The value of occupier experience and building community are key factors in attracting and retaining occupiers, often uniting landlords, occupiers, and property managers in a common quest: the creation of community within commercial buildings. We hear from one of the long-term occupiers at the Workman-managed Westside campus in Hemel Hempstead, along with its asset manager.
View from the occupier: James Wilkinson, Operations Director, Europe, DAI
“The engagement strategy at Westside and the community it creates was part of the reason we moved into this building when it was refurbished six years ago. We wanted to be with other people, to interact, and that gives us a reason to be here beyond the bricks and mortar.
Now, post-pandemic, it’s important to us to get people back into the office. Because we are purely about knowledge management, our work happens best when people come together. We need to attract them out of their homes and make the office a worthwhile destination.
At Westside, people can get their dry cleaning, beauty treatments, coffee, lunch – so it’s not just about being at work – they take care of life admin too. But more meaningful than that is the social factor, which is making a huge difference in getting people in. On days when there is something going on at Westside, our attendance figures go up, and other businesses based here have noted the same.
The recent Sustainability Week organised by the Welcome team struck a chord with all of us, because sustainability is a big part of what we deliver as a company. Our environmental team had some input to help shape the event, and we encouraged our employees to come in. People wanted to support the events, to see what was going on, and to talk to other people. It was fantastic to see people sitting together, chatting, smiling and playing giant Jenga.
The events here mean that people from different businesses get to know each other, and it becomes a wider community. Working relationships and friendships have been built up, and now people from different companies meet for a coffee, have a chat and share ideas.
Equally, when the Wellbeing Week was held, our employees were keen to join in the activities, especially the puppy training classes. People are also enthusiastic about supporting Westside’s adopted local charity Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter (DENS), and we have adopted the same charity. We run joint fundraising events which are well supported, such as last year’s sleep out.
Having a collective cause that we’re all part of is a great reason to bring people together, and it makes a difference that it’s local. Similarly, our Christmas market hosts local suppliers, which people love, and some of our employees have also sold their products or services including homemade candles and yoga classes at events here. It’s supporting this building’s community, and also the community around us.
There are regular formal meetings with the property management team, but there is also constant informal communication. For example, some of our employees recently raised concerns about the range and quality of food on offer at the onsite café, so the team here arranged for a survey to be carried out among all the occupiers, and for the café operator to come in and listen to the findings. The café has since made changes according to the feedback.
It makes the place feel very collaborative, and we know that we’re not just a tenant account. We don’t have to send an email, we can just talk face to face, and they actively engage with us. Here, the receptionist knows who we are and chats with us every day. It makes our working lives so much easier when we’re on a first-name basis with the people who provide the services.”
View from the asset manager: Charlie Seaton, Head of Asset Management, Roebuck
“In the post-pandemic world, the importance of creating a culture of community within commercial buildings has taken on new significance as employers rise to the major challenge of attracting their staff back into the office.
Today’s workers demand flexibility, and this has resulted in a hybrid system of working. However, I am a great believer in the benefits of the office for a sense of community, workforce camaraderie, training, and information sharing – all of which can only be achieved in a collaborative office environment. Owners and managers of out-of-town campuses such as Westside can assist with the repopulation of the office by delivering community-led initiatives that cannot be enjoyed while working from home.
Of course, creating a sense of community alone is unlikely to change the dial in terms of working habits, but done efficiently and consistently, it certainly helps. Workman’s onsite property management team at Westside has done a brilliant job with these initiatives and has helped Westside continue to be a vibrant place to work in the aftermath of the pandemic-driven re-evaluation of the purpose and use of the office. The management team ensures that the voices of the occupiers and their employees is well represented. Plus, there are lots of varied initiatives promoting community, sustainability, and awareness; and the introduction of on-site amenities such as dry cleaning and car valeting gives busy people some of their precious time back.
Engagement programmes are an increasingly important attraction factor for occupiers who are looking to re-locate, especially since these employers have the advantage of choice in a market that is becoming over supplied. ESG is a key factor in attracting and retaining occupiers. Within this, social interaction with peers and other tenants forms an important role. In a world where flexibility has become the main driver in people’s working lives, the office needs to be more than just somewhere to go to work in order to attract the workforce back in more meaningful volumes.
It is clear that occupiers who become part of a community at workplaces such as Westside are more likely to stay put for longer. The office must become more meaningful than just a place to conduct business. It needs to be a community, thriving on social interaction, collaboration, and activity that can’t be replicated remotely.
But ultimately, occupier retention is difficult to pin down. The role of the office has been under intense scrutiny because of the change in working habits and unpredictable levels of re-occupation post-pandemic. The result has seen downsizing and consolidation of occupational portfolios. However, locations like Westside, which work hard to become destinations offering a healthy environment to work in and an excellent management team promoting a sense of place, will perform better than the majority over the medium term.”
Read more about how we are Building Community within our managed portfolio.
Do tenant engagement apps really enhance the occupier experience? Or are property managers jumping on the tech bandwagon for its own sake, only to find end users within workplace communities are underwhelmed?
For building technology like tenant engagement apps to become truly integrated in occupiers’ lives, it must pass the “toothbrush test”, explains Eleanor Newton, Senior Associate at Workman. “It has to be so essential to the user’s experience of the building that people absolutely have to download the app, and critically, that they have to use it at least twice a day,” she says.
At Republic, spread over four buildings comprising 720,000 sq. ft of office, educational and retail space, the app generates a QR code for users to enter the building, much like an airport boarding pass. Meeting rooms are bookable via the app, which can filter appropriate spaces according to the date and number of guests. Visitor management is also taken care of – but here only employees who have certain privileges set up on the app can register visitors, who then receive QR codes providing access to limited areas of the building, along with directions via direct emails generated automatically through the app.
Uniquely, Republic’s occupiers are a mix of universities and education providers, and financial businesses. At certain times of the year, such as September when new cohorts of students arrive, there is a pinch point which previously meant that security personnel were overstretched producing entry passes for thousands of enrolling students.
“Printing access control passes, even working around the clock, would take a couple of weeks, whereas with the QR codes, university administration staff will be able to upload the new joiners’ information directly onto the app in bulk, which will generate the QR codes simultaneously, meaning far greater efficiency,” says Eleanor.
Transactions for beauty and health services booked in the onsite treatment room, are dealt with via the Stripe payment system, also accessible via the app, but with payment going directly to the independent retailers. In addition, the app delivers information on upcoming events, discounts for local and onsite businesses, live travel and calendar updates, as well as providing a repository for the building handbook, fire muster points, and risk assessments, which are all accessible only to office managers.
A future additional development for the Republic app will be the capacity for occupier satisfaction surveys, along with incentives for completion, a further way in which technology can help improve occupier engagement when used effectively.
Tenant engagement apps – no one size fits all
Having parted ways with a previous app that was introduced at Republic, the onsite team is well-aware that choosing the correct app for each building is key; recognising that different buildings require different service levels and have a variety of budgets available. The new Republic app, developed according to the needs of the site and tailored to its occupiers, has been rigorously tested before being rolled out to end users.
“In cases where we are creating a bespoke app for a particular building and its occupiers, the key to success is down to very regular meetings with the developers – and closely mapping out what you want from the app. There is a lot of involvement required from front-of-house and facilities management teams as well as property managers to make it work,” says Eleanor.
Conversely, an off-the-shelf app has been selected for One Stratford Place, which can deliver the requirements of both landlord and occupier at a fraction of the cost of a bespoke product. For this building, which is significantly smaller and with fewer bookable amenities such as treatment and meeting rooms, the simpler product meets the occupiers’ needs but also the client’s budget.
And striking the balance between the two is the Park Life app at Breakspear Park, which does not go as far as access control provision, but allows users to access information about an array of benefits, amenities, and news updates, as well as fitness studio membership, and food purchases. Everything around occupier experience is driven via the app, which reinforces the sense that this is an exclusive community. And in terms of attracting new occupiers, the app is seen as a benefit.
“We never roll out a tenant engagement app just because it’s working in one building. We always assess needs and requirements on a case-by-case basis, and select a supplier accordingly,” Eleanor says.
At Republic, information is also displayed via digital signage displays and directory boards. This bespoke digital communications platform helps Republic support its community and sustainability programmes, as well as providing key features such as hyper-local weather and DLR departures for the two closest platforms, East India and Blackwall.
“We control 100% of the content on the digital screens. Every member of the onsite team has been photographed and there’s a story about each of them on the reel, to raise their profiles and visibility among occupiers’ employees. We can also communicate waste data and recycling statistics on the screens, as well as sustainability messages such as the impact of leaving monitors on overnight. And once we have indoor air quality data from the IBOS system, we will be putting that onto the screens too,” explains Eleanor. “We have seen that occupiers like having direct access to information that they would otherwise have to request via email.”
The rules of engagement
Whether it’s a bespoke app for a multi-occupier campus office, or a simple off-the-shelf product, the key is that the technology is only as good as the onsite teams running the building. The front-of-house, facilities and property management teams must be engaged in making sure the information on the app stays relevant and up to date. It is vital to pinpoint what makes the app most beneficial to users, and what works in the best way for them.
In short, no matter how sophisticated the technology, it’s nothing without consideration of occupier needs, effective implementation, and close engagement with occupiers to encourage usage.
Can tenant engagement apps enhance the occupier experience? Not unless it has the right team behind it.
Read more about our approach to Building Community across our managed portfolio.
How to make places help people to generate social value? Linking up with local councils, schools, and social enterprises can embed commercial property in the local area, helping buildings contribute to vibrant communities.
Sustainability does not begin and end with carbon reduction. The “S” of ESG – Social – has a huge role to play. The buildings in which people work, play, and shop define and shape their neighbourhoods, especially in cities, where they can have an enormous social impact upon communities. So how can investors and property managers ensure assets benefit both occupiers’ employees and the communities that surround them?
What is social value?
Creating social value involves engaging communities both within and around a development. When buildings support environmental, economic, and social wellbeing, they improve the quality of life of people using them by providing access to services and integration into the wider economy and society. Across the Workman-managed portfolio, our strategies are specifically designed to engage occupiers and visitors, to draw in the local community, and make buildings a part of the local community.
Great Northern: creating spaces that people fall in love with
Located in the heart of Manchester city centre, Great Northern is a mixed-use site, home to a cinema, bowling, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, shops, and public square. It takes its role as part of a wider community seriously, offering services to local businesses and residential areas neighbouring the site.
A new space, “The Village Hall”, is open to any business on site for meetings and training sessions. The Workman team holds meetings in the space, and it is used by community groups such as a female choir group, and a parents-and-tots group.
Separately, “Little Northerners” is fitted out as a free space for families aimed at pre-school children for active and constructive play with a dolls house, a tepee, and construction blocks. Once a week, the space is hosted by a Play Facilitator. This is next door to the “Book Nook”, a free book-swap library run by volunteers from neighbouring residential block Great Northern Tower and from Manchester University, who organise and alphabetise the books. The space is used throughout the day, with a turnover of 1000+ books per month.
Outdoors, a public amphitheatre area has been created in the square at the front of the site. For summer, this was transformed into a giant sandpit with 50 tonnes of play sand, buckets and spades, and a large, wooden structured playhouse, free to use at any time of the day. A Forest Tots practitioner runs free weekly play sessions, which see children pour into the area, accompanied by parents and grandparents observing from surrounding picnic tables and seating areas.
Owners Trilogy and Peterson Group were originally granted planning consent to develop the warehouse into apartments, but reassessed plans following the pandemic, so official redevelopment of the site has yet to begin. In the meantime, the use of the space – much of which has developed organically – has informed the future development plans. Many popular community initiatives will be carried forward as part of this new neighbourhood within city centre Manchester, as the site will retain its public realm areas alongside private residents-only or office-work-only areas.
Touchwood: reaching out to schools
Touchwood, the prime Solihull shopping centre, which features 80+ stores – including John Lewis – plus 20 bars & restaurants and a Cineworld cinema, was created to provide an environment that not only extended the retail, commercial and leisure offer of the town, but also integrated into the existing fabric of the area. The centre is owned by US real estate investment firm, The Ardent Companies and managed by Workman, whose onsite property management team regularly consults with community partners to run initiatives that involve, attract, and support the local community.
It has developed strong ties with local schools, most recently working in conjunction with Solihull Council to run a competition where local schools were invited to create a flag for their chosen Commonwealth country made of entirely recycled material. The 16 flags then featured as a trail around the centre, with visitors answering quiz questions as they identified each flag. The centre has also fostered links with a local special needs school, with three students attending each week to do work experience. One has since been employed as part of the centre’s housekeeping team.
Republic: collaborating with charities
A next-generation office and education campus spread over four buildings comprising 650,000 sq. ft of office and retail space, Republic is at the forefront of East London’s commercial and cultural regeneration. Brought on board by Trilogy Real Estate and fund manager LaSalle Investment Management, Workman’s role is to manage the property effectively, while also helping it become a part of the local community.
Its proximity to both the affluence of Canary Wharf, and Tower Hamlets where more than half of all children wake up in poverty, makes it an ideal base for City Gateway, a charity which provides education and opportunities to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, along with volunteering opportunities for corporate partners. The charity provides support services, training courses, Traineeships and Apprenticeships for young people, readying them for the workplace. Through a network of placements with world-leading employers, City Gateway provides opportunities for employment at Canary Wharf, Republic and beyond. Indeed, Welcome has already facilitated several Apprenticeship schemes within the Republic campus.
The site is also home to a female-run social enterprise café called Tati, serving Bengali fare. Supported by not-for-profit Oitij-jo Collecti, with backing from the Mayor of London and other partners, the women obtained hygiene certificates, worked in professional kitchens, chosen the café décor, and developed front-of-house skills, before selling meals to Republic occupiers on a weekly basis.
Silverburn: cleaning up the community
As part of environmental and community outreach work at Silverburn, Glasgow’s flagship shopping centre, the Workman property management team joins the quarterly litter pick in residential areas surrounding the 1,500,000 sq. ft site. Organised in conjunction with Glasgow City Council, the most recent effort took place on a clear sunny day and resulted in a big pile of rubbish collected by an enthusiastic team of volunteers. Since opening in 2007, Silverburn has historically generated consistently high footfall of 15 million people per year, boasting one of the highest average spends-per-visit thanks to affluent catchment areas such as Newton Mearns, Clarkston and Giffnock. With 125 retail and leisure units, the centre, owned by Eurofund and Henderson Park, is currently 80% occupied.
Further efforts to give back to the local community come in the form of official digital sponsorship of the Open Goal Broomhill FC football team. Always looking for creative ways to engage with its audience and customers, this partnership for the upcoming Lowland League season builds on an already established involvement with the team, including hosting its Keeping the Ball on the Ground show at Silverburn in 2019. This latest collaboration between Silverburn and the football club also draws in the Open Goal podcast team, who will film their popular football-dedicated podcast at the centre.
Read more about our approach to Building Community across our managed portfolio.
When it comes to sustainability, at Workman we believe that actions speak louder than words. As such, we are keen to share ways to move towards eco-friendly lifestyles with occupiers across our managed portfolio.
This week, our Welcome team launched its own Sustainability Week, featuring activities and events for various properties – taking place both online and onsite – to offer tips and tools on how to be more eco-friendly, both at work and at home.
The timetable of sessions, specifically curated for the Welcome properties and their occupiers, gave teams and communities the chance to come together and take part in fun events – all focused on making ethical choices that deliver a safe and comfortable future to everyone.
Welcome’s Sustainability Week featured a lunch-and-learn with Paper Round to discover where all that recycling really goes; a hands-on session from Gardening with Curtis to plant a cherry tree in the workplace grounds, plus talks about planting herbs with free seed handouts at reception; a sustainably focused market day showcasing retailers such as Eco Bonobo and Neal’s Yard; and a drive to collect unused books and puzzles to raise funds for local charities.
At Workman, we’re doing all we can to help our occupiers and their staff enjoy their workplace in sustainable ways. Employees at Westside, Hemel Hempstead, appreciated the activities and events, with many taking advantage of the week’s fine weather to catch up with colleagues while learning about more sustainable lifestyles.
Morgan Capital, on behalf of AOG Real Estate, has selected Welcome to manage three office buildings in the heart of the City, totalling circa 120,000 sq. ft, including a mix of retail and food and beverage operators on the ground floors.
The new appointments, at: 45 Cannon Street (pictured), 10-13 Bow Lane and 25 Watling Street, are testament to the growing relationship between Morgan Capital and Workman, which already manages six buildings on behalf of the specialist Central London asset and development manager.
The assets will be managed by Workman’s Welcome team, led by Monika Newton, Partner, from their offices at 80 Cheapside, in close proximity to all three assets. Notably, 25 Watling Street is home to Morgan Capital’s own head office, while other occupiers include DWS, the global asset manager, and Global Relay.
Focusing on occupier experience and excellent communication at each of the assets to enhance customer satisfaction will be at the core of Welcome’s service strategy.
Nick Grosse, Partner at Morgan Capital, said: “We are excited to work with the Welcome team who we firmly believe will go the extra mile that our tenants deserve, and rightly expect. From a strategic and operational standpoint, the move to consolidate our asset management portfolio under the care of a single managing agent will enhance our offer by creating efficiencies in communication, transparency and accountability.”
Monika Newton, Partner at Welcome, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded the management of these assets. Customer experience and occupier engagement form the foundation of our Welcome service. Despite current circumstances, it has never been more important to establish locations where occupants will feel part of thriving communities, within environments that deliver wellbeing and sustainability long into the future.”
The Welcome team, which works with a growing portfolio of clients, manages more than five million square feet of prime office space in the City of London.
As part of its continued growth, Welcome has recently recruited Edward Gidney as Senior Surveyor, and Michelle Masalonga as Associate.
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There has been a healthy return to the Workman portfolio of Welcome-managed properties.
Across the Welcome portfolio we recorded an increase in attendance of occupier staff of 20% during the Welcome Wellbeing Week (13-17 Sept) compared to the preceding week, with a couple of properties recording increases as high as 40%.
To ensure our occupiers and their employees got the best out of what may have been their first days back at the office, the Welcome team had organised a Wellbeing Week.
A range of popular activities, as diverse as puppy training, smoothie bikes, florist classes, and history walks, as well as running clubs, free fruit handouts, and meditation sessions, were organised by the Welcome team.
The timetable of sessions, which was specifically curated for 13 different properties and their occupiers, gave teams and communities that have not been able to meet face-to-face for the past 18 months, the chance to come together and take part in fun events.
At Workman, we’re doing all we can to help our occupiers and their staff return to and enjoy their workplace. Even for a few days each week, it is a positive opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, enjoy being part of a workplace community, and take advantage of benefits they’ve been missing out on due to the pandemic.
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At Workman, we believe that coming back to the workplace, even for a few days each week, is a positive opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and enjoy being part of a workplace community. It should be a move that allows employees to take advantage of benefits they’ve been missing out on due to the pandemic.
So, to help our occupiers and their employees get the best out of returning to the office, the Welcome team has organised a Wellbeing Week.
Set to run from 13th – 17th September across 13 sites, it will include activities as diverse as puppy training, florist classes, and history walks, as well as running clubs, free fruit handouts, and meditation sessions.
The timetable of activities, which has been specifically curated for each property and its occupiers, will allow teams and communities that have not been able to meet face-to-face for the past 18 months to come together and take part in fun activities. Significant assets in the Welcome portfolio include Moretown and Republic office campuses in London, plus Skypark and Anchorage in Glasgow and Manchester respectively.
A healthy choice
Returning to the workplace should be a healthy choice that provides access to social interaction, exercise facilities, green spaces, the opportunity to include active commuting in the daily routine, the chance to be part of a team, and to get involved in meaningful interaction with a local community: all of which are proven to benefit health and wellbeing.
However, the Welcome team is mindful of hybrid working patterns. In order to ensure inclusivity, the Welcome team has also arranged online activities, including yoga classes, cooking demonstrations and healthcare webinars.
The Welcome Wellbeing Week features:
- health and fitness activities such as yoga, running clubs and fitness classes.
- expert treatments and advice such as health checks and massage.
- nutritional offers, freebies, pop-ups and workshops.
- mindfulness activities such as meditation sessions.
- social activities to promote the occupier community including puppy training classes, art classes and history walks.
Presenting the programme, Monika Newton, Partner within the Welcome team, said:
“As occupiers and their employees come back to the office, we want to demonstrate that it’s not only safe to be back in the office, but also that we can regain that sense of togetherness and build our work communities once again. We know from our occupiers how important health & wellbeing is to their staff and what a difference these activities can make to their enjoyment of their working environment. Now that restrictions have been lifted and we hope to go back to normality, our management and site teams have worked hard to create this exciting week, which showcases what’s available throughout the year. We hope all our occupiers take the opportunity to enjoy what’s on offer.”
Follow @welcomeoffices and Welcome – Workman Offices (@welcomeoffices) • Instagram photos and videos throughout the week to see what’s going on.
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During the upheaval of the past year, the meaning of going to work changed unrecognisably for many, with days blending into one and little face-to-face interaction. Amidst all the uncertainty, some might believe it’s been impossible to attract new occupiers, but Republic is here to prove them wrong. With more than 95,000 sq. ft of new lettings completing in 2020, along with 20,000 sq. ft of lease renewals, Republic is thought to represent around a third of all take-up in Docklands in 2020.
So, what’s driving the success of this once-forgotten collection of buildings north east of London’s Canary Wharf? Five years ago, the area formerly known as East India Dock was tired and dated, with facilities on offer to the few occupiers described as relatively basic.
Spread over four buildings comprising 650,000 sq. ft of office and retail space, the site underwent major refurbishment, which began in 2015 and reached completion during 2018 for the Import Building and 2019 for the Export Building, transforming these buildings into contemporary properties and bringing property developer Trilogy Real Estate’s vision to life.
The campus is steeped in history: the Import Dock on which it stands was built in 1806 and its listed dock wall still surrounds Republic. Today, more than 200 years after its first iteration, the dock-side campus is a snapshot of ultra-modern life in East London, which has in recent years become renowned as a thriving community of creativity and innovation.
Priced out of gentrified areas such as Shoreditch, fast-moving young innovative firms faced a dearth of high-quality community-led workspace, but the transformation of Republic offered them just that. Only five minutes’ walk from Canary Wharf, but a world away from its slick suits, corporate formalities and high-end retail, the mood at Republic epitomises the East London vibe, where community is everything. It’s a youthful, energetic atmosphere, with a culture of creativity and a real sense of place.
Brought on board by Trilogy Real Estate and fund manager LaSalle Investment Management, Workman’s role from the outset of the refurbishment in 2015 was to manage the property effectively, so that it could remain viable for existing occupiers, while also creating a new experience that makes Republic a destination attractive to new ones. And while digital agencies and tech companies have arrived in force, Republic has also been populated by a range of educational service providers, whose tutors deliver online lessons from campus during lockdowns, while students are able to enjoy hybrid courses with a mixture of online lectures, and meeting their tutors in person when possible.
Build it and they will come
This constant flow of people has buoyed food and beverage uptake, which has remained strong over the course of 2020, with new occupiers such as Sweet Nothing Bakehouse, a whiskey bar and fresh food shop soon to come on board, joining the onsite roastery and restaurants already on offer at the site. What’s more, the population of students coming in and out of Republic offers its office occupiers a fresh crop of employees to choose from, with a careers fair event now high on the agenda.
Indeed, in pre-Covid times, Republic played host to a raft of large-scale live events such as Courier Live, Bisnow and the Technology. Behaviour. Data. conference. These events attracted a wide range of people to the campus, increasing the profile of the site and allowing potential new occupiers the realisation that Republic is less than 20 minutes from the City.
The crowning glory here is that with each occupier integration, relationships are cemented, business links are forged, and real friendships are formed, making it all the more likely that leases will be renewed. Indeed, why move when your business is closely integrated with partners within the same buildings?
Pivot to occupier needs
Much more than a desk and chair, working at Republic is like being part of an inclusive family. Working alongside the Community Team, Workman’s Welcome property management service has introduced amenities to the campus including a barber and a nail technician, along with onsite bike servicing and repair and nutritionist appointments. This is in addition to the two onsite gyms, which offer occupiers discounted membership, and the programme of wellbeing events with activities such as yoga and meditation running throughout the week to assist occupiers, not only with their physical health, but also their mental wellbeing.
During lockdowns, occupier engagement has cleverly pivoted to meet the needs of those working from home, with online cookery courses, Christmas wreath-making, talks about sleep-quality improvement and looking after mental health during the pandemic. So, even when occupiers aren’t able to meet in person, they can still take advantage of the community services and events on offer. Welcome and the Community Team regularly collects ideas from occupiers about what they want to see provided, so the team can ensure that events and talks are targeted to their needs.
Not just a day at the office
And when we emerge out of lockdowns, Republic is well positioned to welcome occupiers back, with ample outdoor seating and meeting areas, including wi-fi and electric sockets which make the space seamless for outdoor working. With its informal outdoor meeting booths, waterfalls running through the public realm, and deckchairs put out in the summer, Republic offers occupiers the chance to blend their work and leisure time, in the way that so many workers have now become accustomed.
For those who’ve got used to the company of furry friends over lockdowns, there’s a pet policy so that occupiers can bring their dogs into the office. There’s also Little Me Nursery, a visiting physio and coming soon, there will be a car valeting service, so when occupiers do return to the workplace, it won’t simply be to sit in front of a screen, but rather to incorporate all elements of their life into their day at the office – it’s a full-service destination that’s easy, convenient and full of home comforts.
Feel-good factor at work
There’s a feel-good factor at work here too, because Republic has a strong commitment to both sustainability and the wider community. Its solar panels, bat boxes, insect hotels, green roofs, wildflower meadows and herb gardens, all managed by Welcome, feed into a broader ESG agenda, where carbon reduction and the drive to Net Zero is the key goal.
In the wider community, Welcome is continuing to support a local cause, First Love Foundation, as Republic’s 2020 nominated charity. And for City Gateway, an occupier of the Import Building, which helps provide education to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, Welcome has facilitated several apprenticeship schemes within the Republic campus.
And as if that wasn’t enough to make occupiers feel good about coming to work, there’s also the chance to see ads being filmed, top photographers at work and celebrities making TV shows.
It’s all in a day’s work at Republic.
By Eleanor Newton, Associate, Workman
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As the drive to achieve greater work-life balance and maximum convenience has gained momentum, workplaces have been required to transform into mixed-use developments, where cafés, convenience stores, gyms and outdoor space are features of the most desirable office buildings.
By developing strategies for renovation and improvement, it’s possible to alter a property’s position and perception within the marketplace. This can range from simple renovations to improve internal air quality, thermal comfort, natural daylighting, amenities and connectivity, through to full refurbishments where the building’s very nature, and culture, is changed.
Clearly, achieving this kind of project requires a comprehensive evaluation of space and upgrade of systems, often within a continuously occupied space. Through collaboration with asset managers, and to meet the ever-evolving needs of today’s occupants, property managers must take a proactive, holistic approach to repositioning assets. In turn, this can enhance value, improve returns and extend the useful life of the asset.
Vibrancy beyond the warm welcome
Anchorage, a 220,000 sq. ft development, made up of four buildings in Salford Quays, Manchester, has benefited from this kind of approach. Two years ago it was a dated, impersonal site suffering from low occupancy, but following a £2.2m refurbishment and repositioning – achieved in close collaboration with the asset manager Canmoor – the building has gained a vibrancy that reaches beyond the warm welcome at the door. And Anchorage Two – 106,000 sq. ft at the heart of the scheme – is now fully occupied, representing an impressively significant turnaround.
The complex underwent a significant programme of works, including a reconfigured central atrium that plays host to a café, convenience store and wellness suite. Of course, a place is only as good as its people, so a proactive and engaging front-of-house team was introduced, along with an on-site estate management team responsible for operations, health and safety and supervision of all contractors. Suppliers and service providers were rationalised and streamlined, not only resulting in an overall reduction in service charge, but also enhancing the quality of services on offer for greater appeal.
Estate-wide event strategy
By building a close relationship with the occupiers and collaborating closely with our front-of-house partner, where customer service is instilled throughout the team, Workman was able to tailor events and facilities to appeal specifically to the building occupiers. For example, an estate-wide event strategy for occupiers was introduced, including regular pop-up shops, visiting guest speakers, and sustainability initiatives such as a honey-producing beehive scheme. These have proved the kind of cultural changes that makes a place engaging, friendly, and an attractive environment in which to spend time.
Paying close attention to occupiers’ preferences has been key, along with regular in-person communication by onsite personnel, as well as the property manager. This was supplemented, even pre-Covid, by Anchorage Online, a portal for posting news and events as well as general information about the building. The portal aids efficiency and allows estate managers and front-of-house teams to communicate on another level with occupiers, and has meant that the building and its occupiers have been especially well-placed to cope with challenges presented by the pandemic.
As Anchorage proves, working closely with asset managers and taking a joined-up approach to improving customer relationships and experience can lead to the complete repositioning of an asset. Indeed, there’s definitely a new buzz at Anchorage, and it’s not only coming from the bees.
By Anthony Boothman, Partner, Workman
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Oxygen Asset Management has selected Welcome to manage two substantial properties in the heart of the City, as reported in EG, Property Week and Commercial News Media:
- 90 Queen Street, 70,000 sq. ft multi-let office
- 30 Gresham Street, 386,000 sq. ft multi-let office
These new appointments are testament to the growing relationship between Oxygen and Welcome, established in 2017. The Welcome team, which works with a growing portfolio of clients, manages more than five million square feet of prime office space in the City of London. The property at 90 Queen Street is adjacent to the Welcome team’s office at 80 Cheapside, selected for its proximity to clients’ offices, their portfolios and assets, where Oxygen is also the appointed asset manager for overseas owners.
Creating a customer experience that is tailored to the occupants of each of the two properties will be at the core of Welcome’s service strategy. Applying a wealth of knowledge in this area, the Welcome team will seek to engage occupiers in frequent communications and opportunities for involvement, to ensure that their experience within each building is regularly assessed. Through collaboration with front-of-house service providers, occupier feedback will be collated on an ongoing basis so that community events and facilities offered are aligned to the interests that most appeal.
Gavin Halliday, Partner at Workman and head of the Welcome service, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded these two substantial properties. Customer experience and occupier engagement form the very foundation of the Welcome service. Despite current restrictions it has never been more important to establish locations for the future where occupants will feel part of thriving communities, within environments that promote wellbeing and sustainability.”
Other significant assets in the Welcome portfolio include Moretown and Republic office campuses in London, plus Skypark and Anchorage in Glasgow and Manchester respectively.