Article submitted by Jack Herrington, Sales and Leasing Agent for Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate
Written by Beth Mattson-Tieg | March/April 2017
The big topic of conversation across metros these days is that office space needs are shrinking as companies embrace mobile working and increase efficiency. Yet even as companies are downsizing footprints, they have bigger expectations when it comes to building décor, infrastructure, and amenities.
Offering employees workspace that has a “wow” factor is more important today as is the ability to accommodate different work styles ranging from baby boomers to generation X to millennials along with the up and coming generation Z waiting in the wings, says Angela Wethington, JD, CCIM, a vice president at Browning, a commercial development, construction, and management firm based in Indianapolis.
“Office space is no longer just the place for people to show up and do work,” she says. “Office space and the office environment is viewed as a retention tool and as a recruiting tool for potential employees.”
Tenants also are demanding space with greater flexibility. “Employers are utilizing flexibility in space planning by creating multiple work environments such as standing, lounging, and co-working to fit the workstyle of today’s diverse workforce,” Wethington says.
Employers want to be able to move and adjust floorplans so that they can recalibrate spaces on an as-needed basis for collaboration within and across departments, as well as accommodate employee needs for additional quiet “me space,” according to Wethington.
Environmental Adaptation
Jack Herrington joined Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate in October, 2016. He has extensive experience in the service industry, prior to beginning his career in real estate. Jack is currently pursuing his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation through the Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute.
Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate is a member of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce (BRAC); the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce; the Baton Rouge Better Business Bureau; the Louisiana Commercial Data Base (LACDB); and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Several agents, on an individual basis, are members of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® (SIOR), the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM); the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR); and the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS® Commercial Investment Division (CID).
