office space

How Do UK Office Workers Rate Their Return to the Office?

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two cartoon figures in front of a large clipboardWe conducted a poll in May 2022 asking 450 UK office workers to express how they felt their employers had managed their return to the workplace after COVID-19 lockdowns. Limiting our pool of respondents to just UK office workers provided us with the best indication of how businesses across the country managed the extreme transition between remote and in-person working schedules, as this group was amongst the most drastically impacted by mandated isolation.

This poll found that

  • 54.5% of UK office workers found their employer’s roadmap out of lockdown to be well presented, providing clear direction
  • 27.6% of UK office workers felt they were confused by their workplace’s poorly presented roadmap out of lockdown
  • Surprisingly, 18% of respondent indicated that their employers had no plans or roadmap in place for their return to the office
  • When asked to rate their return to the office out of 5
    • 46.2% of respondents rated it 4 or higher
    • 40.7% of respondents rated it 3 or lower
    • 13.11% of respondents indicated that they hadn’t returned to the office

These results paint an interesting scenario, one in which roughly half of UK office workers are happy with their return to the office and the roadmap laid out by employers. Continue reading “How Do UK Office Workers Rate Their Return to the Office?” →

Most Desired Employee Perks for UK Office Workers (2022 Poll)

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cartoon of woman sitting at a desk smiling at her computerWe asked 450 working Britons to rank a list of ten commonly offered workplace factors and employee perks to determine post-pandemic working preferences. This poll made sure to limit selected respondents to office workers, a group whose previously stringent 9-to-5 schedules and daily working rituals were heavily impacted by COVID-19. The ultimate goal of this poll is to provide businesses across the UK with a general indication of the workplace factors and employee perks most valued after the seismic disruptions of the pandemic. Continue reading “Most Desired Employee Perks for UK Office Workers (2022 Poll)” →

London Office Market Sees Highest Level of Occupier Activity since Before the Pandemic

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Recent research undertaken by Knight Frank illustrated increased uptake in the London office space market throughout Q3 2021. The 55% increase in leasing transactions of 2.63 million sq ft leased in Q3 of 2021 demonstrates the highest quarterly increase recorded since 2009. Additional research carried out by Gerald Eve outlined a 30% increase in uptake to 2.8 million sq ft when compared to the previous quarter, something that they attribute to large commitments for space made by major occupants. Knight Frank’s research highlighted the importance of these major space commitments, with 42.4% of all transactions in Q3 being for spaces of 100,000 sq ft or more. To further support this growth in market activity, a report published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed that demand for the London commercial market grew at the fastest rate since 2016 between Q1 and Q2. Despite the pandemic bringing world economies to a near standstill, the London office market has bounced back strongly to witness the second consecutive quarter of increased demand. Here are some of the factors that influenced these high occupancy levels.

Continue reading “London Office Market Sees Highest Level of Occupier Activity since Before the Pandemic” →

Iconic and Influential Office Spaces in London

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As a renowned global business hub, the city of London has attracted some of the world’s most influential companies. This post looks at some of the first-class office spaces that global brands have chosen as their London base of operations.

Amazon

The e-commerce giant has been expanding its physical footprint in London since 2010. In 2017, Amazon moved into a 600,000 square foot building in Principal Place, right in the heart of Shoreditch. Amazon’s innovative character found a match in this Shoreditch building, which also serves as the home for the company’s Local Development Centre.

This building accommodates the company’s head office, a wide range of retail and public spaces, as well as Amazon lockers and restaurants. The 15-storey building also features two roof gardens, top formal and informal workspaces, private phone booths, meditation spaces, a fitness room, and world-class views across the London skyline. Reports from early 2020 suggest that Amazon is currently in the process of searching for more office space in London, illustrating their desire to remain in the British capital moving into the future.

Continue reading “Iconic and Influential Office Spaces in London” →

Benefits and Incentives for London Small Businesses and Startups in 2021

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Recent events have illustrated the fragility of businesses in highly competitive markets. Small businesses and start-ups were thrown into disarray as potential clients, suppliers, customers, and employees were all heavily impacted by the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses across the world, both new and established, turned to support mechanisms to stay afloat. Business grants and incentives, often provided by the government or local councils, served as the difference between some businesses surviving and being forced to shutter their doors. These grants, often characterised by non-existent interest rates and obligations to pay back, are highly sought after in the London business scene, particularly in times of uncertainty.

Commonly regarded as one of the world’s best places to establish a business, London is home to countless such grants, loans, and incentives, ranging from small monetary rewards to life changing assistance packages that allow businesses to quickly establish themselves and acquire the tools or equipment necessary for continued success.

Continue reading “Benefits and Incentives for London Small Businesses and Startups in 2021” →

An Overview of Coworking Spaces in London

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London offers a wide variety of coworking spaces located in high spec buildings, complete with modern facilities, no initial capital commitments, and excellent flexibility with no exit costs.

Coworking spaces are highly appealing to businesses for a number of reasons, chief of which being the fact that they’re commonly plug ‘n play, no matter if you’re looking to rent a single desk or an entire floor. With coworking spaces there is no need to worry about buying furniture, committing time and effort to fit outs, and negotiating tedious lease agreements.

In addition to their plug ‘n play nature, coworking spaces in London provide:

  • Flexibility: In terms of the cost and length of contracts, which makes this type of space suitable for small businesses and helps them manage their finances better during the initial stages.
  • Range of Options: The growing popularity of this office space arrangement means that there is a wide range of options to choose from.
  • High Specifications: Modern facilities in high-spec office buildings, whether they are purpose built or refurbished.
  • Networking Opportunities: An open plan and communal atmosphere that promotes collaboration, networking, and can help establish new partnerships that could be crucial to the development of a business project.
  • Inexpensive Start up: No initial capital or financial commitment required, and no exit or disposal costs.
  • London Prestige: Provides an opportunity to enhance brand image due to London’s prestigious reputation as a global business hub.

Continue reading “An Overview of Coworking Spaces in London” →

Will the Pandemic Change the Rules of Office Space Size?

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One of the key considerations for office-based businesses is making sure that workspace is efficiently allocated. Over the years, we’ve reached some consensus over what’s the best square metre-to-employee ratio. But with the recent developments brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, things may be just about to change.

In this post we’ll take a look at the current rules of thumb on office space size and whether this will be affected by the pandemic.

How Much Space Is Enough?

Continue reading “Will the Pandemic Change the Rules of Office Space Size?” →

London Office Space in Strong Demand

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Demand For Office Space In London

London is a premium office market at a global level, and as such, demand for office space in the British capital is always on the rise. Demand for office space in London is evenly distributed across three sub-market categories:

Established markets are in centrally located areas, like the City of London, London Bridge, Canary Wharf, Tech City/ Shoreditch, Aldgate, and Clerkenwell. In the West End, in-demand sub-markets include Westminster, Paddington, St James, and Mayfair. Other more recently established office markets are King’s Cross and Southbank.

Up-and-coming or emerging office sub-markets are mainly located in South and East London. In South London, demand is stronger in Battersea, Vauxhall, Nine Elms and the Greenwich Peninsula, where many new high-spec offices are being built alongside residential buildings. Continue reading “London Office Space in Strong Demand” →

The Ultimate Co-Working Space Perks In London

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Over the past few years, London has emerged as the world’s capital of co-working. The five-year trend shows that 900,000 square feet of co-working spare (approximately 8 per cent of all new office space in London) are added or taken up in the city every year. Currently, it is estimated that London is home to 156 co-working spaces, and this figure is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years in a reflection of the how quickly the sharing economy gaining traction all over the business world.

Co-working space in London is not only the office accommodation of choice for start-ups, remote workers or freelancers, but it also appeals to large companies and corporates based in the City. KPGM, Microsoft, HSBC, Cisco, and Menlo Innovation are some of the blue-chip firms that currently use co-working space in the city.

Whether they are one-person start-ups or large corporates, co-working space occupiers are often attracted by the perks that this type of accommodation offers. These go beyond a strong entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit and a working environment specifically designed to foster creativity, and include flexibility, all-round support, spaces that foster a healthy work-life balance, and a strong sense of community.

Focus on flexibility and support

In co-working spaces, flexibility is not only evident in the terms of rental agreements, but also in space distribution, as some of these offices are arranged in open plan but also provide private working areas in work pods, or dedicated Skype booths used to conduct private meetings online. And lately, some co-working offices have even implemented a pet-friendly policy.

In terms of support, some of the top perks include:

– Free or discounted use of meeting rooms

– Free tickets to events focusing on entrepreneurial growth, such as those offered to members of Innovation Warehouse, which also offers access to its own incubator and accelerator Continue reading “The Ultimate Co-Working Space Perks In London” →

London’s Ever-Changing Skyline And Its Implications For The Office Rental Market

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London’s skyline and its blend of traditional and modern architecture is certainly representative of the city’s special relationship with its past and future. One of the most distinctive traits of the city’s skyline is its surprisingly low number of high rises, especially when compared to other global cities with a large population and high levels of economic activity. Makeover plans were put on hold or abandoned altogether during the financial crisis, and in other cases they were met with opposition from residents and consumer groups. But recently, an impressive number of development plans have received the go ahead, and in early 2017 there were 119 high rises in the city’s development pipeline. Submissions for planning permission increased by 30 per cent in just one year, and many affirm that the city’s skyline will the fully transformed by 2025.

Which Areas Are More Likely To Be Transformed?

London’s vertical transformation will be most evident in the City and East London. Tower Hamlets will be thoroughly transformed, as there are 93 high rises in the borough’s development pipeline. This area will be home to the city’s tallest skyscraper, once the 75-storey Landmark Pinnacle is completed. Moreover, the construction of the impressive Bishopsgate 22 and 1 Undershaft may make the Gherkin invisible, and similar developments are planned in Isle of Dogs (with the 45-storey Baltimore Tower), the EC3 postcode (with the Scalpel Tower, 100 Bishopsgate, and 60-70 St Mary Axe).

The city’s skyline will also bring a new visual identity to areas outside the city core. Shoreditch will consolidate itself as a major business district with developments like Bishopsgate Goodsyard, Principal Tower, and the Stage. Southwark will have 26 new high rises, and Lambeth and Newham will not be left behind with 32 each. Other areas whose skyline is likely to change include Croydon, Barnet, and even West London, particularly in Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham. Continue reading “London’s Ever-Changing Skyline And Its Implications For The Office Rental Market” →