The challenge of getting workers back into the office has left some company bosses “allergic” to remote working, according to a senior executive at a real estate software company.
Speaking at Proptech Connect on the future of global offices, Sam Caulton, chief financial officer of Re-Leased, said employers’ biggest problem is workers who face only a short commute to their office but who still choose to remain at home.
“If you are an office employee, work in a city like London, live within a 20-minute commute from the office but are working at home five days a week, that is what I and a number of other leaders and executives are allergic to,” he said. “That’s a real problem.”
Blanket back-to-office mandates are “one way of doing things”, said Caulton, but many companies will opt for a more personalised approach. “We have set up a system where you know from the outset whether you are an office employee with some flexibility, a remote employee who is welcome to come into the office once a month or quarter, or a fully remote worker. That’s our policy and it works really well.”
Caulton added that while he believes there has been “a shift in the power battle between employees and employers”, the global office occupation market remains in a state of flux.
Joe White, technology solutions and client care lead at Cushman & Wakefield, urged employers to “manage the ‘home office to actual office’ experience and put the employee at the heart of everything you do”.
Dominique Gonfard, operating partner at venture capital firm Concrete Ventures, echoed the sentiment, saying the pressure on employers to smooth the path between employees’ home and office environments has grown.
“Hybrid has emerged out of a desire to balance the benefits of remote working that we all know are real with the reality of needing to be in the office too,” she said. “Employees want more power over their own schedules, and they want more flexibility. The tech is there to facilitate this. Zoom is starting to design proper suites for hybrid in-office use, so you have a consistent experience whether you are in the office or remote.”
Other panellists said with so many employers still struggling to bring workers back, landlords and tenants must work together to ensure a building’s offering is up to scratch.
“Real estate is driven by finance, but workplace is driven by emotions,” said real estate tech expert and former CBRE senior director Sisi Lagrem. “People don’t want to be commuting 10-plus hours a week anymore.”
“We need to give people a great reason to come to the office. Different premises are needed,” added Pasi Leipälä, chief executive of technology company Haltian.
Large property companies are increasingly aware of their responsibilities here, said Re-Leased’s Caulton – and the ways in which it can give them a competitive advantage. “If you pull up business accounts for big property firms and REITs, you are starting to see customer satisfaction scores included,” he said. “That certainly wasn’t the case five years ago. Landlords have such a big part to play in bringing people back.”
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