As part of a company that’s been providing offices to growing businesses for more than 30 years, I’ve seen a recurring pattern: organizations sitting on empty or underused floors that present a missed opportunity.
Some have tried DIY leasing. Others fill space temporarily with short-term occupiers or pop-ups. Many simply let the issue drift into the background, quietly collecting dust.
More often than not, underutilized space fails not because there’s no demand, but because it isn’t treated as an asset. Without the right lens, tools, and experience, even well-intentioned efforts to “make it work” tend to fall short.
That’s where specialist workspace operators come in: unlocking value without distraction, and doing so in a way that is sustainable, professional, and exceeds occupier expectations. Above all, it’s high-return and low-involvement for the landlord.
It’s easy to overlook surplus space
Underutilized space often gets caught between departments — FM, finance, property, operations — with no single owner fully accountable for performance. In-house solutions struggle for a simple reason: running workspace well is complex.
Fitout decisions, pricing, marketing, compliance, maintenance, and day‑to‑day management all require time, resources, and experience. Without consistent oversight, standards slip and responsiveness suffers. This doesn’t go unnoticed by occupiers .
Even if a space eventually leases, poor operational delivery can undermine the occupier experience and reflect badly on the wider brand or building. Empty or poorly run space sits idle, quietly draining value when it should be generating it.
This is becoming more problematic as occupier expectations shift. Today’s market favors speed, readiness and simplicity. Space that isn’t immediately usable, compliant, and well managed can sit vacant for months (or longer). Add increasing pressure from Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), and buildings without a clear EPC strategy can quickly become functionally unleasable.
What changes when it’s treated as an asset
There’s an important distinction between filling space and packaging it as a product. A trained operator looks at surplus space through a commercial and operational lens: defining a clear proposition, setting the right pricing, handling professional onboarding, managing compliance and risk, and delivering consistent, end‑to‑end operations. All of this is informed by experience. We learn what works, what doesn’t, and where the market is heading.
Crucially, this approach allows landlords and organizations to generate income without adding internal workload. Standards remain consistent, and issues are handled proactively. Not to mention, brand and building reputation are protected.
Ad‑hoc solutions may work temporarily, but they rarely deliver sustainable returns and can create bigger problems over time.
Managing workspace inside live, mixed-use buildings
Many buildings aren’t just single‑use offices. They may be cultural venues, have public access, or operate as headquarters alongside exhibitions, events, or visitors.
Poor operations affect the whole building. Hence, in these multi-use environments especially, professional management is essential.
A recent example is a listed cultural building where part of the property was under‑used, while the building remained a live headquarters and public gallery. Bringing in an external occupier required careful management to balance public access, quiet working environments, security, reliability and brand reputation for the Crafts Council.
That simply isn’t compatible with casual or lightly managed workspace models. Responsiveness, clear protocols, and experienced day‑to‑day management are what allow multiple uses to coexist without friction.
Where performance is won or lost
I’ll be the first to say that design matters. A lot, actually. But it’s rarely the sole differentiator. Occupiers notice speed of response. They notice consistency, cleanliness and how quickly problems are resolved. They notice whether their workspace simply works, or whether small issues become daily frustrations.
This unseen delivery determines retention, referrals and repeat occupation. Treating leasing as the finish line, rather than the starting point, is where many in-house approaches fall down.
The sustainability reality check
MEES regulations are tightening, and in England non‑domestic rented buildings are expected to be on track for EPC B by 2030. Space without a credible upgrade path is increasingly difficult to market.
Operators play a critical role here, upgrading performance alongside refit and ensuring compliance is maintained over time. Without this, landlords risk stranded assets: empty space that generates no income and offers limited legal routes to occupation.
In our experience, addressing EPC performance early doesn’t just support compliance; it increases market appeal and avoids being boxed in later.
The upshot
We know the market is bustling — last year’s 101% y-o-y growth of managed offices in London tells us that. So why is there so much grey space skirting the edges? In our experience, it’s because the spaces are being treated as an afterthought.
Fragmented responsibility, underinvestment in operations and short-term fixes all contribute. Most organizations aren’t best placed to run workspace alongside their core mission, and they shouldn’t have to be. The organizations getting the returns treat workspace as a product in its own right and bring in specialists to run it properly.
It doesn’t take much to unlock value, but it does take experience.
