Workplace Blog

HR Director Lydia Ings discusses leadership in an agile working world.

By Elias van Herwaarden, Head of Location Strategy, Colliers Occupier Services EMEA

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a common and generally acceptable opinion of the office space and work from home, among many companies and office space users, implied that offices represented a place of work, productivity and gathering of employees, while work from home was not introduced at all as a standard way of working.

Big Data, AI, Smart Building, Smart Office… at a time when data is everywhere, it is increasingly influencing the design of work environments.

The office space has evolved into more than a place where employees perform their professional activity: it now represents the brand and image of a corporation.

The concept of flexible workspace is surging across the European market, with providers throughout EMEA taking advantage of its growing popularity. Yet the market does remain hugely fragmented, with more than 6,000 providers in cities across the region.

Last week we welcomed over 300 colleagues from 40 countries to our bi-annual EMEA Conference in Vienna – the city of music.

Across Europe, occupiers are increasingly looking at how flexible workspace becomes part of their business model.

HAN PAEMEN, Workplace Solutions Manager at global real estate advisor Colliers International, has specialised in NWoW for 15 years, advising large companies about how developing working environments can support business strategies.

A good space to work in is not just determined by quality furniture and design. The importance of creating a positive atmosphere that makes you feel good when you enter an office, whilst also delivering a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’, cannot be underestimated.