roundtable


The Business Magazine and office design and fit-out specialists Area Sq hosted this roundtable, in the newly designed ‘agile’ offices of OpenText at Thames Valley Park, Reading, at which invited business representatives discussed .....


The evolution of modern business workspace


Participants


Gary Chandler: MD, Area Sq James Finnis: Director - office agency, JLL


Simon Fryer: Director, Fryer Commercial


Stephen Head: Director, business space disposals and acquisitions, Hicks Baker


Peter Laurie: Head of client relations, The Business Magazine


Spencer Meredith: Project director, Area Sq


Aki Stamatis: Chairman, Fourfront Group


Dave Stevens: Property integration manager, Just (previously trading as Just Retirement and Partnership)


Lined up to debate: the Roundtable team Journalist John Burbedge reports the roundtable highlights


Wanted: workplaces that attract and retain talent


Area Sq, part of Fourfront Group, has seen its industry evolve from fitting out building interiors to creating innovative workplaces for businesses. “That change has been driven by realisation of the importance of business culture and its relationship with the workspace that is provided to attract and retain talent,” said Aki Stamatis.


An agile working environment – enabling and empowering employees to work productively where, when and how they choose – has become the objective of many businesses.


When creating workplaces Area Sq considers three inter-related aspects: people, space and technology. “The interaction of these things is critical to how businesses maximise their assets today.”


Area Sq’s development work for landlords has also changed: How ‘intelligent’ should buildings be to create commercial value; what type of fit-out, how much technology is needed to attract tenants?”


The recruitment and retention challenge was driving businesses to offer more flexible working practices and “a more modern workspace”, Giles York agreed, and landlords were aware of the ‘war on talent’ among business occupiers.


36 businessmag.co.uk


“We are seeing things evolve. Businesses want a higher standard of working environment to keep their staff happier.”


What type of fresh workspace concepts are needed?


The company canteen is outdated, said York. Today’s agile workplaces require better onsite workspace options plus nearby refreshment, leisure, and retail choices – such as gyms, pools, barista-style coffee shops.


York’s mention of ‘The Clubhouse’ in London with its stylish high-grade serviced meeting and work areas providing a flexible community-style space, prompted comments on the rising appeal of co- working, hot-desking, incubator and, accelerator space.


Having previously worked in traditional company premises Simon Fryer highlighted today’s preference for breakout and collaboration areas (“I now have more interactions in the Regus kitchen than my Bracknell office”), serviced offices and flexible working (“The car park is noticeably emptier Monday and Friday.”).


David Stevens added: “You need to discover what agile means for your organisation and then invest to make sure it works.”


Agile working is fully embedded in current David Thomas: Partner, Vail Williams


Giles York: Investment and asset manager, Kennedy Wilson Europe


Leeson Medhurst: Head of workplace consultancy, 360, part of UK commercial interior specialist Fourfront Group, chaired the discussion


working practices, said David Thomas, “… but without fully understanding how your people work and what they actually need, it might be disruptive.”


Stephen Head said providing attractive agile workplaces supports staff engagement, but wouldn’t necessarily reduce space. “Businesses may simply use the same space in different ways.”


Peter Laurie asked which sectors are adopting agile working and whether the UK can learn from others, such as the USA.


Stamatis: “In some workplace aspects the States are well behind us, in others they lead, but the change funnelling through certain industries is very real. For example, there are new ‘wow!’ workplaces that you would never realise are legal practices.”


“The big boys are investing heavily to have attractive offices; the small ones would if they could, and make do if they can’t. There are different requirements,” said Fryer.


Head recalled last century’s prediction that home-working technology would make


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – FEBRUARY 2017


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