Today’s workspaces have welcomed new ways of working and are geared toward the employees’ overall well-being.
SM Offices of the Commercial Properties Group, the commercial property development and management arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime), identified this aspect as one of their top priorities as it offers functional workspaces that enable its tenant-partners and their employees to thrive in the post-pandemic era.
“While hybrid work setup has gained traction, a majority of our tenant-partners have returned to the office and expect safe and secure environments that are meticulously designed for the convenience and welfare of their employees and operations,” said Alexis Ortiga, Business Unit Head for Commercial Properties Group, SM Prime Holdings Inc.
SM Offices operates 34 office spaces in 23 strategic locations across the Archipelago. Its office tenants include multinational and local companies in various industries, such as financial services, information technology, telecommunications, logistics, and retail. Some of these tenants are also in the business process outsourcing industry, with most on a full return-to-office setup or a hybrid.
Over the years, SM Offices’ efforts have been focused on building an environment-friendly and socially conscious office portfolio. Among these are the E-Com Centers in the Bay Area, Pasay City.
The E-Com buildings provide a healthy environment for its tenants with its unique and expansive outdoor landscaped spaces, which include breathtaking sky gardens, food and retail concourses, and entertainment plazas. Despite being in the center of the Metro, workers are given an exclusive venue to step out of their office to immediately enjoy the greenery and take a breather to rejuvenate or recharge their mind.
One of the tenants of an E-Com building is the award-winning and customer service BPO leader, Alorica Philippines, Inc. It has a strong workforce of 60,000.
“The pandemic led us to redesign our facilities to best support our employees in a hybrid work-at-home and on-site model,” said Sarah Marie Salva, Facilities Director of Alorica Philippines. “With the massive open space that the building offers, it enables us to have more collaboration, engagement, and in-person trainings. Our employees’ wellbeing is also our top priority, and the E-Com Center is perfect for our health and wellness initiatives, including activities we plan to host that will promote work-life balance. Additionally, the site is close to a mall, which gives our teams many options for entertainment, food, and rest. These are the things we consider when selecting a site and how we remain committed to being a certified Great Place to Work.”
“ThreeE-Com Center building’s floor plan and configuration are well aligned to meet our business needs and allow us to integrate our branding and design so the space feels like an Alorica home. To top it all off, the location is easily accessible to public transportation, which gives our employees convenient and safe ways of getting to our site,” Salva added.
Soon, more tenants and employees will be able to enjoy a similar experience as SM Offices recently completed FourE-Com Center, the latest pre-certified LEED Gold office building in Pasay City.
FourE-Com Center has 89,100 square meters of leasable area, with 15 floors and 42 elevator units, providing its tenant-partners and their employees convenience and accessibility to their workspaces.
The E-Com buildings achieved LEED certification by complying with several strict criteria that are necessary to keep businesses running while minimizing the impact on the environment.
Meanwhile, the 50-storey Mega Tower was launched in 2022 and is the tallest structure in SM Offices’ portfolio to-date. Thoroughly designed for both aesthetics and efficiency, the remarkable S-shaped Mega Tower, has a core workspace of 84,000 sqm. and is located in the SM Megamall Complex – the gateway to the bustling Ortigas Central Business District. Boasting an array of integrated green advancements, Mega Tower offers a holistic work experience and unparalleled connectivity for its tenant-partners and business community.
“Our tenants and their workforce are our important partners. We value the contribution that they make, not only to our company, but in fueling the much-needed growth to resume a vibrant Philippine economy,” added Ortiga.
Meanwhile, other innovative and sustainable office spaces managed by SM Offices include the Cyber Buildings in Makati, West Avenue, and Baguio, Fairview Towers and North Towers in Quezon City, South Towers in Las Pinas City, Skyline and Tech Hub in Clark, The Core at Sta. Rosa, Laguna, SM Strata in Iloilo City, CDO Downtown Tower in Cagayan de Oro City, and various in-mall office spaces across the country.
