SA’s largest real estate company, Growthpoint Properties has launched an agile ready-to-occupy office concept called WorkAgility, which eliminates office costs and managerial complexity so that offices can be let more quickly.
Growthpoint already rents to large corporations such as Discovery, Anglo American and Exxaro but the real estate investment trust (Reit)has had challenges in renting its smaller spaces. Almost 80% of its office client base has offices of less than 1 000m2.
“The business environment and office market have shifted, and with WorkAgility, Growthpoint is responding to the new needs of a significant portion of office tenants. We have listened to our clients, and we are doing things differently to adapt our offices to the new world of hybrid working,” said Timothy Irvine, Growthpoint regional asset manager.
Users book seats in an office using an online service.
“WorkAgility is a frictionless new concept for the local office market. It offers flexible ready-to-occupy offices that are all yours. There is no shared or co-working space,” said Irvine.
He said WorkAgility made it as easy to secure new offices as an online booking for a hotel or BnB. It offers a one-click master service agreement, one all-inclusive cost, one point of contact with a dedicated community manager and it is cheaper than a conventional lease.
WorkAgility measures office needs by workstations rather than square metres. Service agreements are very brief documents, completed digitally and can be finalised within a day – and they can be for periods as short as a year, allowing flexibility for growth and change.
One all-in monthly cost covers an array of items, from fully-furnished offices complete with unsecured Wi-Fi, electricity, an office cleaning service, a kitchen stocked with everything including a dishwasher, microwave, crockery, cutlery and frequently replenished tea and coffee.
WorkAgility’s office spaces can accommodate from around 20 to 85 workstations and include specialised areas such as meeting rooms and concentration spaces.
To start, WorkAgility will be available at six buildings with multiple options each in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
“Each custom-styled WorkAgility building features a welcoming reception and creates a stage for a regular programme of events and highlights, always offering its occupants something new and fostering an exceptional sense of community,” Irvine said.
A community manager is dedicated to regular office check-ins amd Growthpoint has a curated list of amenities specific to each location.
Growthpoint’s first work WorkAgility office is Newlands on Main in Cape Town, which is available immediately and Growthpoint intends to expand the WorkAgility concept in line with demand.