For a few years now we have been seeing an evolution of office space on the Polish market and terms such as ‘open space’ and ‘modern office’ have entered our language for good. We are also currently finding ourselves in the midst of one of the most considerable transformations taking place on the job market which is being forced to adjust itself to the presence of increasingly younger staff and the ever present technology. What does the term ‘office’ mean in today’s world? What aspects is it being used for and what exactly does it mean for an organization? What are the expectations of end users, i.e. the staff, as regards office space? The CBRE consultancy, using its long-term experience in implementation of office fit-out projects, took the decision to investigate the perception of office space in Poland. As part of the survey more than 500 staff were asked about their expectations as regards an office and their experiences relating to working in different types of office space – the findings are published in a report entitled “How we want to work?”
How does experience affect understanding
There are three different ways of arranging space on the office market: individual offices, open space and the latest solutions in the form of flexible offices. Respondents were asked to provide an opinion as to each of the three arrangements. The findings show that, irrespective of the role / position held within the organization, the respondents’ views on the key aspects of office layout are comparable. The Poles’ deeply ingrained habits mean that we still prefer working in the familiar to us individual offices arrangement. The younger generation of staff tends to be slightly more open to new solutions, and thus sees them in a more positive light. The views on modern arrangements vary depending on the amount of experience with working in this type of space. Those that have had the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of flexible offices such as out-of-the-ordinary working stations, i.e. sofas and armchairs, quiet work rooms and creative areas, show more willingness and understanding towards this type of a concept.
Ideal space – what does it mean
Part of the survey carried out was aimed at verifying what factors relating to office space are of key importance to its users. The following aspects were named most often from amongst the package of amenities: ability to control the working environment (i.e. air-conditioning, blinds, lighting), convenient access to public transport and access to daylight. Interestingly enough, those features were of significance for all the groups surveyed: interns, specialists and managers. Importantly, these qualities were named as being of the greatest consequence by those responsible for the decision making process relating to real estate for their organizations throughout the entire EMEA region. Factors such as availability of services and flexible working arrangements came closely behind.
Ideal office – take care of it yourself
The current working style in the majority of organizations is all about independence and creativity of their staff, while at the same time effective flow of information and knowledge have to be ensured. This approach to work is reflected in the different ways office space is currently being arranged and the new technologies that are being applied in performance of everyday duties. The office is now becoming a place for meetings with one’s team and exchanging knowledge and experiences; it is being perceived as the space where we lead our lives. The change in perception is extremely important, it makes staff and employers realize how important an issue the quality of the space is.
Katarzyna Gajewska, Senior Consultant, Research and Consultancy Department, CBRE
Katarzyna Gajewska - LinkedIn
The result of the changes taking place is the flexible office concept that offers staff a broad range of possibilities, starting with giving them the choice as regards their working station and manner in which they work. This means the ability to change places from day to day and work within a different environment: either isolated or within a team, nearer a window or on a sofa. Flexible offices provide numerous different solutions in respect of meeting spaces, comfortable furniture, common areas and small rooms for holding one’s telephone conversations. Advanced new technologies allow us to quickly book a room, hold a video conference, connect to the Internet from whether we are in the office and also to have a rest and unwind.
For the findings of the survey and the full version of the report please go to: http://hwwtw.officego.pl/.
