0920_September Comstock's Magazine September 2020 | Page 53

is not, ultimately, what determines your
effectiveness. Go-getters will hustle
whether in a cubicle or at their kitchen
table. Slackers will find ways to do
less with more, no matter the context.
“Honestly, if you’re not motivated to do
your work, that’s going to be a problem
no matter where you are,” says McLaren.
“This idea that you should have the
people in the office is kind of authoritarian.
If you brought somebody into
your building and they don’t want to do
work for you, how much more productive
are they?” She pauses. “You can just
watch them better.”
Offices: smaller or bigger
As companies and employees adjust
to telecommuting, there’s been a lot
of chatter about a glut of office space,
putting downward pressure on lease
prices, but many experts disagree.
“The reality is, I don’t think any of
us know for sure how it’s going to shake
out,” says Corfee. Although, if Corfee
had to guess, he’s not anticipating a
future surplus of space. “There’s no
supply in Sacramento for a big user,”
says Corfee, referring to the office needs
of large companies. “There isn’t any
space. Nobody’s built space here (in the
downtown market) in 10 years.”
Local executives at CBRE, the real
estate and investment firm, agree. Sacramento
is filled with “recession-resilient
industries,” such as government
and health care, says David Brennan,
senior managing director of CBRE’s
Sacramento region, that will have a
strong demand for offices even after
the pandemic. And even if some Sacramento
companies (or government
offices) decide to downsize, he expects
inventory to quickly get snapped up. “If
some office space does open up in light
of the pandemic,” says Brennan, “that
space will be very attractive to Bay
Area companies looking to relocate
or expand their operations in a costcompetitive
market.”
Corfee and Brennan say very few of
their clients are looking to break their
lease or allow it to lapse. Some Buzz
Oates clients are looking to downsize, but
Corfee says that’s offset by companies
seeking more space to allow for roomier
social distancing. Corfee says in recent
years, “in the office sectors of the urban
cores especially, (companies) spent a lot
of money cramming people together.”
He expects many firms to want twice the
square footage per employee and will
switch to floor plans with more private
offices and less common space. “Companies
spent 10 years figuring how to cram
20 pounds of employees in a 10 pound
bag,” says Corfee, “and now they’re going
to spend 10 years putting 10 pounds of
employees in a 20 pound bag.”
Jeff Wilser is the author of seven books,
most recently “Becoming a Firefighter,”
from Simon & Schuster’s Masters at
Work series. On Twitter @jeffwilser.
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September 2020 | comstocksmag.com 53