Workspace Dynamics: analysing stakeholders’ perspectives on workspace use and management

Office market demand is theoretically underpinned by the optimal use of office space. Traditional models account for macro-level factors such as population growth, employment, and GDP, micro-level factors such as changes in technology and work practices and organisational strategies including occupiers' activities, changing tenants' space needs, new tenants emerging from start-up businesses, relocation of firms, and existing tenants upgrading their space requirements. Due to the fluid nature of workspace use following the pandemic, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the theoretical underpinnings of current workspace use and insufficient insight to support the development of strategies for optimal and efficient use and management of workspaces. Furthermore, contemporary models such as hybrid working, and shared spaces have made space users’ perspectives important. This paper explores the key factors that are (re)defining current workspace use and management and investigates stakeholders' (users, employers and property managers) perceptions and sentiments about the workspace dynamics. We interviewed 24 stakeholders in three categories: 14 workspace users (employees), 7 senior executives and HR managers and 3 corporate real estate. We observed a positive sentiment towards the recent changes to work patterns and the preference for blended/hybrid work settings. Our findings also indicate that organisations and corporate real estate managers will need to address important balances and trade-offs as part of their workspace use and management strategies. The insights from this study reinforce the link between workspace use and management with organisational performance and growth and contribute to the broader literature on social dimensions of real estate use, planning and management.