Introduction
With its acknowledged expertise, long-term vision and flexible approach, MONTONI supports companies in creating modern, adaptable spaces designed to foster team spirit. At the forefront of this support, Michael Massotti, Specialist, Business Development, Property Leasing, and Sarah Sitruk Andreani, Coordinator, Property Leasing, at MONTONI, help guide every project with their in-depth market knowledge and hands-on experience that make all the difference.
There are many issues to consider for any organization looking for new office space: where to locate, how much floor space to plan for, which services to prioritize, how to anticipate growth. Discover the essential factors for selecting an office space that truly supports your organization's future.
1. Defining your business needs: the essential first step
It is crucial that an organization clearly identify its actual needs before even touring a potential space. The need for this step is often underestimated, particularly at a time when hybrid working is redefining office layouts and collaborative areas. The ideal environment is one that meets your company’s current requirements while anticipating its future plans.
Here are a few guidelines to help you better identify your needs:
Assessing your organization’s required floor space, its working methods, and future growth
Determining the right surface area requires a structured approach based on certain key factors:
List the departments (HR, IT, executive team, creative, etc.) and their specific needs.
Estimate the proportion of teleworking to determine the number of physical workstations required.
Anticipate the number of meeting rooms and collaborative spaces required, then try to project the company’s development over the coming years.
Provide a realistic projection of the company’s growth over the next three, five or even 10 years in order to anticipate expansion and avoid moving again too soon.
The idea is to find you a space that meets your company’s current needs, while providing enough room to grow to support your organization’s future expansion.
Because our customers do not usually move frequently, we at MONTONI always strive to understand their needs, ensuring that the space will not be too small and will accommodate their potential growth.
MONTONI’s expertise can avoid costly mistakes
Relying on an experienced partner helps avoid rough estimates and overly restrictive space choices. Drawing on its expertise in the field and its analyses of the practices of hundreds of companies, MONTONI is able to accurately assess the actual space required, establishing a tangible link between staff numbers, functional needs and work methods.
This expertise is founded on recommendations tailored to each industry, comparisons with tenants with similar profiles within the portfolio, and optimization of space based on budget priorities. The results: offices that are just the right size and avoidance of hasty investments or premature relocations.
Our customer advice is based on what really works in real-life situations. Feedback from our existing tenants is invaluable, and we use it to guide new ones.
— Sarah Sitruk Andreani, coordonnatrice, Location, Immobilier chez MONTONI
2. Choosing the right location: a strategic advantage
A well-chosen location influences the daily lives of teams, reinforces organizational appeal, and supports corporate culture. It is one of the most significant choices in creating a sustainable working environment.
Accessibility, transportation, and services: non-negotiable criteria
A successful office must be easily accessible. Proximity to a métro station or other reliable transportation network, adequate parking, and access to popular amenities such as cafés, restaurants, gyms and green spaces all help enhance employees’ quality of life. These factors play a key role in staff retention and the company’s attractiveness as a place to work.
The example of Intact Insurance, which chose Espace Montmorency because of its direct connection to the métro, illustrates the importance of a strategic location in promoting employee engagement and simplifying teams’ daily lives.
A good location transforms employees’ daily lives. Sometimes it even makes all the difference, especially in today’s market and with daily office occupancy rates.
With its in-depth knowledge of its projects and their communities, MONTONI supports organizations in selecting an environment that aligns with their culture and employer brand. This approach creates a working environment that reflects the company’s values and encourages a natural and long-term return to the office.
3. “Base build” or turnkey solution: two options for two different needs
Choosing between a space in a “base build” (also known as “core & shell”) project or a turnkey option depends on a company’s growth rate, its culture and the degree of customization (also known as “fit-out”) desired for its work environment.
Base build: flexibility and freedom of fit-out
A space delivered as a base build offers maximum design freedom. It is a completely open environment, ready to be transformed to reflect the organization’s identity. This type of layout is especially suitable for large companies that have their own design and construction teams, or that want to create a distinctive architectural signature. On the other hand, completing the project takes longer and requires a larger investment, since each work area must be designed from scratch.
In several large-scale projects completed by MONTONI, this approach has enabled companies to design unique spaces that are perfectly aligned with their operations and vision.
The turnkey option: speed and simplicity
On the other hand, the turnkey option is an ideal solution for SMEs, growing organizations or companies in transition that need to move into their offices quickly. The spaces are already fitted out, sometimes with furniture, and may include modular walls to facilitate future adjustments. The value of this option lies in its ability to provide a functional environment from the moment you move in, while retaining a degree of flexibility to adapt the space to internal needs.
The turnkey solution allows teams to arrive with their laptops and start working. It’s simple, fast and reassuring.
— Sarah Sitruk Andreani, Coordinator, Property Leasing at MONTONI
Regardless of the type of project chosen by the client, MONTONI’s expertise is reflected in its meticulous co-ordination of each stage, whether working with the client’s own internal teams or managing the project entirely with the MONTONI team. This disciplined approach ensures quality, optimizes timelines and reduces the complexity of the office fit-outs.
Our goal is to reduce stress for our client as much as possible so that they can focus on their business. We take care of the rest.
4. Technology and connectivity: indispensable in 2026
A workplace’s performance is also determined by the quality of its technological infrastructure, something that is now crucial to supporting productivity and operational efficiency.
Embedding technology from the design stage
Reliable network connectivity, smart meeting rooms and well-integrated IT infrastructure are now essential for smooth operations, particularly in a hybrid working environment. When these factors are taken into account at the office design stage, teams benefit from an environment where the digital tools truly meet their needs.
Several MONTONI projects illustrate this approach:
At Espace Montmorency, a smart parking lot using artificial intelligence, the daily movements of employees and visitors are facilitated by dynamic displays and traffic analysis.
Centralized management systems (heating, lighting, ventilation) optimize energy consumption and enhance comfort.
Workstation and room reservations via a mobile app simplify the management of hybrid working.
Technology is no longer a luxury. It is what enables teams to be productive, and our projects are designed with that in mind.
— Michael Massotti, Specialist, Business Development, Property Leasing at MONTONI
5. Sustainability and certifications: an often underestimated advantage
Beyond operational performance, sustainability is becoming a real driver of organizational transformation. Although it is not necessarily the primary criterion for their search for office space, companies are quickly discovering the positive impact that a responsible building can have on their day-to-day operations. A sustainable building enhances the employee experience, reduces operating costs and reflects a genuine commitment to values that are increasingly important.
Growing interest in sustainability
Certifications like LEED and ZCB are no longer mere technical honours: they reflect a company’s long-term vision of the coexistence of well-being, energy efficiency and overall performance. Healthy environments, superior air quality, controlled natural light and environmentally responsible materials contribute to a more pleasant and motivating work experience. These elements enhance the employer brand image and directly contribute to talent retention.
Several projects undertaken by MONTONI illustrate the tangible benefits of these sustainable approaches to real estate. Espace Montmorency’s energy loop, Ericsson’s corporate campus or even the revitalization of 7250 Marconi demonstrate how innovative and environmentally sound solutions can support a company’s performance while highlighting its commitment to sustainability.
When you explain in concrete terms exactly what certifications can change for employees and for operating costs, they are seen as a necessity.
— Sarah Sitruk Andreani, Coordinator, Property Leasing at MONTONI
Find your ideal office space with MONTONI
A 360° approach before, during and after the move
The support provided by MONTONI goes far beyond leasing services. From the very first discussions, the team analyses the organization’s reality, even if the move is several years down the road. This in-depth understanding allows MONTONI to anticipate needs, guide strategic decisions and ensure a smooth transition.
MONTONI then smoothly co-ordinates the design and construction phases, working with the client’s internal and external partners. Support continues after the offices are occupied, with regular follow-ups, constant presence and rapid adjustments as needs evolve. The recent expansion of ACT Actuaries at Espace Montmorency clearly illustrates this ability to support organizational growth over time.
We support our clients from start to finish. At MONTONI, tenants are never left on their own; we move forward together.
— Sarah Sitruk Andreani, Coordinator, Property Leasing at MONTONI
A broad portfolio of properties provides exceptional flexibility
MONTONI’s extensive and diversified portfolio enables it to support companies at every stage of their development. This flexibility means clients can consider an expansion within the same building, reconfiguration of existing spaces or even relocation to another project in the portfolio, while maintaining business continuity. Among the several organizations that have benefited from this flexibility are CCM, with the complete reconfiguration of its facilities at the Ericsson corporate campus.
Our broad portfolio gives MONTONI rare flexibility: we can support your growth, expedite your expansion, and even relocate you if needed, as we have been doing for our clients for over 30 years.
Investing in office space means preparing for your organization’s future by combining strategy, flexibility and modernity. MONTONI’s clear and well-structured support translates needs into sustainable solutions tailored to every reality. To find out more, discover our available office spaces and explore environments that could accommodate the next stage of your growth.
Written by
- Michael MassottiBusiness Development SpecialistMichael plays an active role in developing business relationships for MONTONI’s industrial and commercial properties. To this end, he leads lease negotiations, manages relationships with tenants and clients, and identifies new business opportunities that support MONTONI’s vision for sustainable and innovative development.
- Sarah Sitruk-AndreaniLeasing CoordinatorSarah works cross-functionally on updating lists of brokers, analysts, and clients, responds to leasing inquiries, and updates the MONTONI website. She is also responsible for all commercial management of Espace Montmorency (coordination of visits, negotiations, and lease signings), as well as the logistics of real estate events.
