Finding an Office Location: How to Properly Evaluate a New Site
Alessandro Nicotra
Workplace Intelligence
In short
— A location is not judged by square meters, but by how it works for the people who work there.
— For every address, we see who is moving closer and who further away, what is going on in the neighborhood, and what infrastructure is needed.
— The Bruno filter shows where you can really eat and drink well nearby.
A new office location determines how people commute to work, where they spend their lunch break, and whether they enjoy staying. With the location evaluator in Workplace Intelligence, we compare potential addresses before a lease is signed: accessibility, surroundings, and infrastructure, side by side and transparently.
Whether an office works well is also decided around the lunch table.
Why is location so important for an office?
Because it is the first thing employees experience every day, long before they enter the room. In Switzerland, the commute takes an average of around 30 minutes each way, and a good seven out of ten employed people work outside their municipality of residence (FSO, Commuter Mobility 2022). Those who commute longer are, on average, less satisfied with their lives (Stutzer and Frey).
With hybrid working, this question has become even more important. On days working from home, employees save an average of over an hour of commuting time (NBER). The office must be worth this commute. That is why the question of location comes first for us, often even before a floor plan exists.
Coop Legal Protection, Bellinzona
How do you compare multiple office locations?
By evaluating all candidates with the same questions and placing them on a map. The Location Evaluator guides you through the comparison across five chapters.
1 · Locations. The options are displayed on a map, alongside the current office.
2 · Accessibility. How long are employees travelling by public transport, bicycle, car, or on foot, and who is better or worse off than today? A first indication is provided by the ARE public transport quality classes.
3 · Surroundings. What is the character of the location? Work, residential, green spaces, gastronomy, and companies from the same industry nearby.
4 · Infrastructure. What else does the location need, such as bicycle parking spaces, showers, and changing rooms, and what are the estimated cost ranges?
5 · Decision. A comparison matrix places everything side by side, weighted according to the company's priorities. The comparison feeds directly into the strategy report.
The commuting data comes from the same survey used to create the work profiles.
The Bruno Filter: Where is good to eat around here?
The Bruno Filter only displays places within a location's radius that truly impress, including hidden gems.
It is named after Bruno. For and with him, we have realised some of our most exciting projects, and he has long been a good friend. Above all, however, he is a passionate connoisseur of good restaurants. Anyone who goes out with Bruno never ends up in a mediocre restaurant. He always knows the best bar and the place where you still love to linger after a long day.
We wanted to bring precisely this perspective into the location evaluation. One click, and only the places Bruno would recommend remain on the map.
What does experience from location comparisons show?
That the cheapest location is rarely the best. A poorly accessible location cannot be compensated for by any fit-out, and vibrant neighbourhood life makes an office more attractive, both for the team and for guests.
Kanadevia Inova, Zurich
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you evaluate a new office location?
Before a lease is signed. That way, a location can still be rejected or negotiated.
How many locations can be compared?
As many as are seriously under consideration. Usually, it is two to five.
Are the commutes of individual employees visible?
No. We evaluate the data anonymously and in aggregate.
Who decides what is more important?
The company. Accessibility, surroundings, and infrastructure can be weighted differently, and the comparison immediately shows what changes as a result.
What is the Bruno filter?
A feature in the Location Evaluator that shows only the best restaurants and venues around an address, including small insider tips.
Sources
Commuter mobility in Switzerland 2022, Federal Statistical Office
Public transport quality classes: calculation methodology, Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE
Stress that Doesn't Pay: The Commuting Paradox, Stutzer and Frey, 2008
Time Savings When Working from Home, Aksoy et al., NBER, 2023
Empty spaces and hybrid places, McKinsey Global Institute, 2023
A good location is not just easily accessible. It's a place where you enjoy having lunch, welcoming guests, and lingering after work.
Contact
Listening is our first draft.
Every project begins with a conversation. Tell us what you have in mind: a new working environment, a restaurant, a space for the future. We bring an open mind, curiosity, and experience in strategy, interior design, and lighting. We'd love to meet at our studio on Gutstrasse in Zurich. Or wherever your project is coming to life.