The world of work has changed. In the last few years, we’ve moved beyond the traditional ‘9-5, Monday to Friday’ in the office, and the commercial office sector has transformed in response. Driven by the need to provide a sustainable colleague experience, retain talent, minimise costs and increase efficiencies, agile spaces are key, but there is much more to consider.

Flexible Workspaces

The big demand right now is for flexible workspace and serviced office space. This suits businesses that want to entice colleagues back into the office but don’t need full capacity, as well as the increasing numbers of start-up businesses and freelancers looking for room to expand and a shared space for collaboration. These hubs need to be attractive and well-equipped, with good amenities and robust technological infrastructure.

Prioritising wellness

A growing trend is for office space which prioritises wellness, appealing to a new generation of workers and management recognising the importance of physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace. With a holistic approach to workspace design, offices are incorporating wellbeing areas, such as fitness centres and meditation rooms. We’re also seeing an increase in clients looking for biophilic design, introducing elements such as natural lighting and ventilation, to create a more connected and productive environment.

Emphasis on sustainablity

While aesthetics is important, more and more clients are prioritising sustainable office design, reflecting a growing consciousness of environmental impact. People are waking up to the reality of embodied carbon and we’re seeing clients looking to re-use rather than buy new. Eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems are being specified, with a focus on the energy and carbon going into the fit-out, as well as the energy and carbon being taken out.

There has never been such an interest in re-purposing and a long-term view of each part of the office space – everything needs to be designed for dis-assembly and re-use rather than simply ripped out and re-installed. Through our subsidiary business, CRBN solutions, we’re also increasingly undertaking life cycle assessments for clients looking for real life data to help with their corporate decarbonization ambitions.

Meeting your needs

The Morris & Spottiswood Group has been evolving to meet these needs. Through our portfolio of eight businesses and national network, we’re perfectly placed to respond. As well as fit-out, retro-fit and refurbishment services, we also offer mechanical and electrical (M&E) services; in-house architectural services; maintenance, space development and furnishing and a full range of carbon reduction solutions. We have a true turnkey solution, from early inception to design, sustainability and delivery, having worked in partnership with clients such as Department of Work and Pensions, The Government Property Agency, Britvic, NFU Mutual, Edrington, The Phoenix Group and other leading financial institutions across the UK.

With commercial office projects, there is no one size fits all solution. The important thing is creating environments for people to thrive, while meeting client aspirations and budget. With early engagement, anything is possible, and our Warrington team can support at every step, offering an end-to-end delivery which is unique in the market.