Tenants demand private networks in Australian offices

Most incoming tenants now ask for private, secure network environments before taking office space, according to Christie Spaces. The flexible workspace provider says the share has reached 85 per cent across its Australian portfolio.

Christie Spaces manages IT networking and internet access for about 600 businesses and more than 2,500 users at its sites, placing it at the centre of a shift in how tenants assess office requirements. Alongside rent, location and amenities, businesses are asking more detailed questions about network separation, firewall protection and technical support.

The trend suggests cyber security is becoming part of workplace selection rather than a separate IT matter addressed after a lease is signed. It also reflects a broader shift in business operations as hybrid working has spread and firms rely more on distributed systems, cloud software and remote access tools.

Dan Hastings, Group Chief Executive Officer at Christie Spaces, said office searches now include questions once left to internal IT teams or outside advisers.

"The conversation around office space has changed. Technology infrastructure is no longer a back-of-house consideration. It's becoming part of the workplace experience and an important factor in how businesses evaluate office space," Hastings said.

He said businesses should assess workplace technology with the same care they apply to floorplans or commercial terms.

"When businesses are looking for a new office, they should be asking how secure the technology environment is, how their data is protected and what support is available if something goes wrong," Hastings said.

Tenant demands

Matthew Lloyd, Head of IT at Christie Group, said tenant expectations have shifted sharply in recent years. Businesses that once wanted dependable internet access now ask how their networks will be isolated and how incidents would be handled on site.

"Five years ago, most tenants just wanted reliable internet. Today, they want to understand how their data, systems and employees will be protected from day one," Lloyd said.

Hybrid work has changed risk patterns, particularly for smaller companies, as employees move between homes, client sites and shared offices. That has made secure connections and clearer lines of technical responsibility more important in flexible workspaces.

"Businesses have become much more aware of cyber risk, particularly as hybrid work becomes the norm. We're now seeing the majority of our tenants requesting private networks rather than relying solely on shared connectivity," Lloyd said.

Christie Spaces runs its own IT team and provides private tenant networks, firewall protection, intrusion prevention and detection systems, direct connectivity and on-site support. Lloyd said the company can set up secure tenant networks within 24 hours and tailor connectivity to individual requirements before move-in.

"We're effectively an ISP. Companies can come to us requiring firewall infrastructure, specific connectivity requirements or dedicated network capabilities, and we can deliver that," Lloyd said.

Operational risk

Christie Spaces is framing cyber security as an operational issue tied to the physical workplace, rather than solely a software or policy concern. That distinction matters in shared office environments, where businesses may assume standard building internet connections offer the same protections as segregated corporate networks.

One issue the company highlights is the difference between a guest network and a private one. In a shared office, guest Wi-Fi may prevent users from directly seeing one another on the network, but it does not necessarily provide a dedicated environment for each tenant. Christie Spaces says it assigns each tenant a dedicated virtual local area network so traffic is separated from that of other occupiers.

The provider also argues that businesses often overestimate the protection offered by basic internet hardware. Hastings said firms should not assume a standard router serves the same function as a firewall, particularly in an office used by multiple organisations with different systems and varying levels of cyber preparedness.

Support arrangements are another point of scrutiny. Christie Spaces says remote help desks can be inadequate during incidents that require immediate physical intervention or local troubleshooting inside a building. The company operates an in-house help desk and a four-person IT team across its Australian locations, with staff in each building triaging issues directly.

The focus on infrastructure comes as Australian organisations continue to expand formal cyber planning. Christie Spaces cited figures from the Australian Government's The Commonwealth Cyber Security Posture in 2025 report showing that 92 per cent of organisations incorporate cyber disruptions into business continuity planning and 87 per cent provide annual cyber security training.

Hastings said those measures should extend to decisions about where staff work and how office networks are structured.

"Cyber security doesn't stop at the office door. As businesses become more digital and distributed, secure infrastructure is becoming a fundamental part of the modern workplace. It's something businesses should be asking about before they sign the lease, not after they move in," Hastings said.