The portfolio of Czech office buildings owned by WOOD Real Estate has its own dedicated property managers. What exactly do they oversee in terms of building management — and what does a typical day in their life look like (if there even is such a thing)?
We would like to introduce our property management team in the following lines. They are key people for all our tenants in Prague office buildings, and their work is essential for a successful owner–tenant relationship. “We handle property management in Prague ourselves, which is a big advantage,” says Marek Herold, Portfolio Manager at WOOD Real Estate. He adds: “Our property managers are our extended arm. They have offices directly in the buildings, so they are available to tenants every day. Unlike an outsourced company, they naturally reflect our values and our vision in their daily work and communication within each building.”
The managers themselves confirm that their job is demanding, but also inspiring and varied. “My job is like a multi-event competition,” says Miloslav Burian, Property Manager of The Greenline. “Some days I’m fully booked with meetings with tenants or suppliers, other days most of my time is taken up by administration. And then there are moments when something completely new comes up during the day and needs an immediate solution.” Kateřina Vilímovská from Harfa Office Park sees it the same way. Her workdays are also a mix of planned tasks. “It’s definitely not just computer work, although that is part of it. I often walk around the building – checking common areas, technical settings, cleanliness. And when something isn’t right, I try to solve it immediately with suppliers or tenants. Every day is different, and sometimes I have no idea in the morning what I’ll be dealing with in the afternoon.” Key to the job is not only keeping all systems running smoothly, but also prevention – regular inspections, equipment checks, and constant communication with the maintenance team. Monitoring costs and finding ways to optimize them is also an important part of the role.
Our property managers agree that the diversity of their work and its human side is what gives their profession meaning. For Martina Havlíčková from Green Point, her favourite time of year is Christmas, when the building transforms into a festive space. “After the demanding period of preparing the building’s budget and business plan for the next year, the pre-Christmas period is like an island of calm and togetherness that I really enjoy. The Christmas lights and decorations, the advent punch, and giving small gifts to tenants and suppliers – that’s my reward for the whole year,” she says with a smile.
WOOD Real Estate has long built its work on ESG principles. Thanks to the active role of our property managers, these three letters are much more than a phrase on paper. What does it mean in daily practice? It includes optimizing energy use, introducing eco-friendly measures, and communicating with tenants about how they can help protect the environment. “For everyone, ESG is mostly about the ‘E’ – energy consumption and reducing the carbon footprint. We work with experts who help make building operations more efficient. But personally, I prefer focusing on the ‘S’. Tenant events are a pleasant break from routine. I also look for social projects we can support as a building – tenants and owner together. The ‘Shoebox’ project, the largest Czech Christmas gift collection for children in need, is one of them,” says Martina Havlíčková.
Throughout the year, there are many similar activities across WOOD Real Estate buildings – opportunities to delight tenants with a small gesture, support health-care prevention, or organize a charity event. Many activities are already planned for the coming year, including support for Bike to Work in May, a Health Day, and a large tenant party where employees from across the building can get to know each other better. Co-organizing and participating in these events is naturally part of every property manager’s job.
These activities greatly strengthen long-term relationships between property managers and tenants and offer a pleasant balance to formal meetings. “During meetings we discuss current needs but also long-term plans. My personal presence in the building is crucial – people know they can come to me and I will handle their issue right away. Friendly contact with tenants keeps me going, especially during busy periods. It’s nice when someone calls out to you, waves and smiles on your way to lunch,” says Kateřina Vilímovská from Harfa Office Park. Zuzana Bartušková from Hadovka Office Park sees it similarly – meeting tenants both formally and informally, even over lunch, is simply part of her routine. “We try to respond quickly and address the needs of our tenants. Communication and openness are key. Together with my colleague Dorka, who joined in 2024, we handle tenant requests as a priority. We work together on most tasks, though some of them we divide between us,” she adds.
While smooth operation and tenant satisfaction are key to success, there is also an invisible element. “The biggest challenge for me is giving the building a soul – filling it with tenants and standing out in the highly competitive Prague market. It means making many small daily decisions that together ensure smooth operations, helping the building become an attractive and pleasant place for both current and potential tenants,” says Martina Havlíčková.
“I’m a civil engineer and project manager by profession. I see an office building as a unique organism – or rather as a big child. You build it, shape it, and after years of effort bring it to completion. But without tenants, it’s like a body without a soul.”
Every building has its own story, and we treat each one individually. Zuzana Bartušková remembers the story of hers: “In the twenty years I’ve worked at Hadovka, there have been many projects and changes – from installing air conditioning throughout the building, to replacing the lifts, to completely repainting all garage floors. But I’m most proud of the changes that our tenants can really see. Recently, I’ve enjoyed the revitalization of the entrance lobby and the complete transformation of the cafeteria and café. And of course, it’s always rewarding when a new tenant moves in and we build a nice modern fit-out for them.”
The words of our property managers confirm that their role at WOOD Real Estate goes far beyond building management and operations. It is about combining technical expertise with strong human relationships, responsibility, and precision. Although it may seem that property management is mainly about working with a building, it is above all about working with people.
