{"id":38883,"date":"2020-08-15T16:08:17","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T14:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.poulerikbech.dk\/?p=38883"},"modified":"2023-06-06T11:13:12","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T09:13:12","slug":"corona-influences-international-trends-on-the-office-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.poulerikbech.dk\/en\/commercial\/corona-influences-international-trends-on-the-office-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Corona influences international trends on the office market"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the corona crisis, we may see Danish workplaces being characterized by more work-from-home days as well as by more efficiently utilized office spaces of the type already prevalent in many countries. So Helle Nielsen Ziersen, Partner, Director and Head of EDC International Poul Erik Bech<\/a>, predicts:<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the corona crisis, many employees have been working from home, and this has proven beneficial. A number of employees would like to work from home a couple of days a week. This is an efficient way to work, and they can save time on commuting. Working from home may become more prevalent in companies that have had good experiences with it. Companies may profit by implementing free seating or plug-and-play solutions, enabling them to have fewer desks than employees.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helle Nielsen Ziersen points out that a prerequisite of this is maintaining the same high level of efficiency when working at home, and that the employees can work from home undisturbed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, corporate culture may be affected if working from home gains a footing, and many workplaces emphasize that the social aspect is paramount.\u201d<\/p>\n

Furthermore, she points out that Danish offices differ from offices in many other countries: \u201cWe are used to having our own desk, and as a result, we have a relatively large number of square metres per employee. This becomes evident in our dialogue with international companies that wish to set up company in Denmark; however, during the corona crisis, many companies have discovered that they can get by with less office space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contributing to the tendency of diverting from the tradition of assigned workplaces and one desk per employee is an increased use of teams where employees collaborate on specific projects over a period of time.<\/p>\n

Goodbye to assigned desks<\/h3>\n

Helle Nielsen Ziersen expects that Danish desks will shrink over time \u2013 both as a result of an international tendency, and in line with the continuous digitization that leads to more and more tasks being performed digitally, while fewer tasks require paper and printed reports.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere in Denmark, a standard desk is typically 160cm (63 inches) wide, but in some countries desks are usually smaller,\u201d Helle Nielsen Ziersen observes.<\/p>\n

In a newly published report, JLL, the international collaboration partner of EDC Erhverv<\/a> and one of the world\u2019s largest realtors, points out that at a global scale, companies may save 10-15% of their office space.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see this in other countries, and this may in time come to make its mark on Danish office workplaces as well, even though us Danes \u2013 myself included \u2013 have grown accustomed to having a certain comfort zone containing our own separate desk. Smaller office spaces will especially become relevant when companies relocate, among other things because different rules of law limit the options for reducing already existing spaces. Many companies today calculate cost of occupancy per square meter, but we increasingly see calculations for costs per headcount, that is, costs per employee,\u201d Helle Nielsen Ziersen notes.<\/p>\n

She adds that the companies\u2019 space requirements, despite work-from-home days, may remain unchanged if the authorities issues demands regarding a minimum distance between desks \u2013 or between employees \u2013 in order to reduce the risk of infection.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the distance requirements, as determined by the health authorities, have resulted in a demonstrable decrease in the number of employees home sick with the flu, and a decrease in the extent of sick leave will positively affect the companies\u2019 finances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Digital meetings<\/h3>\n

Helle Nielsen Ziersen furthermore points to two tendencies that the corona crisis has, if not initiated, then reinforced:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have gotten extremely good at conducting digital meetings, which has resulted in a time gain. Both in time saved on commuting, and because there is simply less small talk when, for example, only half an hour has been set aside for the meeting. Even though digital meetings cannot fully replace all physical meetings, we will experience an increase in the use of Zoom, Skype, Webex, and the like. I also think that we will see an increase in staggered working hours, that is, some people starting their working hours later in the day. This also corresponds with the government and the health authorities wanting to spread out the rush-hour traffic in order to reduce the risk of infection.\u201d<\/p>\n

The canteen has prevailed<\/h3>\n

Helle Nielsen Ziersen from EDC International Poul Erik Bech also points to a tendency which may be widespread in many countries, but which is unlikely to gain a footing in Danish offices:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn London or Southern Europe, for example, employees usually go out for lunch, and often people will be gone for an entire hour in the middle of the day \u2013 and correspondingly stay later at work. I doubt we will be seeing this in Denmark: The canteen is here to stay; it is part of our culture, and it helps create a great work environment. When we do not go out for lunch, we have shorter workdays and a better work-life balance than in many other countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tendencies on the office market<\/h3>\n