For the last two years, we have been observing how the office market is evolving. The pandemic brought a new reality and many changes that redefined the approach of investors, developers, but also managers and tenants of office buildings. Environmental factors, sustainable construction, green solutions and decarbonisation dominate the market trends this year. In the face of a dynamically changing world, people and their needs are once again in the center of attention, and offices that guarantee well-being and care for the safety, health and well-being of employees are in the foreground.
Among other things, there are changes in systems and styles of work. During the pandemic, previously underestimated models of remote and hybrid work gained importance, and offices had to adapt to sanitary requirements and, above all, ensure the safety of their users. According to the Pracuj.pl report, only one in four respondents declares that they would like to perform their duties only in the office. At the same time, even less, only 14.5% would like to work fully remotely. The most frequently chosen option is hybrid work, which as many as 60% of candidates and employees indicated as the preferred model of performing duties in the near future. These are undoubtedly challenges faced by owners and managers of office buildings.
“There are companies that returned to their offices very quickly, and there are also those for which the hybrid system and working from the office 1-3 days a week work well. Some tenants, such as the IT sector, still use mostly home offices. There is a time ahead of us that will lead to some stabilization and balance in these models. As a manager, we focus on providing the best possible working conditions, we want the building and office to be safe, comfortable and attractive for their users. We create an environment where people want to be and which is worth commuting to work. A flexible approach and quick adaptation to the changing needs of employees are also of key importance, e.g. creating friendly places that are not only used to perform everyday tasks, but most of all strengthen interpersonal bonds and a sense of belonging. The offices are now undergoing a transformation based on community building and a strong focus on human well-being,” comments Łukasz Mazurczak, Managing Director of MVGM.
Sustainable construction and people in the center of our attention
Changes in employee preferences did not mean that offices are suddenly no longer needed. Tenants expect spaces tailored to individual needs as well as more flexible contracts and added value. In most offices, the space for teamwork or relaxation zones is growing, there are more conference rooms and common spaces where you can sit and talk.
“At MVGM, we responded very quickly to the new challenges. We have created management standards focused on the safe use of office space, and we have implemented the proprietary program for tenants “People in the spotlight”, in which we focus on positive experience, comfort and well-being of employees. The conditions in which we work have a huge impact on our physical and mental condition. The friendly environment that we create in modern offices translates into well-being, causes no feeling of exhaustion at the end of the day, and in the long run has a positive effect on our health and efficiency, ”adds Katarzyna Jaśkiewicz, Director of Office and Warehouse Real Estate, MVGM.
The original MVGM program “People in the spotlight” shows the company’s holistic approach to the management of real estate entrusted to it. It takes into account operational aspects as well as technical and marketing elements. It focuses on, among others on the ecology of the building itself and the solutions used in it, such as water filters, air quality monitoring, air humidifiers and motion sensors. But most of all, it puts people working in offices in the center of attention, making employees – users of a given building aware of what solutions and technologies that directly translate into their comfort and efficiency of work accompany them on a daily basis, but also what they can do for their well-being. Actions taken by the manager include numerous events as well as educational and information campaigns encouraging, inter alia, for energy saving, waste segregation, alternative forms of commuting, and self-care in and out of the workplace.
People in the spotlight is based on the seven aspects defined in the WELL certification: air, water, light, health, nutrition, comfort and mind. Subsequently, within each of the areas, the manager carries out a dedicated information campaign in the office building, highlighting building solutions and systems as well as the benefits that the user of a given office space derives. In the selected building the program lasts seven months – each month is devoted to activities related to one of the aspects of WELL, which thus becomes the leitmotif for events organized by the manager. And so we have: mind – MVGM educates how to stay calm in the workplace, shows relaxation and anti-stress techniques. Air – the manager focuses on building systems that improve air quality in offices, but also encourages people to stay outdoors (whether near the building or on the way to work, e.g. by bike). The next month is marked by water – MVGM focuses on high-quality water in the building, encourages drinking tap water and adequate hydration of the body. On the other hand, in the month when the leitmotif is light, the manager shows how architectural solutions affect access to daylight in the office, informs about the quality of artificial light in the office space and proposes building solutions that reduce energy consumption and at the same time improve the comfort of staying in the office. given room. The last three actions in the entire cycle are dedicated to health, comfort and nutrition. The manager encourages you to introduce quick and healthy habits into the office everyday life (walking up the stairs, a walk to the next bus stop, breaks for wholesome meals) and to ensure the comfort of work (adequate humidity and temperature in the room, lighting of the desk).
The “People in the spotlight” program was implemented for the first time by MVGM in one of the largest office complexes in Warsaw – Gdański Business Center. In the first month of the campaign, the manager focused on activities around the human mind – employees had the opportunity to experience art, learned how to stay calm in the face of difficult events, and learned relaxation techniques and calming crowds of thoughts. The manager also organized a vinyl records market. In the following month, which was marked by air, MVGM told, inter alia, about the air quality that the tenants of the complex breathe and the impact of breath on the quality of life, and the employees could use the bicycle service and see the exhibition of plants that affect the quality and humidity of the air.
“We make users aware of many issues that they may not have paid attention to so far, and are of key importance for their well-being at work. We introduce both small initiatives, such as encouraging people to travel to work by bike through a free bicycle service, as well as those that require complex activities. Some buildings are modernized, others only need a new arrangement of green spaces, an increase in the number of benches, trees and shrubs around the office buildings. Adaptation to new standards, adapting to the needs of employees and a strong emphasis on sustainable, green and healthy office buildings are no longer a distinguishing feature, but a necessary condition to attract tenants and investors,” sums up Łukasz Mazurczak.
