There’s never been a more opportune time to create happy workplaces that can support both the business and local community, creating more inclusive places to work and generating and nurturing communities, both inside and outside of the office
The workplace evolution
The last few years have seen an acceleration of pre-existing trends in the commercial property sector, from health and well-being to activity-based working. The office in 2023 and beyond will be as much about culture, learning, and connectivity as it is about productivity.
With businesses seeking to attract and retain the best staff, the building and space they occupy now serve as a key talent magnet. Developers are going to have to become fluent in the new language of development – it's no longer good enough to just be talking about the bricks and mortar. A business can only expect to see a return on this investment through increased productivity, fewer sick days taken, and the ability to retain its top talent. The best schemes will focus on creating blended spaces that deliver an authentic, community-led collaborative experience.
The concept of 'social value' is used increasingly by commercial real estate companies to measure the impact that properties have on local communities
Clare Bailey, Director, Commercial Research
Occupiers favour offices that encourage their employees to journey to the city centre. That means they need to offer an experience beyond just the working day. Developers are really starting to take this on board. Adding attractive rooftop or street-level gardens and allotments, event and community spaces, and gallery spaces will help make these buildings destinations, rather than simply workspaces.
The concept of ‘social value’ is used increasingly by commercial real estate companies to measure the impact that properties have on local communities and society. Relationships are key. The best and most effective way to make the office an integral part of people’s lives is by designing in connection. Office buildings must become more than simply a space to work – but a place to build connected communities, both within and outside our offices.
Wellington Place is a great example of a scheme bringing people together in meaningful ways. By designing Wellington Place around the people who work there, the scheme has helped to improve well-being and employee attraction and satisfaction. What’s more, Wellington Place has endeavoured to benefit the wider community too - from creating educational partnerships focused on social mobility to a year-round programme of participatory events, Elsewhere, following transformational renovations, Northspring Wellington Street, covers seven floors, with amenities including a business lounge, a bar, a fitness studio and a roof terrace, creating spaces which promote connection and collaboration.
Credit: John Kees Photography | Wellington Place, Leeds
The growth of film and TV production companies in Leeds
Leeds City Region is home to some of the fastest-growing film and TV production companies in the UK. It has a huge infrastructure base of world-class, state-of-the-art studios and facilities, forming a creative industries hub and cultural cluster. The region is home to UK broadcaster Channel 4’s new national headquarters, which has a commitment to commission 50% of content spend across the nations and regions outside London and the South East.
The sector has expanded significantly in recent years, and there is a real demand for more studio space to allow the industry to grow. True North is the biggest independent producer of factual television in the north of England. After Channel 4 announced its HQ move, True North started a major expansion of its operation at Marshalls Mill.
It’s becoming increasingly important for London-based companies to start to grow regionally in order to recruit and develop new talent out of London and to make programmes which truly reflect the whole country. ITN Productions opened offices in Aire Street, near the entrance to the train station, with state-of-the-art editing facilities, as well as the broadcasting company behind Dave, Gold and Alibi also launching a ‘regional innovation hub’ in the city. ITV Productions' reasons for choosing the city being down to its impressive tech scene, convenient transport links and emerging creative industry.
Credit: Philip Openshaw | The Majestic building in City Square Leeds, now the Northern Headquarters of Channel 4
Leeds continues to be a hotbed for the health tech sector
Despite their command of the headlines, ‘Big Tech’ companies are just one facet in the broader tech industry – during the post-lockdown period, there has been a much greater appetite from tech companies within regional cities to acquire space.
There are now over 49,000 people working in tech start-ups and scale-ups across Leeds. Almost 800 start-ups and scale-ups are now based in Leeds, including gaming company XR Games and ethical fintech Tred, which both raised funding this year.
According to the Northern Tech 100 Report by Tech North, Leeds City Region is home to 23 of the fastest-growing technology businesses in the North. In addition, the region boasts the highest number of scale-up digital companies outside the South East and is outstripping Bristol and Manchester for employment growth in digital and creative industries.
Taking talent
The region has an exceptional talent pool, with over 196,000 people employed in health and science jobs, as the region produces over 39,000 graduates each year from its nine universities – almost half of whom graduate in STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths).
Healthcare
In recent years the reputation of Leeds as a burgeoning city for health technology has grown significantly. Post Covid-19 there has inevitably been a growing level of interest from both the government and corporates in business relating to human health, with healthcare and medical technologies expected to become key growth sectors for Leeds.
The presence of NHS Digital at Wellington Place for the city – having such a key entity within the digital health sector has attracted start-ups (currently over 60) that want to co-locate around such a major organisation. In addition, Leeds houses four out of five national NHS offices, cementing itself as a leader for office space in the health and medical sector. These companies are tackling areas such as drug development for autoimmune diseases (4D Pharma plc), preventative health tech hero and animal health (Vet-AI). It is home to six world-leading life science clusters of academic excellence and commercial innovation, with the largest concentration of medical device companies in the UK.
Collaboration
A new Leeds hub is set to improve health across the region and attract and develop the best talent from the health and social care sector. The Leeds Health and Social Care Hub will bring together the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and local organisations, creating a community of experts to improve healthcare and tackle health disparities.
The hub is also planning to create new jobs and opportunities for health and social care professionals in and around the city, boosting the local economy and developing and retaining talent.