Choosing the right workspace for your staff can be a challenge in the current landscape. With increased demand for working from home flexibility, businesses are struggling to encourage staff back to the office and employers can no longer rely on a consistent presence in the workplace. This leaves commercial property tenants in a bit of a quandary – how do I know what type of premises I need if I don’t know how many of my workforce are going to be in the office on any given day?

Out with the old and in with the new?

Since the pandemic, there has been a historic shift in what employers and employees are looking for in their working life.

One of those things is having a workspace that encourages employees to the office, allowing for a more collaborative working environment whilst still providing the flexibility of working from home.

Certainly, working from home offers great benefits for employees, but over time it has become apparent that getting staff face-to-face builds camaraderie, boosts morale, and increases productivity.

As such, along with the usual hybrid offerings being widely agreed between workers and employers, the market has also seen employers moving to leases over premises that offer more attractive facilities including recreational areas, shared meeting spaces and break-out rooms.

Alternatively, where employers are finding that less space is needed to run their day-to-day operations, they are keeping hold of their existing leases but looking to share the space with other like-minded businesses – reducing their utility and rental costs.  

What considerations do I need to make?

Some considerations you will need to make, include:

• Whether you are allowed to underlet or assign the lease when looking to rent out space in the office or assign the lease to another party to take over the term altogether
• What lease term remains and what the provisions are for breaking out of it
• The various terms, conditions, regulations and covenants all parties will need to abide by over the period of the lease
• If you are looking to renovate the premises and create a nicer environment to work in, you will need to check if a licence to alterations is required

A licence to alterations is the consent from the landlord that allows you to make adjustments to the premises, and it helps to have professionals involved when agreeing what works will be carried out, for what costs and by whom, so that difficulties are avoided later on and you are protected as a tenant.

These are but a few examples of things to consider when dealing with commercial leases, so whatever you are planning to do with your lease, we would encourage you to seek advice from a solicitor. We can assist with reviewing and drafting the legal documentation you need. Whether you are looking to reduce office space or expand your working environment, Berwins is here for you.

DISCLAIMER: The information and opinions expressed in this article does not address individual requirements and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute any form of legal advice and should not be relied on or treated as a substitute for specific advice relevant to your particular circumstances.