Your Brave Ideas Weekly Review

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Office Investors | Building Owners | Office Operators | Startups | Scaleups

Happy Friday!

This week was mixed with work from home, in person meetings and an event hosted by Steelcase .

This event was titled 'Joy at Work' with an enlightening panel discussion which included leaders from interior design, architecture and a scholar.

(L to R) ?Bex Moorhouse , Chris Early , Caleb Parker , Charlie Green , Ian Ashley

The panel discussion and audience Q&A focused on how to create places that support teams and individuals to do their best work and enJOY their visit. I appreciated the hospitality perspective, which is absolutely on trend for office.

But it got me thinking...what if we reframed the discussion around the "Joy of Work".

For many people work is a chore.

But think about the record number of people who volunteer for causes, or the record number of startups being launched.

This tells me that people find joy in doing meaningful work. We find joy in fulfilment.

It's absolutely important for us to have discussions around design and ergonomics, as this is the "hardware" of the product of place. The hardware is everything we see when we enter a place.

What about the "software"?

The "software" is how we feel when we walk into a place.

Our industry is now B2B2C.

We can do everything right as suppliers and operators of place to facilitate "joy at work", but if there is a disconnect in purpose between the B and the C in B2B2C, are people going to feel "joy of work"?

In other words, we want/need companies and their teams to be aligned in mission and purpose so people feel fulfilled by their work. That's the top of funnel in marketing speak.

Because if we don't feel "joy of work" are we going to feel "joy at work"?

You may be thinking...

"Ok Caleb, but that's the company's job to motivate their team. What's that got to do with workplace creators?"

Fair question.

I've long said that toxic company culture is a bigger threat to the office than Covid ever was.

And I believe as leaders in the supply side of office (place), it is imperative for us to lead in this area. We first have to ensure our own company cultures are good examples, and then we should be promoting, encouraging and shining a light on others who are leading examples of positive and purpose driven cultures.

So my challenge to our industry is to host events and facilitate talks on the "software" and invite our customers to attend.

I'm working on this myself, so watch this space...

ICYMI: The?"Netflix of CRE investing"

Yesterday I hosted a "special feature" Brave Ideas LIVE featuring Josep Jorge , Congress Director of The District Show . Tap below to see what you missed.

This Week's Brain Food

Brave Ideas is curated by Lucy McInally and features ideas, insights, best practices and analysis all categorized under the 6 Pillars of Space-as-a-Service.

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This newsletter is sponsored by the Brave Consortium.

Our collective of companies help Brave and it's landlord partners reposition office assets to meet the evolving needs of modern businesses.

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COMMUNITY

GCUC You Didn’t Disappoint

says Suzanne Murdock

Knowing that we’re all in it together in this industry – operators, service providers, no matter what location, size or culture there’s always someone there to guide and support us. Read Suzanne’s highlights.?

I Fell in Love with Coworking Because of How We Support the Dreamers

says Caleb Parker , Founder of Brave

I fell in love with coworking in 2007.But to be honest, it's not coworking I'm passionate about...17 years later, I admit my affection is actually for entrepreneurs. Our coworking community becomes our ecosystem for growth. Read more from Caleb .?

??? Building Coworking Communities in Hungary

in conversation with Bernie Mitchell and Szilvia Filip

Bernie and Szilvia discuss the balance between coworking and freelancing, the challenges of launching an association, and the power of community initiatives. Tap into the conversation .?

HOSPITALITY

??? Building Resilient Places

in conversation with David Partridge and Despina Katsikakis

This episode explores why developers and landlords must see themselves as service providers—building stronger partnerships with occupiers and offering hospitality-focused experiences that meet the needs of the people who use the places they create. Tap into the conversation.?

Customer Experience Is Now The Driver of the Office Real Estate Equation

TECHNOLOGY

Private Networks and the Office of the Future

by Freshwave

Currently, businesses are often buying IoT solutions on a case-by-case basis and running them on Wi-Fi. This is not only a slightly scattergun approach, but it can also place stress on the Wi-Fi while it’s also being used for many other applications in the office, impacting the user experience. Read the article .?

How to Take the Hassle out of Booking Meeting Rooms in Coworking Spaces

by Helga Moreno

Let’s be honest, not every coworking space needs a fancy meeting room display. But if you’re looking to improve the member experience, boost efficiency, and give your space a modern touch, then it might be a great investment. Read Helga’s Allwork.Space article .?

Want Sustainable Buildings? Invest Strategically in Smart Technology

says Neil Franklin

“Smart building systems, renewable energy installations, and data monitoring tools are crucial for optimising resource use and meeting ambitious sustainability goals. These strategic investments can lead to significant sustainability improvements.” Read Neil’s Workplace Insight article .

WORKSPACES

What Flex Should Learn from the High Street…

by Will Kinnear

Some of the flexible workspace operators I speak to expand in the regions, at the same time, local authorities have woken up to the benefits to help solve two issues – local employment and high streets. But as with all things, there isn’t one size that fits all! Read more from Will .?

The Future of Work isn't about 'Where'—it's bout 'How'

Says Charlie Morris

For decades, "Location, Location, Location" defined the prime office landscape, emphasizing WHERE work gets done. But in today's evolving world, it's time to shift our focus to HOW work gets done. Read more from Charlie .?

Workplaces should be designed around human workflows, not the other way around.

says Dror Poleg

100 years ago, this realization helped industrial geniuses like Henry Ford, William Knudsen, and Albert Kahn build the world's most productive factories (filled with the best-paid employees. Read more from Dror.

Outdated Workspaces Are Holding Your Business Back

says Emma Ascott

Top-performing athletes benefit from high-quality equipment and training facilities to keep them at the top of their game. When high productivity is expected in workplaces, top performers in business similarly require optimised workplaces to excel. Read Emma’s Allwork.Space .?

MANAGEMENT

GCUC – Our Takeaways as a Technology Provider

by Camille Herinckx , CCO at NCG

Last week we attended GCUC in London – which was coincidentally held in our office building, 22 Bishopsgate! The day was packed with insightful talks from industry leaders so I’ve whittled it down to our key takeaways here .?

How to Leverage Workspace Usage Data to Optimise Your Coworking Space

by Alberto Di Risio

As operators try to make spaces that meet the changing needs of different members, optimising workspace usage becomes crucial. It directly affects how much it costs to run the space, how happy the members are, and how competitive the coworking space is in a busy market. Read Alberto’s article in Coworking Resources.?

BRAND

Be Scrollstopping

says Cat Johnson

Now, Instagram likes are hardly a metric of a business’s strength. But they do say a lot about how engaged and invested the space, team and brand are in truly reaching and connecting with members, potential members and aligned organisation. Read Cat’s article.?

The Right Marketing Can Boost Return on Investment

says Zoe Ellis-Moore

Branding is a long-term investment, and consistency is key to its success. So, if you’re aiming to boost revenue, focus on building a strong, consistent brand for increased visibility and higher profits. Read Zoe’s article in Property Week.?

Brand Loyalty in Coworking Spaces

by PONT

The ability to keep members coming back, not just because of the facilities, but because they feel connected to the space, is essential. Read the article .?

FINANCE

??? How Risk in European Real Estate is Evolving

in conversation with Caleb Parker , Founder of Brave, and Juan Velayos Lluis

Caleb and Juan discuss how the landscape and risk of European real estate is evolving, and highlighted key trends discussed on stage at The District Show . Tap into the conversation .

How I Saved a Project from Loosing Millions

by Carlo Benigni , Development Management Partner at Brave

Most developers miss these hidden risks. I’ve seen it firsthand—overlooked issues, rising costs, lost opportunities. That’s why technical due diligence isn’t optional. Read more from Carlo .

?? Challenger bank scales up; Legacy bank scales down

With high-profile moves like HSBC downsizing its headquarters and Revolut scaling up, combined with the post-pandemic hybrid work reshaping office needs, is London's office market shrinking or thriving? Tap here for the "tweet" on X

Take-up in London’s Midtown market is at its lowest level for three years

reports Dominic Plaskota

Just 398,717 sq ft of deals were done in Q3, with a dearth of prime, best-in-class space keeping take-up figures depressed. Read the full article on EG

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Caleb