lot of companies looking for answers on what the post-COVID workplace will look like. We’ve all seen the arrows on the carpet and the yellow caution tape across every other workstation, but that’s probably not the most elegant answer for the future.”
Now is the time for businesses to assess their short- and long-term workplace strategy. Steve also spoke to The Australian, telling them we’re beginning to see businesses adapt to our new hybrid work model ‘Propeller’, which blends the best of home working with the best of the office. He predicts 40% of workers will work from home up to three days a week in 2021. As a result, we estimate a 20% to 30% reduction in office space for many occupiers.
While there will be a reduction in space, the office will still play an important role for businesses. Steve told Mix Interiors "Beyond the current pandemic, there may in fact be a stronger emphasis on the office as a gathering place to do business and a greater recognition of the intrinsic emotional benefits of face-to-face connectivity. We envision a future where the workplace will focus on innovation, collaboration, community and culture-building."
Hear Steve talk in more detail on this on ABC Radio.
Rethinking your workplace needs
This is a great opportunity for businesses to assess and evolve how they use their space to bring value to their people. Our data shows that many workers have welcomed the shift in focus work at home. This is balanced with the desire to collaborate and innovate face-to-face, which is where the role of the office will adapt. By partnering with Unispace, our clients can implement changes seamlessly as conditions evolve.
Michael Casolo, Chief Revenue Officer, told Fast Company about the value of good workplace design. “The things that most greatly influence the end result [are] the strategy, the design, and, ultimately, the execution of the design — everything from the construction to the furniture to how the space is set up,” he says. Our unique approach means this can be done in house, from strategy to design and construction. “You have far greater control,” says Casolo which means a far better result overall.
We’re well positioned as a global workplace specialist to design and build our clients’ future offices based on their space requirements.
- Read Fast Company’s ‘Are offices dead? Not yet, but real estate power brokers are betting on a new strategy’ write up.
- Read the 'Unispace names new CEO and Chief Revenue Officer' article in Mix Interiors.
- Read the full ‘CBDs will recover, but slowly: Unispace’ article in The Australian.
These publications may require a subscription to read in full.
