Budapest, December 19, 2024 – Are Hungarian office tenants planning to relocate? How has hybrid work changed employee expectations? What challenges arise from generational differences in the workplace? And how important are ESG considerations for tenants today?
These were the key questions addressed by guest speakers Valter Kalaus, MRICS, Managing Partner at Newmark VLK, and Gábor Babus, Real Estate and Construction Law Leader at Deloitte Legal Göndöcz and Partners, during The holiday season is a busy time not only for shopping malls but also for office buildings, logistics centers, and the employees and tenants working there. Increased foot traffic, year-end events, and sudden winter weather can present challenges for everyone. For those working in operations, planning the final weeks of the year begins months in advance to ensure smooth functioning for clients, employees, and guests. ICON’s experts walk us through the key steps for successful preparation.
Christmas Decorations Planned as Early as August
For shopping centers, December is an especially sensitive period. One of the most important aspects of preparing for this is ensuring continuous, planned, and scheduled maintenance. The proper functioning of water and sewage systems, ventilation, escalators, and automatic doors all contribute to the proper experience for shoppers and tenants, and to seamless service. Proactive maintenance keeps systems reliable and provides a comfortable environment for everyone.
“The weeks of December are a crucial period for both tenants and shoppers in the operation of shopping centers. Conscious preparation is what helps. We arranged everything regarding Christmas decorations in August, coordinating with everyone involved.”
–said Gabriella Szabó, ICON Center Manager, responsible for the operation of MOM Park.
She added:
“There is no downtime in the retail sector. The period between the two holidays still sees massive traffic, and in January, there is no decrease due to the sales.”
Preparation for Winter Weather
The situation is different in the logistics sector. Snow, freezing rain, ice, and sub-zero temperatures can disrupt the operations of key manufacturing plants and logistics centers, which are critical for supply chains.
“We manage large areas, much of which consists of open parking lots and roadways where winter de-icing is especially critical. Since there is no long shutdown in logistics during the holidays, proper planning is essential here as well: whether it’s about workforce management or procuring materials needed for ice removal.”
–said Emese Csongrádi, Property Manager at ICON.
Staff and Operational Planning
Speaking of workforce: whether it’s shopping centers, offices, or factories, ensuring the right number of security, maintenance, and service personnel during the holiday season is a significant challenge.
“Thinking ahead is key in this area as well. A long-term good relationship with service providers is always helpful because the holiday season often requires extra staff and flexibility. It’s not enough just to create a proper schedule covering peak hours and accounting for holiday time off, but a contingency plan for unexpected labor shortages or emergencies must also be prepared.”
– said Gabriella Szabó, ICON Center Manager, responsible for the operation of MOM Park.
Optimizing Energy Efficiency
Increased shopper traffic, extended hours of operation, and colder weather all contribute to higher energy usage.
“The flexibility of building energy systems is essential for efficient energy use and environmental protection. A flexible system can adapt to fluctuating energy prices, changes in renewable energy sources, and varying energy consumption patterns. This allows for reduced energy consumption, minimized CO2 emissions, and improved energy security.”
– said Zsolt Kákosy, MBA MRICS, Director of Property Management at ICON.
The holidays present unique challenges for facility managers, but with proper preparation, it is possible to maintain safe, efficient, and user-friendly operations.
