Credit: Paramount Realty, a HILO partner at River Centre in NJ
What amenities do tenants really want?
The role of the office has significantly evolved over the last few years, and building owners have had to adapt to create spaces that tenants want to work in. Office buildings need to feel just as comfortable as working from home, but offer a sense of community and collaboration that cannot be achieved through remote work. Amenities are key to fostering this unique tenant experience that will draw workers to the office, but must also evolve to address the changing role of the workplace.
Popular pre-pandemic amenities were based on a work hard, play hard dynamic, and included flashy features like video games, pool and ping-pong tables, event spaces with a bar – anything that kept workers in the office outside of working hours. Today, businesses look for amenities that prioritize physical, social and mental wellbeing and enable productivity and collaboration for their employees. The team at HILO has created this resource to share which amenities have become crucial for attracting and retaining tenants today.
Collaborative Spaces
Health and Wellness Spaces
Organizations are prioritizing the health and wellness needs of their employees now more than ever, and are increasingly seeking office space with amenities that help them do this. Fitness centers have been increasing in popularity in office buildings for a while, but those most attractive to tenants include group fitness programming, state-of-the-art machines and windows with a view. Improved fitness centers are easily complimented by access to healthy food choices, which tenants are increasingly seeking over fast food. While physical and mental wellness go hand in hand, amenities that give tenants space to relax are being highly requested. These can look like reclining chairs, quiet spaces, nap pods and meditation rooms. Health and wellness facilities in office buildings are no longer luxuries – they are essential to helping tenants combat burnout and stress and increase productivity.
Credit: Paramount Realty, a HILO partner at River Centre in NJ
Outdoor Spaces
It is no secret that spending time outside is good for our physical and mental health, but incorporating outdoor amenities into the workplace can have a significant impact on an organization’s success. Providing employees with spaces to connect with nature can improve their mood, lower stress levels and give them a space to unplug and relax, all of which lead to increased productivity and job performance. Amenities such as rooftop patios and terraces, outdoor dining spaces, courtyards, gardens and even proximity to local parks are highly appealing features that contribute to attracting and retaining tenants. If adding outdoor space to a building is a challenge, bringing nature indoors in the form of living walls, indoor gardens and plants can be equally as beneficial.
Credit: Paramount Realty, a HILO partner at River Centre in NJ
Amenities are one of the most significant differentiators between buildings and have become an important part of workplace ecosystems. Incorporating the right amenities that respond to the evolving needs of today’s workplace is essential to creating office space tenants want to be in. Investing in technology that allows tenants to easily access and reserve these amenities, like HILO, can contribute to a convenient, accessible and positive tenant experience.
