The big discussion 2020: the office

In this session our expert panel explore some of the alternate futures for the office.

The panel

• Andrea Finn, Partner, Simmons & Simmons
• Elaine Rossall, Head of UK offices research, Jones Lang LaSalle
• Nigel Fuller, Senior Fund Manager, Legal & General Investment Management
• Richard Croft, Executive Chairman, M7 Real Estate
• Ross Blair, Senior Managing Director, Hines
• Toby Ogden, Chief Commercial Officer, The Office Group

The discussion is moderated by Ali Crosthwaite, Partner, Simmons & Simmons.

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Some of the key takeaways...

• Central business districts have been important for centuries and have adapted over that time - this will happen again.

• Companies will still want and need a "hub" - a central location that allows for collaboration and which showcases the brand of the organisation. Hubs may get a bit smaller but not necessarily cheaper over time as offices become a 'destination location'.

• Counter to that came a view that affordability would be the key driver in coming years which would drive the importance of regional hubs - people may use the fact that the commute is less likely to be a 5 day a week grind to live further out in cheaper areas.

• Health and wellbeing have gone up the agenda for employers and will form a bigger part of the decision making in relation to the design of space going forward.

• The war on talent means occupiers need to think more expansively about what their office is for - it is not just a building for everyone to get the work done rather it needs to be what the employees want it to be.

• There has been a lot of buzz around the idea that people have been very productive in lockdown but there are now some more negative impacts on productivity coming through. There is a query as to whether it is as easy to generate new business and develop new relationships over zoom.

• Different experiences depending on seniority - would there be a different discussion if you replace the panel with trainees/juniors who see the office differently? For that demographic it is not just what happens in the office but what happens next to it.

• In relation to the "hub and spoke" model (a central hub and then suburban working (perhaps in flexi spaces) for the days that the workforce is not commuting) there was some scepticism as to whether this would actually take off as you could end up with a very big number of spokes depending on how dispersed your workforce is.

• Health & safety legislation carries criminal liability - so far companies have not really caught up on the "physical workspace" in homes - during the pandemic there has been much more focus on mental wellbeing. This is likely to change as the remote working period becomes more prolonged if the second spike doesn't look like it is going to be brought under control or reversed.

• There was a strong view across the panel that it is impossible to replicate the benefits of human interaction on zoom and that companies shouldn't rush to make major decisions in the middle of a pandemic.