Interview With Joe Gillam, Co-Founder Of Soul Spaces

Joe Gillam is the co-founder of office fit out and design agency, Soul Spaces.

Gillam spent 8 years in the construction industry, including 5 years as Managing Director of London’s fastest-growing construction team, he has worked with major brands such as Red Bull, Badoo and Methods.

Soul Spaces was founded in December 2020, in the thick of covid, but despite this mountain to climb, the company is a now a leader in London for office fit outs and design, with impressive office refurbishments for the likes of Calm, Apolitical, Osbournes Law and Little Moons.

As co-founder of Soul Spaces, Joe believes an office is about much more than the building a business occupies. The right workspace should provide a platform for people to prosper, help businesses attract and retain talent, and reflect their ambitions for the future.

In this interview, Joe explains why growing businesses should rethink their office space, how workplace design can support recruitment and retention, and why getting the basics right is just as important as creating an impressive environment.

Why Should A Growing Business Rethink Its Office Space?

Businesses often treat their office as a practical necessity: somewhere for people to sit and an address to put on their website. But an office does much more than that. It reflects where the business is today and where it wants to go.

When a company starts growing, hiring more people and winning bigger clients, its workspace needs to grow with it. An office that worked perfectly for a small startup might no longer suit a more established business.

If your environment has not evolved alongside your ambitions, it could be holding you back. Your office should reflect where you are going, not just where you have been.

How Does An Office Influence The Way People See A Business?

Your workspace sends a message, whether you intend it to or not. It tells employees, potential recruits and clients something about your business and how you operate.

A basic startup office with mismatched furniture can have a certain charm in the early days. But as a company becomes more established, people may expect something different.

That does not mean spending a fortune on an impressive interior. It means making considered decisions about the space, creating an environment that feels professional and showing people that the business is moving forward.

A well-designed office can help reinforce your company’s identity and give people confidence in what you are building.

Can Office Design Help Businesses Attract And Retain The Best Talent?

Absolutely. Competition for talented people is intense, and businesses need to think carefully about what makes them attractive to work for.

Flexible working, private healthcare and team events are now common benefits. A well-designed office can be another important reason for someone to choose your business and want to stay.

It is not necessarily about having the most expensive office. It is about creating a better experience. That could mean enough meeting rooms, reliable technology, comfortable desks and a kitchen where people can sit together.

Small details matter. If someone joins your company and spends their first few weeks struggling to find a suitable desk, waiting for meeting rooms or dealing with unreliable equipment, it creates a poor first impression. Getting these things right shows employees that you have thought about their experience and want them to succeed.

How Important Are Amenities In The Modern Workplace?

Amenities are important because they give people a reason to come into the office. After the shift towards hybrid working, businesses need to think about what employees gain from being there rather than working from home.

People are unlikely to feel that a commute is worthwhile if all the office offers is a desk and a kettle. A good coffee shop, a gym, shower facilities, quiet spaces and comfortable areas for informal meetings can make the experience more valuable.

We are working with landlords and asset managers across London to help turn underused building space into useful amenities. This can include gyms, wellness areas, café-style breakout spaces, bookable meeting suites and quiet booths.

For some businesses, taking a smaller office in a building with excellent shared facilities can make more sense than paying for additional space to provide everything themselves. The building itself can become an extension of the workplace.

Should Businesses Focus On Design Or Practical Facilities First?

You need both, but the basics should never be overlooked. It is easy to get excited about the design, furniture and overall appearance of an office. However, the things people rely on every day often have the biggest impact on their experience.

Think about reliable air conditioning, good internet, enough fridge space, working kitchen equipment, lockers and meeting rooms with technology that actually works. These things might not sound particularly exciting, but when they are not working properly, they quickly become a source of frustration.

If you are serious about growing your business and attracting experienced people, start by making sure the office works properly. A well-stocked kitchen, comfortable working environment and responsive facilities team can make a real difference to morale.

How Can Businesses Make Their Office Work Better For Hybrid Teams?

Businesses need to understand how their teams actually use the office. Not everyone needs the same space every day, and not every task requires a traditional desk.

A flexible workplace should offer a mixture of spaces for focused work, collaboration and informal conversations. Meeting rooms, quiet booths and breakout areas can all help people work in the way that suits them best.

It is also important to understand attendance patterns. If most employees come in on the same two or three days, the office needs to work well during those busy periods. Good planning can help businesses make better use of their space without paying for desks that sit empty for much of the week.

What Is The Biggest Mistake Businesses Make When Choosing An Office?

One of the biggest mistakes is choosing a space based only on immediate practical needs without thinking about the bigger picture.

Businesses should consider where they want to be in the next few years, what sort of people they want to attract and what experience they want to provide for their teams.

The right office should support those ambitions. It needs to be practical and comfortable but it should also reflect the business’s identity and make people feel that they are part of something moving forward. It is equally important to look beyond the office itself. The building’s facilities, location and surrounding amenities can all influence the value it provides.

What Is Your Main Piece Of Advice For A Business Planning Its Next Office Move?

Start by thinking about your people and your ambitions, rather than simply looking at available space. Ask what your team needs to do their best work, what is currently frustrating them and what would make the office a place they genuinely want to spend time in.

Then look at the wider picture: the building, its facilities, the layout and how the space can adapt as your business grows. You do not necessarily need the biggest or most expensive office. You need a workspace that is thoughtfully designed, properly managed and suited to the way your business operates.