Department Leeds Dock: The 'third space' for workers away from home and traditional offices

We opened Department Leeds Dock in 2023 when the office/home hybrid model was in full flow. We’ve always been an evolving workplace, with members adopting different iterations of hybrid working, but most of them are now in a rhythm of at least three days a week, with Mondays and Fridays inevitably being the quieter days for occupancy as people move towards four or 4.5-day working weeks.

As much as some policymakers fight against remote working, the future of work is flexible; we just have to make sure we’re always on the front foot when it comes to offering the very best ‘work from office’ experience.

That means delivering the concept of a third space: it’s not home, but it’s not an office either. It’s a meeting and cultural hub, rather than a destination for heads-down work, a place where people can become more creative and connect and collaborate with likeminded people, either at work or socially.

Teams need office spaces now that are nourishing destinations - places which offer more value than the convenience of working from home, and where we can go for specific experiences, rather than for the daily grind.

Department embodies the concept of a department store, with everything under one roof and amenities that we need to feel fulfilled in our daily lives. That’s why we place a huge focus on our wellness workspace offering, with experiences and facilities such as Condition gym, a cinema, Fearns kitchen & bar, an event space and partnerships with Leeds Dock’s paddleboarding, running and swimming clubs.

We have created a relaxed atmosphere outside of primary ‘work’ obligations and provided a mix of experiences to help bring hybrid workers into in-person settings more often.

We’ve designed Department Leeds Dock to support various ways of working and bring teams together – from high-functioning meeting rooms and workshop areas to our coworking lounge, which invites a collaborative way of working with the wider community. Having less formal and informal workspaces means different work activities can spin out as required; we see people utilising quiet work and private phone booths, but then they re-emerge into a central hub to reconnect with colleagues when they need to.

Hospitality is also integrated into Department’s offering to drive more meaningful connections. For example, having Fearns café & bar on the ground floor allows members to blend the social aspect of the workplace with a dynamic environment to fuel productivity. It’s a popular setting for our members. We also curate a monthly events programme centred around work, wellness and social, offering even more incentive to commute into the workplace.

By providing choice and replicating the qualities of people’s favourite places, including home, while supplying the best functionality of a work setting in a lively city centre district that offers leisure time activities as well, has been the secret to our success so far.

Lauren Allen-Musgrave is Marketing Director for Department Leeds Dock