Fulga Dinu, IMMOFINANZ: “We focus on constantly adapting to the increasingly sophisticated needs of the tenants”

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been extremely careful to implement and communicate on a regular basis with all our tenants about the implementation of all safety and health measures. Our properties have always been well-equipped to welcome our tenants. The health and safety offered to tenants is a top priority in all buildings operated by IMMOFINANZ,” Fulga Dinu, Country Manager Operations Romania, IMMOFINANZ told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“We focus on constantly adapting to the increasingly sophisticated needs of the tenants, so flexibility has become one of the main pillars of the myhive concept. This new component improves on the concept and allows us to offer an extremely diverse range of options to our tenants, allowing us to accommodate almost any type of requirement, coming from companies active in any type/business model.”

What are the current challenges for IMMOFINANZ on the Romanian real estate market?

The pandemic had a significant effect on how we worked and shopped. In terms of office buildings, we are well-positioned with our office portfolio, particularly with our myhive brand, offering more than just simple workspaces, with employees’ wellbeing as a top priority.

On the retail segment, there is no doubt that the activity of the majority of our tenants has been impacted by the sanitary crisis. Retail parks, on the other hand, had an advantage because visitors could enter the shops directly from the outside, allowing them to reopen sooner after the lockdown period. For example, the visitor frequency in our STOP SHOP park in Botoșani has quickly returned to the pre-crisis levels.

What are your plans for bringing more tenants in the Romanian portfolio?

We focus on constantly adapting to the increasingly sophisticated needs of the tenants, so flexibility has become one of the main pillars of the myhive concept. This new component improves on the concept and allows us to offer an extremely diverse range of options to our tenants, allowing us to accommodate almost any type of requirement, coming from companies active in any type/business model. We provide the option to enter into long-term or short-term contracts in order to take advantage of “all-inclusive” rental services through this product. This module, unique to myhive brand, combines high-quality co-working space with the benefits of a modern headquarters, including, for example, a generous space, diverse services, and excellent infrastructure.

myhive’s offering ranges from an all-inclusive workplace in the coworking area to individual, short-term rentable office spaces with as few as two workstations up to the traditional company headquarters in own rental areas. We handle everything from infrastructure to cleaning and maintenance to flower watering, so that tenants can focus on their main business.

Every tenant has access to meeting rooms and lounges. Such as Internet access, electricity, a small kitchen and much more. Flexibility is also provided by modular office layouts with standardized equipment. With myhive, the entire office space can be adapted repeatedly based on the needs of the users, while maintaining full and traceable cost control. This means that space can be increased or decreased on a monthly basis. This is very convenient for many businesses, especially in these fast-paced times. This means that the tenant only pays for exactly what he truly acquires, while maintaining maximum flexibility.

What should a developer do to boost the morale of its tenants and overcome their fear of returning to the office?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been extremely careful to implement and communicate on a regular basis with all our tenants about the implementation of all safety and health measures. Our properties have always been well-equipped to welcome our tenants. The health and safety offered to tenants is a top priority in all buildings operated by IMMOFINANZ.

Then, as landlords, it is our mission to assist our tenants in growing their businesses while we take care of all aspects of the space in which they operate, from greater flexibility to the extensive infrastructure and a wide range of services they can benefit from, as well as to maintaining the spirit of community.

As previously stated, we are currently implementing another level of customization with our myhive brand in order to provide tenants with more flexibility in terms of contract term, the fluctuating office space needs, “all-inclusive” rental services, or relocation within the myhive portfolio. This product has already been successfully implemented in Vienna and Warsaw, and we are currently implementing it in myhive buildings in Bucharest.

What are the employees missing the most when they are working from home?

Personal interaction. It is obvious that the trend of flexible working and home offices will continue in the future. Nonetheless, the home office will never completely replace the office workstation because the social aspect and personal interaction are especially important for company innovation and productivity. There is still a sizable proportion of employees who say it is more difficult for them to stay focused or motivated at home, to complete their tasks or to feel connected with their colleagues. As a result, the demand for high quality office space with added value will continue, and it will be critical to focus on the specific needs of our tenants. The importance of flexibility and community cannot be overstated. Of course, in medium and long term, we can expect to see changes in the areas requested by each customer.

What are the challenges for both developers and tenants when it comes to remote working?

In the last two years, remote working has been one of the most discussed topics, with a focus on the benefits of this type of activity. Working from home is now a modern way of working, just like working from the train, plane, or coffee shop. It is common to be able to work from any location. Simultaneously, the home office will never completely replace the office workstation because the social aspect and personal interaction support company innovation and productivity. And with myhive office concept we simply provide the ideal solution suited to any type of need or request from tenants.