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Are you happy with your offices? Show it!

The third-annual Meeting Room of the Year contest is starting.

CBRE’s Meeting Room of the Year contest (www.zasedackaroku.cz) is heading into its third year. As in previous years, this year’s contest awaits a series of innovations and changes. The third year will be noticeably more oriented to employees, who are the soul of any company, with attention being paid to how they currently perceive their work environment. The contest will also be complemented by a brand new category called the Smart Office, of which Microsoft will be the professional guarantor.

Petra Lávičková, Head of Corporate Marketing & PR at CBRE commented on the contest:
"The CBRE Meeting Room of the Year contest is not just about the stories of the companies themselves, but above all by the people in the offices who share their ideas, life stories and build friendships ... where they live. Offices are no longer just a place to work, but places where people should feel comfortable. The contest is why we welcome all companies that do everything to make their employees feel comfortable, while creating a pleasant working environment. They can register into six categories this year, thus increasing their chances to win."

In the Smart Office category, companies will be recognized for having their strategy appropriately set for internal training and skills development in such a way that employees use advanced technology actively and with enthusiasm. However, the Smart Office category is by no means the only one. Companies have more categories to choose from such as The Meeting Room of the Year, the Office as the DNA of the Company and the Most Attractive Work Environment.

They will be evaluated by a professional jury, which again this year is chaired by the world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná:
"Last year we evaluated many excellent projects, but also, on the other hand, projects that still have to close the gap. I believe that this is what happens in contests; companies will present themselves in an even better light this year, because the contest is there precisely so that they can perfect their working environment."

Eva Jiřičná is not the only renowned person in the jury; it is completed by Marie Passburg, Biljana Weber, Richard Curran, Tomáš Jindříšek and Pavel Mauer. The aforementioned categories complement the others, which are covered by professional guarantors. These include the previously mentioned Smart Office under the auspices of Microsoft, the Office for Future Challenges, which is headed by Skanska, and the Healthy Office, partnered by the Czech Green Building Council and the Council’s working group will also evaluate meeting rooms in this category.

Simona Kalvoda, the Executive Director of the Czech Green Building Council, added:
"The Healthy Office was already strongly represented in the statistics: the winners were picked from 25 entries. This confirms that companies have a growing interest in providing their employees with offices with a healthy indoor environment. According to the Czech Statistical Office, Czechs spend 40.4 hours per week at work on average. Quality office spaces have a significant impact on their health and wellbeing, which can translate into significant productivity. A healthy and inspiring environment motivates existing employees and is the source of their loyalty and satisfaction. Additionally, the firm can become an essential selling point when acquiring new employees."

In the third year of the CBRE Meeting Room of the Year contest, companies with inspiring workspaces can register until October 31, 2016, with the finalists being announced in December 2016. The presentation ceremony will be held in February 2017. The contest aims to raise awareness of the importance of an adequate office environment and provoke a discussion on this topic in the Czech Republic. In recent years, more than 150 companies have entered the CBRE Meeting Room of the Year, with the jury selecting 56 finalists. Google, J & T Banka and Ogilvy & Mather were among the winners as well as many more companies.