WHITEPAPER: Seizing opportunities rather than making band-aid solutions

How healthy and productive can employees be?

At Parella, we see that many organizations struggle with creating a healthy office space and work environment. Solutions are often sought in coaching, courses, or challenges, while the foundation, the work environment itself, is overlooked. But how healthy and productive can employees be if they work in a poorly lit, stuffy, or inefficiently designed space?

That’s why we wrote this white paper. We want to help organizations structurally embed health in their housing strategy, from choosing a building to designing the workplace.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IN THIS WHITEPAPER ON HEALTHY OFFICE SPACES?

  • Scientific insights that support the need
  • Concrete steps to integrate health into space planning, building selection, and interior design
  • Practical examples of how a healthy work environment contributes to reduced absenteeism and increased job satisfaction

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The guiding principle of the housing concept

― We often see photos of fantastic, luxurious offices and we love to showcase them too. But this time, we’re going back to basics. Inspired by the work of our client, Laurens Thuiszorg in Rotterdam. Two years ago, we delivered the workplace concept: a spatial program of requirements and a conceptual floor plan that could be applied across the entire portfolio. As always, these calculations, drawings, and stories were captured visually, all within just three pages.

Boosting social health with smart office design

― A modern office design is much more than just a collection of desks and chairs. In an era where hybrid working has become the norm, the office plays an increasingly important role as a meeting place. Social health—the extent to which employees feel connected, safe, and engaged—is essential. Yet, this aspect is often overlooked when designing the workplace. It’s high time to strategically prioritize your office design.

Successful expansion? How to approach international office housing

― As soon as you open an office in Germany, France or the United States, you will encounter local rules that differ significantly from what you are used to. This certainly applies to office accommodation. On paper, the criteria seem the same everywhere. Accessibility, square footage, appearance, sustainability and flexibility. The negotiation topics are also familiar. Rent levels, indexation, renewal options, subletting and handover obligations come up in every country. However, the real differences lie in the details, the legal context, market practices and, above all, in the question of who is actually advising you. Especially in international office accommodation, these differences can have major financial and strategic consequences.

The impact of art in the office

― During PAN 2025, we were proud to be a partner of the fair and to host a substantive discussion on a topic that often remains underexposed in real estate strategies: the value of art in the office. At a time when workplaces increasingly revolve around identity, wellbeing and connection, we explored how art can genuinely contribute to these themes. The panel discussion was moderated by Kai van Hasselt, real estate developer and member of the art committee at Ymere. Together with Sharon Oldenkotte Vrolijk, Director of Marketing & Communications at BPD Europe, and Mark Grol, affiliated with PAN Amsterdam and a specialist in corporate art collections, we discussed how art can be more than decoration: a strategic asset that enriches organisations. The discussion made clear that art in the workplace only works when it is rooted in people, context and identity. What happens when employees are involved in the selection process? How do you prevent resistance or misinterpretation? And what does it ultimately deliver for the organisation as a whole? The insights, anecdotes and lessons shared during PAN 2025 are highlighted below.

To what extent does the renovation of an office contribute to climate change?

― In our latest whitepaper, we explore the relationship between CO₂ emissions and workplace accommodation in the broadest sense. We take a closer look at CO₂ emissions resulting from: the energy consumption of the office commuting the office fit-out In this blog, we zoom in on the impact of renovation and interior design on CO₂ emissions.

From Living Room to Office

― The line between home and work is fading. Where the office once stood for efficiency and structure, a more homely, living-room feel is now taking center stage in workplace design. People want environments that feel welcoming, comfortable and inspiring. This shift is not merely a response to hybrid working; it reflects a broader trend: the office as a place of connection and well-being.

More than a B Corp™ certification

― Over the past year, during a number of tenders, we noticed something striking. Clients were increasingly asking about certifications in the field of sustainability and responsible business practices. We were convinced that sustainability had already been woven into our independent workplace advisory services for years, into the way we design work environments, and into our company culture. The only problem was, we couldn’t actually substantiate that. That question became the starting point of our search for a certification that truly fits Parella. We weren’t looking for a system built mainly around procedures and checkboxes. We wanted an independent standard that aligns with how we, as a workplace advisor, want to work, and one that would help us keep growing. That search led us to Certified B Corporation™.

Subleasing: always in our client’s best interest

― In a tight office market or when workplace strategies are changing, subleasing can be a smart solution. But whose interests are really being represented? At Parella Netherlands, we are completely transparent: when we are involved in a sublease, it is always exclusively on behalf of the tenant. Never for landlords or real estate investors. We are an independent real estate advisor dedicated solely to representing the interests of tenants and end users.

New ROZ amendment saves non-VAT-liable tenants thousands of euros

― Recently, the model lease agreement for office space issued by the Dutch Real Estate Council (ROZ) was amended, with significant financial implications for a specific group of tenants: organizations that are not subject to VAT. These include healthcare institutions, educational organizations, non-profit organizations, and certain cultural institutions. For this group, the amendment presents a unique opportunity to structurally reduce rental costs—provided they act in a timely and strategic manner.