SM Land giving workforce home they truly deserve
A healthy and competent workforce could easily be any firm’s ace in the hole.
But it’s not as easy as it seems. Ensuring a worker’s well-being, morale and productivity may take more than just providing a grand compensation, incentives and other essential benefits.
A critical factor may actually hinge on something as basic as space.
David L. Rafael, senior vice president and head of the Commercial Properties Group at SM Land, agrees that companies should be able to provide other motivators to create that ideal “conducive” work environment and consequently, boost efficiencies.
“You have to give an office they can boast about. You got to give them pride with their work—you have to make them proud,” Rafael says in an interview with Inquirer Property.
And easily, SM Land’s TwoE-comCenter, a 15-story iconic structure located within the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, should definitely be one for the books.
Unique design
An architectural piece dominated by a glass curtain wall façade and a unique twin-tower design linked at the topmost floors, the TwoE-comCenter evokes modern aesthetics and offers premium views of the Manila Bay and the Makati skyline, as well as an open-air podium dubbed Prism Plaza, that boasts lush greenery and landscaping and al fresco dining and retail areas.
“I don’t think there is any building in the Philippines like this. While SM developments are known for their very functional box-like designs, the company however went all out for the TwoE-com. (SM Land) really wanted to make a statement,” Rafael adds.
More importantly for the companies, the TwoE-comCenter provides about 68,000 square meters of office and commercial spaces that can readily address the requirements of business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, technology-intensive businesses, as well as location-based firms such as logistics and shipping.
Business district
The TwoE-comCenter is the second in the series of the modern and iconic office buildings, which comprise what Rafael proudly calls as the “business district of the MOA complex.”
With the successes of the OneE-com and TwoE-com centers, SM Land is now preparing to break ground for the ThreeE-com Center within the first quarter of this year, according to Rafael.
“With TwoE-com almost fully leased out, we were encouraged to start ThreeE-com immediately. Also aside from (constructing) an office building here, we will also be building one in Quezon City. Again, this is all in response to this really strong demand for space,” Rafael explains.
The real driver for office space demand, he adds, is the booming BPO industry.
“BPOs in the Philippines are really strong. We are already No. 1 when it comes to voice outsourcing, despite of (what is happening) in the United States and Europe. The demand for BPO outsourcing is very strong,” Rafael says.
And indeed, the Philippine BPO sector, which is now the second-biggest contributor to the local economy next to remittance inflows, was estimated to have contributed $9 billion in export revenues last year. The industry is now gunning to raise this figure to $11 billion for 2012, according to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines.
Preference
Rafael credits the huge success (read: high office space take-up) of the TwoE-comCenter to the continued growth of this thriving industry, and shares a number of reasons the emerging MOA business district is now being preferred:
Environment. “When we talk to BPO companies, one very important consideration is environment. They are aware of the strong competition for talents and they want to be able to keep their agents and to take care of them,” Rafael relates.
“(This) is the only business district that has a bayside view (which) makes it different because it makes you feel more relaxed and recharged and it calms you down, that in the end, it results to better productivity. (Worker becomes) more motivated and less irritable,” he says.
Location. The TwoE-comCenter has also become a natural choice for shipping companies that find the site “very accessible” since it is near the port area. Other companies meanwhile will find the location advantageous as their visiting clients will not have to hurdle through the Makati traffic. Public transport is also convenient in this area, Rafael explains.
Competitive rates. The TwoE-comCenter’s rental rates are very competitive for the quality of space it provides, despite the fact that it is the only hub in Pasay, according to April Misa, leasing manager for SM Land Commercial Properties Group. “Rental rates of neighboring areas like Fort which is directly competing with Makati is higher at P700 per sq m while ours is P500 per sq m with the same quality if not better,” Misa claims.
Security. Since security is a top concern, mostly for BPOs that operate 24/7, SM ensures that all its buildings are equipped with the necessary safety features such as CCTVs, walk-through detectors, a strong security contingent as well as a police community precinct, Rafael shares. SM Land employs about 40 guards roving around the business complex alone; 35 for each building; and roughly 500 guards for the mall (MOA).
Leisure. Since it is located within the MOA complex, tenants are assured of nonstop fun and entertainment as well—given the number of shops, bars and restaurants within the area. The TwoE-comCenter meanwhile also has a full basketball court and several badminton courts for the exclusive use of its tenants.
