Did Covid-19 kill the office? Or, are we missing the message that’s poking its head out of this pandemic? The message is screaming at us right now. Maybe the commercial real estate industry needs just to stop and listen.
Storyteller of Real Estate and International Speaker, Anthony Slumbers and I were tweeting (if that’s what you call it; to me, that sounds a bit too frisky!) back and forth this morning. He posted a survey about the impact of Covid-19 on employees from Urban Land Institute (ULI) ‘s site and wrote,
I loved it because it’s true. Most offices do #fail. I agree that offices aren’t dead; we just need better offices. Many are missing the point on how to achieve this. The point is, we have offices to bring people together, and people naturally seek human interaction. So the office can’t die; we just have to reimagine how the office should look and feel.
The office is about people.
People want companionship, collaboration, and consensus. People want to be together. People strive to belong to something bigger than themselves.
Offices provide an environment and culture for people to thrive together.
The magic word is culture. Why the hell would you want to go back to the office if your office culture sucks? If you dread going to work?
Forbes published an article titled, “The Best Companies For Corporate Culture in 2019” and included a report from MIT Sloan titled “Big 9 Cultural Values,” outlining the values that help achieve the best culture.
“Agility, Collaboration, Customer, Diversity, Execution, Innovation, Integrity, Performance, and Respect.”- MIT Sloan Management Review Report Measuring Culture in Leading Companies.
I bet if we rewrote the ULI survey, we would see similarities from who wants to come back to work based on the company. The companies with the best culture would have the highest number of people missing the office. Why? A company with a thriving culture empowers and encourages each employee. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?
I don’t miss my office; it’s just a place. I miss our team. Our team is my family. We want to be together.
Owen Thomas, CEO of Boston Properties, one of the largest owners, managers, and developers of Commercial Real Estate, recently stated on CNBC:
When I brainstorm about what people want, or how to remake the office, my mind automatically shifts to where people choose to go when they’re not working. Many choose to sit in their living room at home with their families, while others love to hang out in a snazzy cocktail bar. Some like a pub with a wooden bar stool, or the hustle of a busy coffee shop. What do all of those spaces have in common? People.
So what does the future office look like? In one word, I’ll call it a lounge. Anthony mentioned someone else who referred to it ‘as a cross between a library and a bar.’ Could that be the lobby of a Four Seasons Resort? Is the hospitality industry ready to collide with the workplace?
The future office is somewhere people choose to go, not where they have to be.
What does your company culture look like? What are your values? What does your team like to do when they’re not at work?
The solution to the future office lies within. Have an artist draw your corporate canvas and then morph that into the workplace no one wants to leave.
