October 16, 2024 by John Krukowski
'Catalyst For Engagement And Collaboration': Business Tenants On Why The Office Is Here To Stay
After allowing their employees to work from home in recent years, more companies — including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Google and Salesforce — are requiring them to return to the office on most or all days of the workweek.
In September, Amazon joined the ranks of major employers summoning their people back to the office full-time.
“To deliver the absolute best for customers and the business, we’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of Covid,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told his employees. “We continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant.”
The impact of these return-to-office mandates are reflected to some degree in Kastle System’s Back to Work Barometer, a measure of office occupancy in 10 major U.S. cities. The index has been trending upward, reaching nearly 52% in mid-September.
Long-term office demand is likely to continue to improve as employers call for increased office attendance, according to JLL Research. By the third quarter of 2024, the average weekly attendance requirement for Fortune 100 employees had grown to 3.3 days, and more than 98% of employees were subject to some form of office attendance requirement, JLL said.
“As more evidence emerges for the advantages for productivity, innovation and even employee engagement and retention that a well-executed office attendance policy can bring, executive sentiment is shifting considerably,” said Jacob Rowden, senior manager of U.S. Office Research at JLL. “In April, one-third of executives surveyed in KPMG’s CEO Outlook saw full-time office as the long-term norm, but as of September, more than 80% of respondents think that employees will be in offices full time over the next three years.”
But returning employees are not always happy ones, with many reporting a drop in job satisfaction in the wake of their office call-backs.
That is why forward-thinking companies use their office spaces to drive employee engagement and productivity. They know that people, even if accustomed to hybrid work schedules, still value the in-office experience, particularly if the work environment is well thought-out and encourages true collaboration.
“The reason [employees] come in actually benefits organizations,” Microsoft blogged. “People, we found, come in for each other. We have a deep human need to connect with the people we associate with, and that spending time together can help us build stronger relationships — which are key to doing our best work.”
Bisnow heard from a range of businesses across the country about how they use office space to drive their bottom lines while also addressing employees’ “human need” to interact productively with their peers. What follows are their responses, edited for brevity.
Shannon Loew, vice president of global real estate and facilities at Amazon, Seattle
How does your company use your office space to drive its culture and make your company special?
It’s about providing our employees the spaces they want and need within our walls but then also doing what we can to ensure that the experience outside of our walls is equally compelling.
Our offices are long-term investments, so we’re focused on creating workspaces for our employees that help foster collaboration, innovation, socialization and the cross-pollination of ideas. We’ve continued to iterate and experiment with our designs and test various approaches, including more diverse offerings for both individual heads-down work and collaborative projects or discussions.
We also choose to locate our offices in downtown areas where our employees can weave themselves into the fabric of the community, help support thriving 18-hour districts where people work, live, eat, shop and play, and have access to public and alternative transit options, including bike lanes, light rail, shuttle and bus services.
At our Puget Sound headquarters, we provide over 50 retail spaces, with a focus on small, local businesses, with many of our employees biking or walking to work. At our second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, we developed 2.5 acres of public park space, including a dog run, playgrounds, bike paths and further retail offerings. It’s our goal to engage in intentional placemaking that benefits both our employees and the broader community.
Brittany Freeman, senior manager of strategic programs and workplace experience at Athenahealth, Boston
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
We define work as an outcome and an experience rather than a time or place. When it comes to ways of working, we recognize the opportunities that a hybrid work model can deliver and have created a workspace in our new office that supports how our employees prefer to work.
When designing our new headquarters in Boston, we prioritized feedback from our workforce to create a flexible space that supports different work styles for groups big and small as well as space that accommodates opportunities for team-building, company events and hosting customers and partners.
Each floor at our headquarters has its own unique space types to enable our employees to choose the setting that best suits their needs, whether it's in a quiet zone for focused work, a place to meet and relax with colleagues, or open, tech-enabled collaborative areas for brainstorming sessions. The modern workplace needs not only to be conducive to all types of informal and formal work interactions; it should be built to accelerate the unique outputs of in-person interaction.
In addition, we offer a variety of optional activities such as games nights, happy hours, book clubs and team-building events at our HQ throughout the week. The goal is to promote employee engagement and create a sense of community within our organization. By prioritizing the design and functionality of our office space, we are creating an environment that not only attracts top talent but also strengthens our company culture by fostering connection, collaboration and innovation, where employees feel valued and motivated to do their best work to simplify the practice of healthcare.
Jessica Klay, vice president of global workplace experience design at Workhuman, Framingham, Massachusetts
How does your company use your office space to drive your bottom line?
Workhuman has designed our headquarters with a focus on productivity, collaboration and employee engagement, all of which contribute to improved performance and financial outcomes.
The layout of our 100K SF office is strategically designed to enhance productivity. Diverse workspaces cater to varying work styles, allowing employees to choose environments that best suit their tasks.
By integrating dynamic workspaces that promote collaboration, we foster an innovative culture that can positively impact our bottom line.
A Workhuman and Gallup study found that voluntary turnover due to burnout alone can cost businesses 15% to 20% of payroll annually. From our inclusive office design to our flexible work structure, Workhuman is committed to ensuring that we maintain a skilled and experienced workforce that drives our business forward.
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
The design of our workspace is intentionally crafted to resonate with our company’s ethos. Key features such as the two-story Gratitude Tree in Workhuman Central symbolize our commitment to recognition and appreciation, fostering a culture where employees feel valued.
Our research shows employees are twice as likely to evaluate their overall lives more positively when they feel a strong sense of well-being at work. This focus on well-being not only promotes a positive work-life balance but also enhances employee satisfaction and productivity.
The Workhuman and Gallup study also found that employees who lack a strong sense of belonging are up to 12 times as likely to be disengaged and five times as likely to be looking for another job. Conversely, increasing perceptions of inclusion by just 10% can reduce absenteeism by nearly one working day a year per employee, according to Deloitte.
Rob Kubiak, vice president of research, systems and innovation at Wurkwel Ventures, Chicago
How does your company use your office space to drive your bottom line?
As a space planning, design and furniture firm, we want each of our locations to be functional showrooms for clients and the architecture and design community, as well as a thriving work environment for our team members.
Workplaces and offices are becoming people-centric. Research has shown that people need a better reason to come into and commute to the office than strictly because “it’s policy.” The common denominator is the human connection: Eighty-four percent of employees say they’d be motivated to go to the office to socialize with coworkers, and 85% indicated they are motivated by rebuilding team bonds.
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
Since people are your organization’s most expensive asset, you need to invest in workplace designs that improve the financial value of the intangible assets and inherent value that your people create. The focus going forward should be on making your workplaces matter and measuring success. The spaces need to foster human connection and generate authentic experiences tailored to your employees and clients alike. They should also be reflective of the purpose, principles and priorities of your organization and the staff that works there.
At the end of the day, your office is your sales pitch for getting people excited to return, for hiring and retention, as well as for prospective clients and customers. Make it impressive!
Angelo Bianco, managing partner, CP Group, Boca Raton, Florida
How does your company use your office space to drive your bottom line?
We drive our bottom line by creating high-quality, flexible office spaces that accommodate today's workforce while allowing companies to grow in place. This offering is under our worCPlaces brand, developed in collaboration with global design and architecture leader Gensler after we found that there was significant demand for move-in-ready, modern spec suites with flexible terms, and that companies are willing to pay a premium for the convenience and flexibility.
We have continued to invest in these turnkey solutions across our portfolio, with 300K SF under construction in 2024, which consistently yields strong returns.
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
Our office properties are designed to inspire excellence through our curated Tenant Experience Program, which we designed after working with the Ritz Carlton Leadership Center to feature top-tier amenities like wellness centers, art installations, premium dining and state-of-the-art fitness facilities. By creating workplace ecosystems that blend productive environments with essential services and convenience, we enable companies to focus on growth while attracting and retaining top talent. Our commitment is to create spaces where employees can not only work efficiently but also prioritize wellness, enjoy dining and entertainment, and manage personal tasks — all within the office environment.
Hannah Gehring, product manager at STO Building Group, New York
How does your company use your office space to drive your bottom line?
Being within the office expands internal communication, preventing silos between departments. This boosts productivity and also promotes career growth by fostering relationships. Simultaneously, allowing some hybrid work is effective for an employee's well-being by giving people more autonomy over their schedule.
A good portion of our employees in this office actually build corporate offices, so having a modern and efficient workspace enhances our understanding of our work and drives improvements in our services. We’re also creating an Innovation Lab within the office which will be dedicated to brainstorming and developing solutions for the fast-evolving market.
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
We have a premier office space and friendly atmosphere. Many people have stayed within the organization for 20-plus years. We have created women's groups, started sports teams and host annual parties. We are proud to be the first building in New York to earn WELL certification, highlighting our commitment to our team’s health and happiness.
Our office is a hub for communal activities like table talks, panel discussions and annual parties, all of which help build a strong, connected community. The positive energy and camaraderie are evident as soon as you walk in. We’ve also invested in a great location convenient to commuters within the Tri-State Area.
Sam Scoten, co-founder and CEO of CheckSammy, Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
Having our teams in-office has really been the best way to define, align and grow the CheckSammy culture. It facilitates cross-functional projects across all our teams and creates a working environment that fosters new ideas and refines our internal processes in a way that nothing else can. The in-person working experience is second to none and has been a major part of the culture that we’ve built at CheckSammy.
David DeRousse, owner and vice president at TB Premier Services, Lombard, Illinois
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
Our location is in proximity to a lot of retail and restaurants, and when we’re in the office together we can collaborate more effectively. Our culture is stronger when we’re together as we get to know each other better, especially outside of work. This is based on “water cooler” conversations that would not occur if we were remote. We try to take advantage of the local things that are part of our neighborhood because we're not just buying office space to have office space, we're buying the experience of everything that is in and around us.
Glenn Dady, CEO, TRG, Dallas
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
When TRG got the chance to move into a new workspace that would enable us to evolve in a postpandemic environment, we took it. We were keen to revamp our space and use it as a catalyst for engagement and collaboration and to elevate our work, our culture and our people.
Understanding that people like to work in a lot of different ways, we wanted our space to reflect a new experience, focused on supporting the needs of a creative workforce and a flexible space to enable creativity for all our employees. Collaboration was key to our office design. The new space provides countless ways to meet and create, and tons of furniture, workspaces and common areas that enable different work styles. Even the furniture is multifunctional to facilitate solitary, small-group or team-based working. We know our people will carry on TRG’s legacy, and we were purposeful in providing them an office space in the heart of Deep Ellum, among so many thriving businesses in Dallas.
Michelle Long, sales and marketing strategy manager for CFI Workspace, Pennsauken, New Jersey
How does your company use your office space to drive company culture and make your company special?
Our office is a living example of how thoughtful design can shape workplace culture. We believe in creating a space that fosters community, connection and well-being, both for our team and for our clients. Our space has even been described as “worth the commute.”
We’ve intentionally designed our office to accommodate a wide range of working styles, whether it’s heads-down focus work, collaborative meetings that connect in-office and remote teams, or more relaxed environments where someone can settle into a sofa with a laptop. By offering these diverse environments, we empower our team to choose the spaces that best support their productivity and creativity throughout the day. In doing so, we not only enhance individual work styles but also nurture a culture of flexibility, inclusivity and innovation.
Rachel Woodhouse, principal and director of operations for Dyer Brown & Associates, Milton, Massachusetts
How does your company use your office space to drive company culture and make your company special?
We believe that the value of an office is in how it promotes well-being, comfort and productivity for employees. For our own recent headquarters overhaul, our goal was to create a workplace that effectively communicates and undergirds these principles.
The redesign has improved productivity and on-the-job satisfaction among our own employees while visually demonstrating to our client partners how these approaches to workplace strategy can benefit their companies and support their organizational goals. The environment combines sustainable design techniques with lighting and climate controls to support employee health, plus a variety of furniture styles and arrangements as well as meeting rooms and collaborative hubs to support everything from heads-down solitary tasks to team-based collaborative exercises and all-hands meetings.
Plus, we upgraded our infrastructure to include a 100% cloud-based IT platform so our employees work as effectively from remote locations as they do in the office. Internal surveys conducted indicate that our team is very happy with the office itself and our hybrid work policy.
Ash Mitchell, director of corporate operations for NAI Elliott, Portland, Oregon
How does your company use your office space to drive company culture and make your company special?
Our office is designed with openness and comfort: lots of open glass, trees, an atrium and live plants everywhere. We always keep kombucha on tap and have a large outdoor patio with chairs and tables and, of course, more plants. We regularly use our break room for potlucks, trivia and speaker events.
We have an open floor plan with no offices. Even the owner of the company uses the same desk space type as all else. Amongst our conference rooms, we have a lactation room and a conference room, which also acts as a rest and recover room with couch and chairs.
The goal of our office is to create a space where staff can be effective in their work and enjoy the social aspects of our environment. We have been rated a top-10 midsize company in Oregon by the Portland Business Journal and Oregon Business since 2016.
Gary Vanderweil, managing principal with R.G. Vanderweil Engineers, Boston
How does your company use your office space to drive your bottom line?
As design engineers, in-office attendance provides better coordination and communication, which enhances efficiency.
How do you use your office space to attract and retain talent and build company culture?
Our modern interior design is a pleasure to work in, and the Fort Point area is a magnet, especially for younger engineers. Our company culture is reinforced constantly by the face-to-face interactions in project and training meetings, at the coffee machines, by meeting over free, healthy snacks and other in-house social events.
This article was produced in collaboration between JLL and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
