Gen Z Bringing New Challenges to Office Market

This poses a double challenge for professionals involved in creating and maintaining the right working environment and for HR. A new approach is needed to ensure that employees do not feel compelled to work and perform at their best in the office.

In keeping with the topicality of the subject, the Hungarian American Chamber of Commerce's (AmCham) Workplace Environment and Facilities Management and HR Committees held their first-ever joint meeting to review the latest trends, best practices, and solutions related to office use. The participants were welcomed by the presidents of the two bodies: Zsolt Kákosy, director of Icon property management and Róbert Dobay, managing director of Menedzsmentor. Then Valter Kalaus, managing partner of Newark VLK, gave a presentation entitled "The Office as an HR tool".

The speaker stressed that companies cannot give up office work in the face of rapidly changing habits, needs, and expectations, but also pointed out that, in addition to providing the right conditions, creating a workplace environment that offers an experience also significantly increases the role of HR and facilities management and maintenance professionals in the life of companies.

But what does an office that meets the new requirements look like?

Location is key, the office should be easily accessible, and its design should be tailored to the needs of the people working there, providing the right conditions for efficient working. Today, it is also a natural expectation that you should not have to travel long distances to reach services such as restaurants, cafés, and shopping facilities during a break or after work. Proximity to a gym, beauty parlor or barber shop can be an added advantage.

Following the presentation, Kalaus answered questions from participants at length. The exchange clearly demonstrated that meeting the requirements for an ideal office is a complex task that needs to be tackled jointly by managers and HR staff if they want to ensure that employees see going in as an experience rather than a constraint and avoid offices sitting empty. It is the most expensive solution from every point of view.

Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (AmCham Hungary) may participate in the Workspace and Facilities Management Committee and the HR Committee.