Organizations are facing tremendous pressure when it comes to optimizing their real estate portfolios and developing an effective facilities strategy. Over the past few years, we’ve seen significant shifts in how our clients are thinking about their spaces and what the workplace ought to look like for their people. With these changes in mind, I was thrilled to participate in SIREAS’ recent roundtable discussing the opportunities and challenges facing commercial real estate and facilities management, alongside other leaders from BGIS, Cresa and Newmark.
Our discussion centered on navigating evolving workplace demands, especially as it relates to the experience of people, the deeper integration of services and how hospitality can help organizations thrive.
Hybrid Work is Here to Stay
The physical workplace is still a critical part of what we do, but we’re seeing some massive shifts in the role of the office that affect our approach as service providers. One thing we’ve learned is that hybrid work isn’t going anywhere. As a result, the workplace experience has to be worth making the commute.
The facilities industry unfortunately has a history of trying the same things over and over again with predictable results. To combat this, a curated hospitality-driven workplace environment is necessary to meet the moment. Organizations have to be thoughtful about providing a consistency of experience that aligns with the expectations of hybrid workers, giving them everything they need to engage with their colleagues and work collaboratively when they come to the office. The benefits of the physical workplace — things like professional development opportunities, social bonds or unexpected interactions that drive ideas — should be the primary focus to attract and retain exceptional talent.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach — clients need adaptive solutions based on real-world data to create cost efficiency without sacrificing experience. We have to understand what clients value and why they need a partner to help them achieve their goals. It’s important to open the aperture a bit and communicate the benefits of employee satisfaction or retention trends to help clients understand how they can better craft an attractive and impactful workplace environment.
Workplace Food Programs Are Vital
The value of workplace-based food programs has been an underappreciated driver for getting employees to return to the office. We recently surveyed 11,000 employees around the globe, who told us that food experiences were in fact a top driver for in-person work — the days of instant coffee and a fruit bowl in a kitchenette being enough are long gone. As part of the curated approach I mentioned above, we have to be willing to re-think and re-tool what has worked in the past and algin with clients to find the right approach for them.
For example, our Guckenheimer menus are varied — the food choices reflect the tastes of the workforce while also providing healthy, chef-crafted foods that entice employees not only to commute to the workplace, but also share meals with their colleagues and take part in food-focused experiences. For food programs to be effective, consistent collaboration and communication with clients around their workplace attendance strategy is critical. Creativity is also key — in the types of food produced, how it’s presented and how it can facilitate relationships between culinary staff and client employees.
Technology is an important component in how we deliver services, from mitigating waste to streamlining access to a variety of food options. Things like remote ordering, self-checkout options and micro-markets are a few tech-based options allowing on-site workers to eat what, where and when it works best for them. Organizations can also get a granular look at what they waste, allowing for the strategic production of more popular dishes and the reduction of less popular items to save money and reduce uneaten food.
Hospitality Drives Employee Experience
Think about a great hotel experience. The staff engages you immediately, the space is spotless, the amenities are exceptional — it exceeds expectations you didn’t even realize you had. The modern workplace environment should operate in a similar way, with hospitality-driven employee experience at the forefront. The growing need for this kind of expertise is why we recently created the role of Chief Hospitality Officer and why we deploy secret shopper-inspired methodologies to understand the experience holistically and find ways to improve outcomes for employees.
When put into practice, these hospitality-focused efforts drive culture and help cultivate destination workplaces where experiential touchpoints and moments of unexpected delight are woven into the employee experience. From the first impression to the cleanliness of shared spaces and quality of amenities, each interaction contributes to a more productive and engaged workforce. It’s not just about creating good amenities — it’s about cultivating a sense of care and belonging that mirrors the best practices of the hospitality industry.
As workplace expectations continue to evolve, organizations have a meaningful opportunity to re-think how space, service and experience align. By embracing hospitality principles, leveraging data and fostering meaningful connections among employees, the modern workplace can be a catalyst for culture, well-being and long-term success.
