Space on Demand research

Workspace of your own . . . wherever you are . . . whenever you need it. Office space for your company . . . wherever you are . . . by tomorrow. Meeting space . . . wherever you are . . . this afternoon. This is space on demand. Workspace becomes a service, not a property transaction.

Coworkspaces and ‘space matchmaker apps’ could revolutionise the way in which office workspaces are accessed and used. This is one of the main findings from a new British Council for Offices research report “Space on Demand” launched last week. AMA’s Alexi Marmot led the research project and presented its conclusions at WeWork’s South Bank office.

‘Space matchmaker apps’ and ‘space on demand’ (terms coined by the authors) describe a growing set of technology applications and platforms that match people seeking space to spaces seeking people. 

‘Space on Demand’ reviews the growth of both coworkspace and space matchmaker apps, and examines the underlying reasons for their growth. The report identifies the scale of change to date and identifies the impact of space on demand for property investors and developers, for urban planners, corporate occupiers and office space users.

One million people are predicted to be members of coworking spaces globally by 2018. The rise of coworking can be explained by growing demand for office space coupled with the power and ubiquity of digital tools and data, and the rise in flexible working.

Coworkspace is a way for companies to outsource their requirements for space, infrastructure and its management. It often comes bundled with other services. Sociability, connection with others, flexibility, and a cool, non-corporate atmosphere, design and layout are all part of the appeal and the marketing.

Matchmaker apps allow customers to find and book space and operators to manage the space. They also help coworkers in a particular community to engage with one another for business or social reasons.

The report argues that these are disruptive innovations. Companies providing digital platforms that enable peer-to-peer exchanges are, in some cases, outstripping traditional market leaders. The potential benefits of better using property resources, and reducing time and energy wasted in unnecessary commuting, are profound. Yet the sustainability benefits offered by coworkspaces and space matchmaker apps have been little noticed or understood.

Alexi's presentation was followed by a lively panel discussion featuring Cal Lee of Savills, Nigel Fuller from Legal & General and Leesman's Chris Moriarty, ably chaired by Steve Lang of Savills.

Offices on the airwaves

Tooley Street, Southwark Council Offices where AMA introduced
modern ways of working
Images © 2012 Gareth Gardner

Offices are in the news again, prompted in the UK by new advice on the health benefits of standing at work and in Finland by the decision by Juha Sipilä, the recently-elected Prime Minister of Finland, that his Cabinet will work alongside officials in an open plan office*.

Following the news from Helsinki, the BBC World Service asked Alexi Marmot to comment on open plan offices. Alexi pointed out that, whilst organisations tend to cite better communication, collaboration and supervision, open plan offices offer great economic gains - are generally cheaper to construct - requiring fewer walls, less servicing, and simpler environmental controls. And they also enable organisations to accommodate more people more efficiently.

Open plan space can be fine for routine work but can become more controversial where work is confidential or privacy for conversation is needed. The most frequent criticism from those working in open plan offices is that they are noisy and disturbing but, says Alexi, noise is partly a function of how you interpret sound: “It’s possible for people to get into a zone of concentration in extremely noisy environments. Working in complete quiet can also be a problem.”

Last week BBC Radio 4 re-broadcast The Search for The Perfect Office http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b036wfzv a half-hour programme presented by Claudia Hammond with contributions from researchers, including Professor Dylan Jones and Dr Bill Macken (Cardiff University School of Psychology;  Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic (Professor of Business Psychology at University College London and Columbia University and Professor Alexi Marmot (UCL and AMA).

There certainly seems to be a gap between our dreams of the “perfect office” and the reality, with those interviewed hankering for a café table in an Italian square or a garden room with a view.

As expected, architects come in for some criticism, particularly over their choice of materials. Favoured finishes such as stone, glass, metal and concrete are all hard, reflective surfaces that contribute to the most common complaints about modern office life – noise and lack of privacy.

There seems to be something of a paradox here as people (both managers and staff) often say they like the “vibrant”, “buzzy” atmosphere of their office whilst complaining that they can’t concentrate there and retreating to the coffee shop or home.

The notion that lively, quirky offices are particularly conducive to creativity was questioned by contributors. Quiet and noisy people, introverts and extroverts are all creative, so we need to think about individual traits rather than stereotypes.

The researchers pointed out the subtleties of acoustic design. Volume is not necessarily important in terms of interference, change is the key. A relatively loud background hubbub may also be preferable to perfect silence which can be intimidating. Research shows that people do not get “used to” intrusive noise  - a point picked up at the recent Healthy Workplace event, see http://aleximarmotblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-healthy-workplace.html)

Addressing the issue of research, Alexi Marmot said that most architectural research is geared to the physical aspects of buildings, rather than to the organisations and individuals that occupy them and their perceptions. She explained that most office buildings are designed not for occupiers but for the market, so cannot necessarily be attuned to specific users’ needs. The margins on most architectural work make it difficult to do new research or even to spend time reading the research that exists.

“The building industry and clients generally don’t want to hear bad news but when we do post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) we nearly always identify quite small, simple things that can be fixed there and then, often quite cheaply.”

Alexi pointed to the trend towards “activity-based working”, which means people can move to places appropriate to the work that they’re doing.

“Our research suggests that the ‘perfect office’ often starts with where it is and how you reach it. Daylight and a view, especially of nature, are important, along with environmental comfort and good IT support. However, the best workplaces, as voted for by users, consistently demonstrate more abstract values such as trust, respect and fairness. These are a function of organisational culture but the physical space can also express these values.”

*Listen to a report on the Finnish government’s plans and comparisons with other administrations http://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-briefing/929/ (from 24:10)

BBC speaks to AMA about clinical research

On 10th January 2013, AMA's Director Joanna Eley was interviewed on several radio stations for her work as a keen advocate for public and patient involvement in clincial research. Last Autumn, Joanna played the role of one of dozens of 'mystery shoppers' visiting NHS Trust hospitals to see how easily patients can access information about research activities in the hospital. Today the report was launched, and Joanna took part in a phone-in from the BBC and many other regional radio stations who featured it on their breakfast and lunchtime news. Joanna was able to help get the important message across about the value of clinical research in improving the health of the population, and the need for good information for patients and the public to increase the benefits.

Alexi Marmot at IFMA Workplace Summit 2012

On 6th September Alexi Marmot spoke on 'WhenWork, WhereWork: The time and place of work' at the IFMA Foundation's Workplace Strategy Summit: Research in Action. Held at Cornell University, the conference will unite FM professionals with the leading thinkers on workplace strategy to explore workplace effectiveness; the nature of collaborative work; and the organizational, lifestyle and infrastructure changes that will impact the workplace of the future. The summit will set the framework for critical thinking and research on work and workplaces in the 21st century. For more information click here.

Hear Alexi's reflections on Workplace research in this short video by clicking here.