By Francisco Vazquez Medem
Edition 7 – April 2016 Pages 12-15
Tags: office design • flexible working
As a Workplace Consultant,I have been working on the implementation of new workplace models all around Latin America for the last eight years. The existing workplace models in the region are twenty or twenty-five years behind Europe; they consist of big open cubicle workstations and many large private closed offices,which are highly influenced by the US model.
Low Occupancy
Given that the real use of space and people’s needs have completely changed,(as has happened elsewhere) due in no small part to the relentless global technological revolution, work isn’t a place where you go anymore,but an activity It has been said often enough to become a cliche but that doesn’t make it any less true.
During the past few years’ we have been measuring alongside our clients the real world usage of existing assigned workstations in eight of the leading Latin American countries,and for more than eighty of the biggest employers in those countries.
The result of this study is somewhat higher than other studies done in Europe,especially in London. Latin America’s average is 62 percent of occupancy,8 percent active workstations (but with no one there during the moment of the measure) and 28 percent completely free workstations. In Spain and Portugal,where we have carried out similar measures,the results average is 50 percent occupancy,15 percent active and 35 percent empty workstations.
So as has happened in other countries in the world,the existing workplace models – and in this it does not seem to matter if occupants are five or twenty-five years old – do not respond to the reality of the needs of employees and organizations.
In short we are seeing:
• Less intensive use of traditionally assigned workstations;
• New needs – as a consequence of the new ways of working and mobility.
So there is a global problem in these traditional workplace models,since they are not properly used and do not fit the needs of the workers.Yet while these requirements have changed,we are still seeing the use of workplace models dating from 20 or 30 years ago.
Low Density
Because of the old traditional workplace models,the margin for big savings is very large. If we now look to the existing density,measured at the same time we measured the occupancy,as part of our Workplace Health Check Exercise,the density in Latin America is low,with an average of 26 gross sq.m/employee, compared to existing figures in Europe (Spain and Portugal are 15 gross sq.m/employee).
This means that there is a double possibility of improving savings and increasing productivity with:
• Better use of the space. New Workplace Models adapted to real needs.
• Big space reductions because of the existing low-density ratios.
Lower Real Estate Costs
In the Latin America Region the Real Estate Global Costs (rents plus facility management) are lower than in Europe (Spain and Portugal),and even more if we compare with cities like London. In Latin America the Real Estate Global Costs in prime locations are around 300 $/ sq.m/ year,compared to 500$/ sq.m/ year in cities like Madrid or Lisbon.This reduces the opportunity of savings by getting an interesting ROI (return of investment)….