If employees are going to be genuinely excited about returning to the office, then the workplace should be as attractive as home. Outdoor spaces, varied culinary offerings, areas accommodating quiet and wellness, and “lifestyle studios” are among the amenities HOK’s recent projects are equipped with, advises Kay Sargent. Even hobbies that employees developed during the pandemic can be enjoyed in the workplace, with commercial kitchens accommodating cooking classes and newly created libraries hosting book clubs. At HOK’s own St. Louis offices, equipment in an architectural modeling studio is now utilized by employees pursuing various crafts adopted while confined to home.

CBRE is an international leader in commercial real estate, and its in-house team of architects and interior designers advise clients on workplace design trends, especially now that employers are requiring workers to return to the office. In the company’s latest U.S. Office Occupier Sentiment Survey, CBRE found that 67 percent of employers indicated they are now more concerned about workplace quality than before the pandemic, with a particular focus on amenities. With commuting top-of-mind, 59 percent of companies favored buildings near public transit, and sustainability issues were particularly important to large corporations with carbon reduction commitments. Sixty-six percent of respondents indicated they were moving away from individual seating assignments toward more flexible spaces that enhance collaboration.

“Workplace design has changed dramatically since the pandemic, and employees have been at the forefront of those changes,” says Karen McCallum, managing director for CBRE’s Design Collective. Insisting the quality of the workplace is a key element in recruiting and retaining top talent, she suggests the office needs to reflect a genuine magnetism. “It has to make you want to get up in the morning, get ready and endure the commute…in other words, working with colleagues in the office needs to be better than home.”

And while many employers have retained plush accommodations for high-ranking executives, McCallum reports, “Some progressive companies have moved toward a transparent, non-hierarchal solution in which executives sit in the same seats as subordinates.” McCallum notes that CBRE clients appreciate open floorplans, which consume less real estate and create more dynamic environments.

“Hospitality-inspired environments, more elevated spaces tailored for employees, create that ‘better than home’ experience,” says CBRE’s McCallum. She states that a wellness room — it can provide an opportunity for yoga, meditation or prayer — has become an almost indispensable feature and savvy employers recognize that once-exotic amenities like specialty juice bars, baristas and pop-up chefs have value. Other designers report that tech- free nap rooms are increasingly common, as evidence suggests short snoozes benefit health and morale, and that there is a legitimate nexus between fitness centers with massage therapy and productivity. Some companies make accommodations for employees who wish to bring their dogs to work.

Technology firms ushered in the amenity- rich workplace but even venerable, old-school companies like Norfolk Southern — with roots in the early 19th century, the railway is hardly a cutting-edge startup — showcase unconventional offices. HOK equipped the corporation’s Atlanta headquarters with a food hall offering eclectic cuisines, daycare center and game room. A focal point of the sleek aesthetics is a sculptural staircase that evokes the very essence of the brand: movement. HOK’s Kay Sargent reports, “Spaces should be a reflection of the culture, representing the brand and connecting people to the mission,” and notes that in addition to the stairway, the graphics at Norfolk Southern headquarters also convey a sense of motion.

With technology clients like PayPal, Dropbox and GitHub, Rapt Studio has developed a reputation for creative office spaces that reflect their clients’ corporate cultures. At the Southern California headquarters of Vans, the sneaker company famous for its iconic checkerboard slip-on, Rapt created a laid-back environment consistent with its ethos, complete with street art and an amenity package that includes a studio for recording music. Skateboarding, integral to the company’s heritage, is an accepted mode of transportation throughout headquarters.

Gensler’s Natalie Engels offers an aspirational characterization of the emerging workplace: “The future of work must be a destination rather than an obligation, and create opportunities for engagement, interaction and fun.”