In a hybrid work era, the return-to-office push seems either like a suggestion or a reality depending on the sector. Some companies have settled upon a hybrid model, while others focusing their efforts on an in-office model.
The tech sector is a field that has seen a growing push for in-office attendance, says Robert Kolar, division president, technology at JLL.
“Most, if not all of the big companies now have a more explicit policy, and expectations have changed,” says Kolar. “Some of the big names that are out there in tech and others are back to five days a week and quite a few companies are following suit.”
This change in tune comes as tech companies are beginning to view their offices not just as workspaces, but hubs for connection.
“The point of coming into the office is connection as well as doing the actual work in the office,” says Kolar.
The paradigm has shifted away from the traditional desks, cubicles and conference rooms toward more casual areas for coworkers to gather. As an example, tech companies are using open-format meeting spaces for smaller groups instead of having them meet in a room designed for far larger capacities. Think break rooms, cafeterias, bistros, etc.
“They’re populated with people sitting there all day long,” says Kolar. “These spaces become much more central to where people are spending their time in the office rather than just sitting at their desk until they decide to go have a cup of coffee or lunch.”
Because of this shift, tech companies are also reassessing how they use underutilized spaces and seeing if they need to either be reconfigured or eliminated entirely. The reactions vary by company, according to Kolar. Some have taken an approach towards their underused spaces by subleasing, selling or returning the properties to the landlords.
Other tech companies are more contemplative about how the spaces are utilized, says Kolar. Sometimes these assets are simply at a book value that exiting them has an earnings impact, so the companies are more likely to keep them. Some companies believe that while these spaces are underutilized today, they made be needed in the future.
To determine which spaces are worth keeping around, modifying or letting go of, many tech companies are turning to data. Kolar says almost all of the major tech firms now rely on integrated workplace management systems paired with occupancy sensors and other tools to track how spaces are actually being used.
“It’s showing the trends,” he says. “There’s certain spaces that are always in demand and others that are not. In your next iteration, you index higher the spaces in high demand and index lower the spaces in lower demand.”
Tech companies can couple data with employee feedback to make targeted changes, such as adding more of the spaces that are booked out and reimagining the ones that sit vacant.
While these trends are most visible in the tech world, Kolar thinks other industries can benefit from the same mindset. That is, tech companies are deliberate about curating the experiences for everyone who enters their spaces.
“That perspective could be valuable in sectors like healthcare or education,” he says. “You think about all the potential people coming through the door and design for all of them.”
Ultimately, tech companies have set clear in-office expectations with a data-informed approach to space usage to ensure their workplaces truly match how people work today.
Jeff Wardon, Jr., is the assistant editor of the facilities market.
