This article explores in reviving London’s commercial landlord revenues. The commercial property sector is facing a critical situation. The projected decline in office value at the end of 2022 is now becoming a reality, resulting in significant financial losses for companies like British Land, which recently reported a pre-tax loss of £1 billion.
Escalating inflation and widespread financial constraints have prompted major corporations like Meta and John Lewis to abandon their office spaces. However, not all companies are eager to follow suit. JPMorgan Chase and Amazon, among others, are publicly advocating for a large-scale return to the office.
Contrary to optimistic expectations, the demand for office leasing has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Landlords can no longer ignore this reality. To survive in this challenging landscape, they must embrace the same level of adaptability as the companies they serve. They should also recognize that they are now competing not only with each other but also with various digital workplace solutions.
While there is strong opposition to a full-time return to the office, as suggested by figures like Jeremy Hunt, it is clear that less than a third of workers prefer fully remote work. Moreover, 72% of leaders consider the office to be an indispensable hub for their operations.
There remains a strong demand for office space, yet the amount of vacant office space has increased by 65% over the past three years.
The challenge faced by commercial landlords is not a lack of demand or supply, but rather the transformation of this demand. The current offerings no longer align with the needs of modern businesses.
Since the pandemic, the needs and practices of the UK workforce have undergone significant changes. However, office leasing practices have failed to keep up with these developments.
The available office spaces, characterized by long-term leases, fixed contracts, and inflexible layouts designed for a single purpose, are not suitable for our post-pandemic working requirements. Companies now adopt a wide range of working practices, with variations such as fixed, remote, and flexible hybrid working. Some organizations utilize the office for one day a week, while others use it for four days, and some allow employees to come and go as they please. The concept of a one-size-fits-all approach no longer applies. The traditional five-day office lease cannot accommodate this new flexible and diverse demand.
The very purpose of an office has undergone an irreversible change. Businesses no longer view the office as a necessity for their operations. Instead, an office must demonstrate a greater increase in productivity compared to its own cost to be deemed worthwhile. Productivity gains can be achieved through improved staff attraction and retention, enhanced collaboration, and a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Today’s businesses seek these benefits from an office space to enhance productivity while also aiming to reduce costs.
Businesses are making choices based on these factors. Many are implementing cost-cutting measures due to the rising cost of living. They view expenses related to empty office days, which can cost businesses up to £190,000 per year, or office spaces that do not meet their needs, as unnecessary expenditures. As a result, they are relinquishing their office leases and searching for alternatives that better align with their requirements and allow them to pay only for the days they utilize the space.
In response, some forward-thinking landlords are taking the lead and redefining how they offer and arrange their office spaces. They are introducing innovative approaches such as part-time contracts and facilitating shared office spaces that allow multiple companies to utilize the same space on different days. This flexible approach not only unlocks a more reliable stream of revenue but also caters to the evolving needs of businesses.
These progressive landlords are also creating intuitively designed spaces that can adapt to accommodate a wider range of workplace activities. The office is no longer confined to desks and boardrooms; it must offer an environment that is worth leaving home for.
As the trend towards flexible office leasing gains momentum, those landlords who resist adapting and embracing change will inevitably fall behind. At Space32, people witnessed a significant increase in demand for flexible office leasing, with two-thirds of businesses actively seeking alternatives to traditional full-time contracts.
To address the issue of empty office space and recover declining revenue, relying solely on securing long-term contracts with full-time occupiers is no longer viable. Landlords must realign their assets to meet the demands of the hybrid working era and adapt to the changing landscape.
This necessitates a fundamental reconsideration of how office spaces are provided and the types of contracts that are offered. There needs to be flexibility and room for variation in terms of how these spaces can be used and rented. Landlords should empower companies to rent office space on their own terms, offering contracts that accommodate the diverse range of practices being pursued. For instance, allowing tenants to sublet their spaces to other businesses can foster a more dynamic and inclusive approach.
While commercial property leasing may be at a critical juncture, landlords have the opportunity to reshape its future in a positive way. The key to generating reliable revenue lies in meeting the evolved needs of companies searching for office spaces. And the only way to achieve this is through adaptation and embracing change.
