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Modern open-plan office with city views at dusk

Where you work should follow how you work

Practical guidance on leases, layouts and portfolio decisions for leaders who want their commercial space to support operations instead of slowing them down.

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What we cover

A structured view of the decisions that shape a company's physical footprint.

4
core decision areas: leasing, layout, portfolio and day-to-day operations
12
lease clauses worth reviewing with operations before anyone signs
3
workplace models compared: assigned, hybrid and activity-based
5
stages in a structured space audit, from utilization data to decision

Latest insights

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Space Utilization

Office Occupancy Data: The First Step Toward Smarter Space Planning

Почему данные о заполняемости офиса важны
Данные о заполняемости показывают, сколько людей находится в пространстве в конкретный момент. Данные об использовании — как часто пространство задействовано за период. Разница принципиальна: переговорная может быть «заполнена» в полдень, но использоваться слабо, если простаивает всю остальную неделю.
Когда occupancy data применяют осмысленно, она помогает ответить на вопросы, которые напрямую […]

Read more: Office Occupancy Data: The First Step Toward Smarter Space Planning
Smart Office Technology

How IoT Technology Improves Workplace Operations

Most offices still run on assumptions. Someone guesses how many people will show up, whether a meeting room is actually being used, or when a piece of equipment might fail. IoT changes that equation. It replaces guesswork with a stream of real-time data from sensors, connected systems, and analytics platforms—giving operations teams and business leaders […]

Read more: How IoT Technology Improves Workplace Operations

From operations to floor plan

Office floor plan divided into focus, collaboration and meeting zones with a circulation path

Start with how work actually flows

Square footage is the last number to calculate, not the first. Map which teams depend on each other, how often people meet, and how much of the day is spent on focused work. Those patterns decide whether you need more desks, more meeting rooms or simply a different arrangement of the space you already have.

A layout built on real adjacency and attendance data tends to be smaller, cheaper to run and easier to adapt when the organisation changes.

Building section showing the current leased floors, an expansion option floor and shared amenities

Read the lease as an operating document

Term length, expansion and contraction rights, operating expense pass-throughs and fit-out allowances all determine how easily a business can grow or shrink inside its space. Reviewing them with the people who run operations turns a legal document into a planning tool.

The goal is flexibility you can actually use: options that match your hiring plans, not clauses that look generous on paper.

Common questions

How much office space does a team actually need?

Per-person rules of thumb are a starting point at best. Measure how the current space is used across a typical month: peak attendance, meeting room occupancy and how many desks sit empty. Size the new footprint around real peaks rather than headcount on paper.

When should we start planning a lease renewal?

For larger footprints, planning usually starts well over a year before expiry. That leaves time to review utilization, compare staying with relocating and negotiate without the pressure of a looming deadline.

What is the difference between a gross and a net lease?

In a gross lease the tenant pays one amount and the landlord covers most building costs. In a net lease the tenant also pays a share of taxes, insurance or maintenance. The structure changes both your budget predictability and your exposure to rising building costs.

Is subleasing surplus space worth the effort?

It can be, if the remaining term is long enough and the space can be separated cleanly. Check the sublease clause, the landlord's consent requirements and the cost of making the area rentable before deciding.

How can we test a new layout before committing?

Pilot it on one floor or with one department. Track how people use the zones for several weeks, collect feedback and adjust furniture before rolling the approach out across the whole office.