Is the location of your workspace an essential criterion?

Most companies pursue a twofold HR objective: retaining their talent and attracting new people. To achieve this, employers and HR teams can pull a great many levers. Among them, the location of the workspace is one of the most important.

According to a HelloWork survey (2021), a company's location is a deciding factor for 79% of French people. What is more, 50% of employees believe that the home-to-work commute should not exceed 30 minutes.

Whether you are looking for offices in central Paris or in the inner suburbs, location is not an end in itself. Facilities and services aligned with a suitable remote-work policy help a workspace prove its worth, wherever it may be.

To explore the subject and share a few practical ideas, we spoke with Linda Froment (Secretary General of Freeland), Kristel Tedeschi (Office manager at Combo) and Marie Barbier (HR Director, Morning).

"The location of a workspace: a genuine HR investment "
With Linda Froment of FreeLand and Kristel Tedeschi of Combo

Linda Froment is Secretary General of Freeland, and Kristel Tedeschi is the office manager at Combo. Their Paris operations recently moved to the 9th arrondissement of Paris, to Morning Laffitte, on the street of the same name (for Freeland) and to Morning Cadet, on rue de Bellefond (for Combo).

Both moves had specific aims. For Combo, the goal was to support headcount growth and strengthen exchanges between team members. At Freeland, the aim was to bring together teams previously spread across 3 sites, develop synergies between the Group's various activities and reinforce a sense of belonging. For Linda and Kristel, setting up in the heart of Paris is a genuine HR investment. "Moving to La Défense would have cost us 2 to 3 times less," Freeland's Secretary General told us.

Just as marketing seeks to convert an audience, HR has to win candidates over to "turn" them into employees. Within the recruitment process, the workspace is a link in its own right. "For the past year, we have had a dedicated resource at Freeland who introduces us to a great many candidates. It is then up to us to win them over. Among the selling points, the workspace plays a key role, right from the interview." Kristel agrees: "Location helps boost the conversion rate. In job ads, a central location catches the eye."

Location: an importance to keep in perspective

While the "location" criterion counts for a lot, its impact remains hard to measure, especially as other components come into play: facilities, design, outdoor spaces, and so on. Linda explains: "It is a whole to consider, including in particular pay, the candidate experience and the company's vision. That said, some candidates joined us after their previous employer moved out to the inner suburbs."

Kristel is also keen to add some nuance: "A company's "remote-work" policy puts the importance of its office location into perspective. However central or accessible your location may be, in terms of distance, working from home is unbeatable."

Attendance rates will also depend on the nature of the roles, each person's way of organising themselves, and the time of year. "For example," Kristel explains, "within the Customer Success Managers team there is a spirit of collective enrichment; they need to work together. On the sales side, they can sometimes feel more at ease at home for making calls. But at the end of the month, they look for group momentum to hit the numbers. The office creates that dynamic."

"4 levers to pull when your location is unfavourable"
With Marie Barbier, HR Director at Morning

"Most of us see commuting time as wasted time. The proof is the growing number of candidates who ask me (very early) in interviews: "What is your remote-work policy?" The question hides another, more personal one, namely: "How much commuting time will I be able to save each week?"

Faced with this reality, companies try to set up in the city centre, near a station or less than 300 metres from a metro stop, and so on. But not everyone can afford to rent offices in the most central districts of Paris. For those companies, there are still levers to pull to attract talent.

Build in as many services as possible

While the office-to-bed distance can't be reduced, there are plenty of others that the workspace can shorten, or even do away with: trips to the gym, the improv class, the shopping, the nursery, and so on. These distances can be "erased" if your workspace offers the right services and activities. 
Bring in the sports instructors, treat yourself to a concierge service, organise classes or training. To hit the mark, ask your team directly to gauge what they would like.

Adopt a flexible remote-work policy

Big companies are becoming less and less appealing because of how little openness they show towards remote work. Taking the opposite tack would help find the formula  that benefits everyone and makes up for a poor location. Strengthening the bonds between colleagues through specific moments, on the other hand, will make the days spent at the office unmissable.

Open up your space

Your workspace needs to be able to meet the points above. You will have to transform it, on two counts. On the one hand, you will need to make the fit-out changes specific to flex office, including the necessary furniture (individual lockers, shared desks, phone boxes, and so on), but you will also need to open up your space and offer dedicated zones for exchanges and your events. Your employees need to meet one another! Discover our business solutions tailored to every need.

Take care over facilities and fit-out

To encourage their employees to come into the office, companies need to play the fit-out card. A space adapted to flex office includes the necessary furniture (individual lockers, shared desks, soundproofed phone booths), and offers dedicated zones for exchanges and your events. Employees need to meet one another! (further reading on this: 5 tips for a successful "flexoffice" fit-out)

A well-equipped space with attractive design will motivate employees to come in for their working days.  When it comes to facilities, ergonomic seating, fully equipped meeting rooms and a faultless network will all be weighty arguments for drawing employees in.
As for design, it is crucial to give it proper thought. Right from the job interview, the look of the space needs to make an impression. Even in job ads, a welcoming space catches the eye. Welcome to the Jungle would not say otherwise.

You now know all about the importance of a workspace's location, and the steps to take to make up for a disadvantageous one. Whether you are looking for offices in Paris or a flexible coworking solution, explore our various spaces spread right across the capital. If you have a question, ask us in the comments!

Your office search, with Morning

☞ 5 tips for fitting out your workspace☞ 4 good reasons to transform your workspace☞ 5 tips for a successful "flexoffice" fit-out