Insights

So here we are, the fallout from the COVID years is a distant memory, and the nascent return to normality is upon us. Or is it?

The question many occupiers, agents, landlords, and designers have had to ask themselves in the previous 18 months or so is: ‘How far do we go to make our offices feel like home away from home?’ It’s no secret that many organisations would prefer – and that some have mandated – their employees to come to the office at least a couple of days per week. However, it’s not easy for traditional office spaces to match the comforts of home. Indeed, it wasn’t until February 1 2023 that the rate of employees returning to the office eclipsed 50 percent.

Light, volume, comfort, environment are now the buzzwords where once efficiency, functionality, and cost-effectiveness held sway. Stoneway has seen a dramatic shift in occupier demand for quality space, with good natural light and common parts. In cases where fitted or turnkey space is at the forefront of the search, it’s higher quality finishes and thoughtful furniture pieces that set one office apart from another.

I began my career as an office agent back in 2009, where a bouclé upholstered Danish armchair was an object for a hotel lobby, and biophilia would be something you would ask the doctor for advice on. The office of 2024 has had to become a destination, not just a workplace. Personally, this trend has been a huge boost for us as agents and consultants, as we are now in the market for clients with a much more discerning eye than in previous years.

2024 and beyond promise the continued balance of work from home and the office as a destination. As such, relocation decisions and workplace strategy have never been so important to businesses.

Written By Shaun Heywood