“16th RED Meeting Point” in Athens

Errikos Arones, Hellenic Properties CEO, speaking at the “16th RED Meeting Point” in Athens, Greece: “The working model will remain hybrid and flexible. The percentages of businesses and workers who take advantage of the many choices they have now and will have in the future will increase as the percentages of younger generations in work increase and older ones retire.

How will the real estate market adapt to this change? The answer is that it has already taken giant steps forward. The shift in the labour market – nowadays, physically present in the workplace becomes a choice and not necessarily an obligation – has already affected the quality of new office buildings. Architectures and building developers must follow a holistic design and offer employees amenities and services to attract them to the office. Workplaces are now spaces of inspiration, not just production spaces.

A good parallel is hotels. About a decade ago, Airbnb provided a solution that momentarily changed how people travel. Did it kill the hotels? No, it didn’t! On the contrary, their value increased because they now seek to offer what Airbnb houses cannot provide. The same is happening in the office market. Can you have a gym, meditation, and newborn care services and a restaurant with affordable prices and vegan and gluten-free options in your home? You can’t! So come to the office because we have it all! And simultaneously, do your work to enjoy all this!”