04/06/2020
WALTON LODGE·THURSDAY, 4 JUNE 2020·
A new way of working
Like many businesses Walton Lodge has been affected by CoVid19.
As an office business centre, Walton Lodge relies on the health and commercial condition of its tenant companies.
But despite best efforts and the support for companies through these times, there has already been casualties; seemingly good businesses, cut to the quip for something they could never have planned for. Ultimately, much will depend on the markets the tenant companies serve to dictate whether the business impact of CoVid19 is a short term abruption or sadly like many of its victims - terminal. We all hope the former, as businesses learn to adapt to new market conditions, as new opportunities emerge and new ways of working are considered.
The initial lockdown prohibited us from working from offices, as non essential businesses we were told to work from home. We dutifully complied. Working from home for people who can access their work regimes via home networks and laptops is not such a problem, other than having the space and of course time to juggle not just child care but now home education needs.
To all business owners and to dedicated workers, all businesses are essential of course.
So in finding new ways of working, the role of the office has come into immediate focus. Twitter (the business) and the like have decreed that workers can continue to work remotely indefinitely. Zoom, Microsoft Teams and the other video conferencing and work collaboration apps are seeing massive new adoption. The new working will certainly include how we can conduct internal and external communications in an optimum way across these platforms.
But these are still early days and whilst I am sure, workers certainly wont be missing their daily torturous commutes into to the central business districts of big cities, will they start to miss the physical interaction and some of the world they have left behind in the office. Maybe not immediately but time will tell.
From the business perspective, there are encouraging signs of improved work productivity, which isn’t surprising as workers find more time to focus on work in hand without the ongoing disruptions of meetings for meetings sake and other unproductive time associated with office working. But at some stage management, design, production, whatever function of teams, will I believe miss the physical interaction associated with team and office working and will this adversely affect business in he medium to long term.
As a business owner myself and in this case a commercial landlord of Walton Lodge, what can be done to adapt to the new situation. Well, first I must consider potential new ways of working described above and how these may well impact my market, my business and in this case the building. Classically because of my business consultancy background, I have started reconsidering the 4 P’s - Product, Place, Price and most importantly the Proposition.
Product - Walton Lodge is s prestigious office with all the facilities and services you would expect of a modern workplace. Fully networked, good business grade broadband, recently refurbished to a high and desirable standard. With a combination of separate offices and access to an Executive Boardroom meeting room facility, Walton Lodge has all this still to offer without too much additional attention. Consideration of the new and safe working standards have already been applied. In terms of product it offers the flexibility of a number of working spaces, combined with a new flexible way of working which I explore further under the new proposition.
Place - Considering location and potential new markets, Walton Lodge is ideally situated in the leafy suburbs, South Warrington, in the heart of Cheshire, within walking distant to the soon to be restored, the vibrant village (townlet) of Stockton Heath. Its sits equidistant between the great cities of Manchester and Liverpool, within minutes from the best motorway network in the North of England, close to the M6, M56, M62 intersections. But most importantly now, Walton Lodge sits uniquely right in the middle of suburbia and where many workers live and until recently commuted every day to large offices in Manchester, Liverpool and of course the fastest growing commercial and industrial centre of Warrington, not forgetting the busy towns of Altrincham & Stockport.
Price - this will ultimately be determined to a large extent by the market as you would anticipate but you should never just sit there and allow market forces to dictate price even in these times. Price should be determined by your product, place and the strength of your proposition to capture demand. So the consideration is for a new charging model which reflects new ways of working, with flexibility at the heart.
All things considered this could arrive at a win win situation for both tenant company and landlord. For the tenant company, a significant reduction in the headline costs associated with a large town/city centre office or a cost reduction due to natural downsizing that inevitably will take place. Flexibility, as companies with office needs do not want to commit to long term leases where uncertainty in markets still exist. And occupancy, do companies need access to buildings 52 weeks of the year.
Proposition - this appears to be taking shape considering the other 3 P’s, the product, in this case Walton Lodge can literally accommodate a lot of changes in thinking. The requirements of a downsizing company; a new start or emerging company would be the most traditional use cases. But what if we add in the opportunity for companies who want their teams to meet and interact once monthly, once quarterly, twice yearly for a week or a few weeks together. A sabbatical at the office to compliment remote working. Where the dynamism of the occupancy time limit encourages teams to focus on what needs to be discussed, planned and agreed, for people to then disperse back to home working to continue their improved levels productivity. In this case, the office is governed by the calendar, a physical working space, as much and when you need it. Much like a hotel but much more personal for your companies requirements including branding and support services on demand.
So what value and proposition does this all add up to.
“A new way of working in a flexible working space located in the suburbs”
No more commuting into central business districts, an office where and when you need it.
So if any of the above resonates with your own thoughts regarding future office requirements, please contact me for a discussion and how Walton Lodge can accommodate your new ways of working.
Andrew Baillie
Walton Lodge
Hill Cliffe Road
Walton
Warrington
Cheshire
WA4 6NU
[email protected]
07860 862200
