As more and more businesses implement home-working models for their workers, the case for tasks and meetings to be moved online is convincing – after all, it has been proven that there are some financial and environmental benefits to working from home. However, for industries that require in-person working or those who prefer the social element of the office, these benefits are outweighed, which is leading to a growing demand for office space by developers. Because of this increased competition, development companies are driven to provide better service, and in turn this shows in the quality of offices being built around the UK.
Competition Demands the Best
With increased competition comes the need for businesses to step up and improve the offering that they provide to customers. In the office development space, this means that developers are recruiting the very best to manage their services. There are a range of businesses who offer solutions for office developments and managers, such as cleaning, parking, and removals firms. For example, On the Dot Removals offer a range of services for developments like the new business centre for Temple Quay, leaving them able to stand out from the crowd. By responding in this way to competition, businesses are sure to provide new product offerings and services to suit a range of individuals within their target audience.
The Drive for Sustainability
Increased competition also means that office developers are having to consider elements of building that wouldn’t have been on the radar before, such as sustainability. In recent years, environmental sustainability has risen right to the top of the list of priorities for businesses and consumers alike. With 94% of Gen Z agreeing that businesses should take an urgent approach to environmental or social issues that affect their generation, this comes as no surprise. For local authorities, this means that development firms who offer a sustainable alternative to traditional office buildings have the best chance of beating the competition. Some sustainable office aspects that are being introduced by developers include:
- Environmentally friendly building materials:
Large-scale office developments have traditionally been built to specific designs using materials that are cost-effective regardless of their environmental impact. However, local authorities are working more frequently with businesses who use sustainable materials like bamboo and cross-laminated timber. Using these materials brings long-term sustainability for businesses and gives them a secure standing with which to respond to changes in environmental national and international law.
- Optimised locations:
Creating a sustainable office space also relies heavily on building in the right location. For city-based offices, employees will often be directly contributing to increased pollution when travelling to work, and this is sending a large number of developers away from ultra-urban areas and into the outskirts of big cities, in order to prioritise locations that make it easier to be sustainable.
- Design that drives employee satisfaction:
It’s no secret that in recent years more and more people have started questioning the impact of office space design and its impact on the environment. These people include office employees who wish to see their working environment greener and more energy efficient. By designing spaces that promote employee health and wellbeing through environmentally friendly solutions, office developers can invite businesses who want to see more for their employees, and who will subsequently be more willing to stay for a longer period.
Prioritising User Wellbeing
As part of these considerations, office developers are creating spaces that prioritise the wellbeing of their users. These designs include collaborative and individual workspaces built into state-of-the-art facilities which drive up the popularity of the space. These elements are in a large part the answer to the question of increased competition in the office development sphere. With lower availability for quality building space, as well as less demand from the general workforce thanks to increasing levels of people working from home, developers are proving their worth through the prioritisation of the end user, rather than the businesses who might rent their space.
Technology
An often-overlooked element of the office space revolution is the impact that improving a business’s technology can have to fight off increasing competition between property developers. By designing office spaces to accommodate better online connectivity and newer equipment, developers can increase the benefits that come with their spaces, while solving many of the problems that have traditionally been faced by older buildings.
While there are some property development businesses who prefer to stick to the path that they know, it’s clear that, as competition increases thanks to limited development space and high demands from consumers, a new approach is needed to fend off competitors in the world of office development. Through offering the very best services and employing the right support companies, as well as prioritising sustainability and new technology, office development firms can stand out from the crowd.
