{"id":28594,"date":"2025-05-14T10:11:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T10:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yardikube.co.uk\/?p=7076"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:02:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:02:46","slug":"flex-and-the-city-panel-the-future-of-flexible-workspaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yardikube.com\/en-gb\/blog\/flex-and-the-city-panel-the-future-of-flexible-workspaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Flex and the City Panel: The Future of Flexible Workspaces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yardi was proud to participate in Flex and The City\u2019s<\/em> first-ever live panel debate, held in the heart of London – a vibrant hub for innovation in workspace solutions. Moderated by Justin Harley, senior director at Yardi UK<\/mark><\/a>, the event brought together an esteemed panel of industry leaders to unpack the changing dynamics of the flexible office market. Panellists included Wayne Berger, CEO of IWG<\/mark><\/a>, Philippa Abendanon, head of leasing at Derwent<\/mark><\/a>, Shaun Simons, founder of Compton<\/mark><\/a>, Natasha Guerra, CEO of Runway East<\/mark><\/a>, and Richard Smith, founder and CEO of Office Freedom<\/mark><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, they tackled some of the most pressing questions shaping today\u2019s workspace strategies, i.e. How are traditional landlords adjusting to flex? Are tenants overwhelmed by too many options? Does the part-time office model have staying power? And what exactly does \u201cflex\u201d mean in 2025?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Flex<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Insights from the Panel:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Traditional Real Estate & Flex Operators: Friends, Foes or Future Partners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest shifts in recent years has been the increasing crossover between traditional landlords and flexible workspace operators. Guerra traced this trajectory from Runway East\u2019s early days, when it catered almost exclusively to startups in \u201copen-plan spaces with very few private offices,\u201d to now \u2014 where it increasingly competes with landlords offering their flexible solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that as more property owners move into the flex market directly, operators must find ways to remain distinctive; \u201cIf landlords can deliver the same product themselves, they\u2019ll do it \u2014 and keep the upside.\u201d Guerra emphasised that Runway East\u2019s competitive edge lies in community, not commoditised space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The panel generally agreed that coexistence is inevitable, but value differentiation is critical. Flex operators must double down on what makes their service unique, whether that\u2019s a sense of belonging, agility or hospitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumer Confusion: Is the Office Market the Wild West?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the market diversifies, so does its terminology. Smith described today\u2019s landscape as a \u201cWild West,\u201d with an overwhelming range of options and unclear definitions. The original distinctions between serviced offices, coworking and managed spaces have been blurred, resulting in decision-making paralysis for many tenants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simons pushed for a paradigm shift: \u201cWe need to look at offices the way we look at hotels, from self-catering to all-inclusive. We\u2019ve created unnecessary complexity and now we need to simplify.\u201d Berger added that this isn\u2019t just a business-to-business (B2B) industry anymore; it\u2019s a consumer business. \u201cWe\u2019ve never seen more choice, but that choice must come with clarity,\u201d he quotes. With four generations now coexisting in the workplace and Gen Z rapidly becoming the majority, with \u201c75% of them along with Millennials making up the workforce,\u201d a new kind of user is emerging \u2014 one that expects transparency, experience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part-Time Offices: Operational Innovation or Dead-End Trend?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Harley notes that the rise of hybrid work sparked excitement about “part-time offices,\u201d spaces that companies could use for selected days of the week. However, he questioned if the concept still had legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not quite, according to Guerra. While Runway East tested part-time setups in underutilised locations, it quickly highlighted that the concept was more trouble than it was worth. From access control complications to demand clustering (\u201ceveryone wants Tuesday to Thursday\u201d), the operational load outweighed the benefits. \u201cIt was a product I believed in, but tenants weren\u2019t willing to pay a premium and many converted to full-time anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the concept has not disappeared entirely. Berger observes a growing trend he refers to as \u201cnomadic use\u201d \u2014 the ad hoc utilisation of workspaces without traditional lease agreements but with built-in flexibility. According to him, this model is thriving in cities throughout \u201cEurope, particularly in London,\u201d where users increasingly treat workspace as a utility. Accessible when needed, easy to use and readily scalable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Evolving Meaning of Flex: From Nomadic Use to Function Over Format<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As previously mentioned, the nomadic approach (utilising space as and when needed) may represent the true disruptor in the commercial office landscape. Berger highlighted the growing adoption of usage-based models, where clients log in for a few hours per week, attend meetings across various cities, or access private workspaces on demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He emphasised that this trend is less about downsizing and more about smart usage. \u201cThe modern business doesn\u2019t just want flexibility. It demands it across cities, across functions and employee preferences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abendanon added a valuable landlord perspective. While Derwent London once considered offering reduced contracts for clients, most now need consistent, full-week access. \u201cIronically, we\u2019re seeing companies go from wanting less space to realising they need more, just differently configured,\u201d she noted. This reflects a broader shift in mindset. \u201cThe world has changed,\u201d Abendanon added, a point echoed by moderator Harley, \u201cIt\u2019s changing constantly, and the demands of business evolve with it.\u201d For providers, that constant motion can be difficult to navigate, but what customers increasingly value is simple, \u201cultimate flexibility.\u201d Perhaps the most resonant insight came from Simons, who highlighted, \u201cFlex isn\u2019t a format, it\u2019s a function. Something any landlord or operator can offer.\u201d He called on the industry to move past rigid labels and instead focus on what clients receive, such as speed to occupancy, shorter commitments and thoughtfully curated experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Future of Flex: The Journey Toward Simplicity & Choice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The consensus is clear \u2014 flexibility is no longer just for startups or creative industries. It\u2019s becoming a foundational element across the entire real estate landscape. Today, it\u2019s being embraced by large enterprises, agile teams and globally dispersed workforces alike. As the sector matures, we\u2019re entering a new era defined by convergence, choice and growing complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, despite the shifting terrain, one thing remains certain. The leaders in this space will be those who make flexibility simple, adaptable and deeply human. Whether that involves reimagining how we define workspace, streamlining access models or evolving our understanding of what \u201cflex\u201d really means, the direction of travel is unmistakable \u2014 toward a more intuitive, user-led future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what events we\u2019ll be attending in 2025<\/mark><\/a> and meet with Team Yardi to learn how you can increase growth and productivity<\/mark><\/a> with an all-in-one coworking solution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yardi participated in Flex and The City\u2019s first-ever live panel debate, held in the heart of London, on the future of flexible workspaces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3255,"featured_media":7080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coworking"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFlex and the City Panel: The Future of Flexible Workspaces<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Yardi was proud to participate in Flex and The City\u2019s first-ever live panel debate, held in London, on the future of flexible workspaces.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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