[Photos] Inside Cushman & Wakefield's smart & sustainable Singapore office

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A space that drives energy efficiency and wellbeing elements through resource conservation, and an activity-based hybrid work environment — step into Cushman & Wakefield’s office of the future.

Ever wondered what you get when you mix sustainability and smart technology?

You get the office of the future, as employees at Cushman & Wakefield’s new office space are experiencing first-hand.

Opened in March 2022, the new CapitaSpring building, located in Singapore’s central business district, reflects the group’s long-term commitment to Singapore and its growing importance as a global gateway city. The office space is equipped with amenities that cater to both its employees and clients in a post-pandemic world. Join Anshul Jain, Managing Director, India & SE Asia, as he speaks to Arina Sofiah about the design journey, from how the group collected data to understand employees’ needs for the new space, to his own personal favourite spot in the office.

Q Walk us through the conceptualisation of this space - what was your vision for it, and how involved were your employees in this process?

Our new premises at CapitaSpring is designed to reflect the office of the future, with an emphasis on sustainability, smart technology applications, and diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I). It also gives us the opportunity to embrace a new way of working and showcase the future of the workplace as a ‘living brochure’ to our clients and prospects. Our employees were at the centre of the design and fit-out of the new office.

Our workplace strategy teams and consultants analysed various employee needs through our bespoke ‘Experience per SF™ (XSF)’ and pulse surveys, time utilisation studies, employee focus groups, and business roundtable sessions. We also looked at best practices from different corners of the world, as well as companies that are pioneering innovation. With this insight, we created a strong design concept that is inspired by hospitality.

Q The space leverages technology, with features such as a desk booking system. What other tech-driven features can employees look forward to?

We have partnered with IndoorFinders to develop a desk booking system that allows our employees to work in close proximity with their team members, which then fosters team bonding and better collaboration efforts. In this new activity-based hybrid working environment, the system also helps ensure that employees who return to the office will have a conducive space that caters to their working styles.

The new office is also equipped with a range of amenities, collaboration spaces, and multi-functional rooms that are powered by smart technologies to meet the different needs of employees, empowering them to work with increased flexibility and productivity.

Q One of the design goals was to embrace sustainability. What was the most pressing priority to address this?

Sustainability has been a key priority for us when designing the office and our goal is to achieve the Building and Construction (BCA)’s Green Mark accreditation. Throughout the design and fit-out phase, we emphasised resource conservation to drive energy efficiencies and wellbeing elements.

Our CapitaSpring office is also highly flexible, allowing for various configurations depending on work demands. For example, a large conference room can be converted into multiple small meeting rooms to ensure that we can cater to both large-size client events as well as small employee catch-ups with equal ease and convenience. This versatility helps promote high levels of efficiency and sustainability.

Q How do you hope this space would help with the company culture, engagement, and productivity?

We hope to inspire more in-person collaboration and community connections among employees at the office space. We’ve introduced functional work points on top of the 80 workstations to support overflow during peak periods. We’ve also dedicated half of the space in the office for collaboration purposes, where we have 17 meeting rooms and phone booths, as well as open spaces.

We also have multi-purpose functional environments that are designed to suit various work styles such as the ‘Library’ that is devoted to quiet individual work, the ‘Saloon’ which is a café setting where employees can eat, connect, and work, as well as collaboration areas and configurable event spaces that can be used for meetings or networking.

Q On a broader note - how does this office space convey what Cushman & Wakefield stands for as an employer & a brand?

The new office at CapitaSpring, as well as the newly transformed C&W Services office at Viva Business Park, underscores our commitment to sustainability, smart technology, and DE&I. These two offices also highlight our ability and capacity to connect with and serve our diverse portfolio of clients in both the central and decentralised areas of Singapore.

As an employer, it is important that we provide a dynamic and collaborative workplace for our employees that not only caters to their different needs and work styles, but also allows them to connect and network with their team members and clients. This environment also serves to foster a high-performing culture that helps drive their career growth with the company.

For our clients, our new offices demonstrate what a futuristic and agile workplace looks like and how we can partner with them to deliver what’s next in real estate.

Q What is your advice to other companies that are planning to redesign their office spaces for the new way of work?

The pandemic has significantly impacted the future of the workplace and I believe that companies need to understand their employees’ needs and put them at the centre of their office design and operations.

Sustainability, wellness, technology, and DE&I are increasingly important themes that will continue to resonate more strongly moving forward and are imperative for companies looking to foster better connectivity and collaboration, as well as drive higher productivity and efficiencies.

In this age of workplace and employee experience, companies that embrace the abovementioned themes will be better positioned to attract and retain talent (especially the younger generation of the workforce) and drive business growth and industry presence. Workplace experience will continue to evolve in the future, and companies would need to keep up with new trends to ensure they are up to speed and able to act quickly as needed.

Q To end on a personal note - what is your favourite spot in the office?

The coffee bar at the entrance lounge. It’s full of buzz - you can meet, say hello and have a chat with colleagues and clients informally as they walk in, and also work in a cafe setting!

Image / Provided

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