Like baseball, the commercial real estate business can be exciting and invigorating but can also be very challenging.  And just when you think you’re in good position, the market throws you a curveball … one that has so much spin and change of direction that you dare not venture a futile swing.  You’re left standing perplexed with the bat still resting safely on your shoulder as you wonder about the next pitch and how you’ll get on base.

Never before has this generation experienced such challenging, unexpected, and still unforeseeable circumstances as what every industry in every global economy continues to navigate.  For employers and real estate professionals, the discussions around workspaces have become exponentially more difficult.  Staff reductions combined with constant and perhaps more substantial pressures to drive growth leave decision-makers tentative and struggling to make the “best” decision possible for the organization.  Traditional questions about space requirements, parking ratios and geographic locations are magnified.  New questions about safety, scalability and access are now making decisions even more challenging.

Historically, workplace decisions focused on space and density.  In 2020, those decisions are best determined based on the needs of the workforce, such as location, amenities, place-making, flexible work environments … and of course … safety and peace-of-mind for individual health and well-being. Identifying the requirements of your workforce, and mapping those needs against potential workplace environments will help clarify the decision-making process.

 

According to recent Gallup surveys, only 33% of the U.S. workforce responded that they are actively engaged in their work, which suggests sub-optimal performance.  Compare that against the same metric for some of the best companies, where employee engagement is measured at 70% or higher.  And to no surprise, those companies’ overall performance is higher.

 

Physical workplace planning always presents unique challenges, and with the current market environment, those challenges are magnified.  For organizations considering a relocation to new space, the “best” decision may include new construction that can be more easily designed as compared to a renovation/retrofit approach that comes close but doesn’t always exactly meet unique specifications.  If employee engagement is a priority (as it should be …), the focus of workplace planning must consider employee needs as a high priority.

At Greenstone, our efforts with our clients and partners is centered on the effectiveness and productivity of tenant organizations, and the right approach includes a focus on the people.  We call this workplace approach the High Performance Workplace®.  Take a look at our efforts in midtown Atlanta with 14^th+Spring, and in Alpharetta with Kimball Place.  We are working hard to help organizations make the “best” decision in these very unique times.

Contact us to learn more about The High Performance Workplace^® and how we can help you move forward in 2020 and beyond.