The rapid adoption of technology within the commercial real estate (CRE) industry has shifted the traditional value equation for properties everywhere, from buildings and location to people. In order to triumph among growing hybrid work models and re-establish value for the physical office, property teams now need to establish smart and engaging spaces and building amenities to create places where people actually want to work.
Tenant workplace expectations are evolving: no longer is it necessary for property owners to spend millions on lobby renovations. Now, modern workplace amenities include any number of digital and mobile experiences such as integrated smart building technologies throughout an office space, community forums through a tenant app, digital courses and classes, and much, much more.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and shift to remote work, omnichannel office experiences have paved the way for this new breed of building amenities to take the stage. Omnichannel, or “phygital” office experiences include everything from ensuring the building occupant journey is tech-enabled to prioritizing digital programming that all tenants– remote or not –can take part in.
Keep reading as we list some of the most creative office amenities that are fostering seamless transitions between digital and physical offerings.
Commercial building amenities list
Engage with on-site amenities
In the spirit of omnichannel office experiences that bridge the gap between the physical and digital workplace, there are plenty of office amenities ideas that allow properties to engage virtually with existing on-premise amenities.
For example, several HqO clients utilize HqOS Marketplace partner capability EXOS to allow tenants to register for virtual workout sessions or in-person socially distanced classes with the same trainers they already knew and loved prior to the pandemic. Providing more flexibility for classes that would normally be held on-site at property fitness centers, etc. allows for properties to appeal to a greater amount of occupants and also increases engagement with on-site commercial building amenities in a way that was previously unachievable.
Offer volunteer opportunities
As we know, commercial amenities do not remain in the physical realm only: there are ample opportunities to adapt the best workplace amenities to the new normal. What better way to bridge the gap between the physical and digital workplace than bringing building occupants together to support local communities?
Virtual or hybrid volunteer opportunities engage and unite tenants through a shared goal: helping others. For instance, during our recent HqOS Day celebration, we participated in a virtual volunteering session with Marketplace partner Building Impact. From our desks, we assembled care packages for Catie’s Closet, an organization that helps over 55,000 students in poverty across 85 schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire by providing clothing and toiletries. Afterward, we were notified that we’d receive pictures of our care package deliveries as a touching follow-up.
With many individuals looking for ways to help and unsure where to get started, landlords are in a special position to help cities at the local level – together, we can transform any food drive or philanthropic need into a virtual event for your tenants and their employees, allowing them to participate in a way that is both meaningful and safe. Not only will you be doing some good, but you will be bringing workers together through a shared sense of community and purpose that is often missing in remote work models. The new hybrid workforce poses a great opportunity for commercial building amenities to involve giving back to communities in need.
Host virtual events
With the move towards remote and hybrid work models, office amenity trends have moved to accommodate more and more virtual events. How-to classes, like the ones HqOS Marketplace partners Alice’s Table and Wellable offer nationwide, are a great way to bring teams together, no matter where they’re working. Elevate your weekly happy hour or commemorate a holiday like Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) Day with floral arranging and charcuterie board workshops. Offering tenants a thoughtful hands-on experience has never been easier — Alice’s Table even sends out supplies beforehand and guides participants through step-by-step instructions.
The best workplace amenities offer creative and fun solutions to not only make tenant’s lives easier but help them love where they work. To bring larger teams together, HqOS Marketplace partner ZogCulture works with clients to plan custom virtual events. Tenants can choose the activities they want to offer, and ZogCulture executes and supports those needs. Their digital holiday parties can feature welcome remarks from leadership, customized breakout activities, and workshops, holiday-themed trivia, carolers, or even a mixology class.
For more frequent ways to show tenants you appreciate them, the HqOS Tenant Experience Platform lets landlords host daily raffles with prizes for their tenants and employees. Raffles through weekly trivia offer an easy way to elevate your building amenities list while providing a positive gesture to occupants.
Additionally, through the Tenant Experience app, HqO clients can host giveaways that tenants can look forward to each week. For instance, in HqO’s Boston headquarters The Hive DTX, we’ve hosted a weekly giveaway throughout the month of February. Tenants are able to win prizes such as a Google Home, Fujifilm instant camera, Bose Bluetooth speaker, and more! Weekly giveaways are a simple way to keep tenants engaged and feel appreciated while working remotely or in the office.
How CRE can make “phygital” experiences work
In order to activate your building amenities and drive value for your portfolio, you will need to establish a successful commercial building amenities list that can enhance the tenant experience and help provide meaningful data about your end-users and your building.
As part of our HqOS™ operating system, our growing Marketplace of best-in-class technology partners can help aggregate numerous commercial amenities for any building. Landlords and property teams can then choose to activate pre-vetted partners and features that meet any building’s specific needs. The list of amenities provided by builders in the HqO platform can offer solutions under numerous categories, including but not limited to digital programming that will surely elevate modern workplace amenities.
Though not all tenants are in their offices together, there is still a real need for connection and collaboration that we all crave. By activating real connections between people and their buildings with seamless digital-to-physical experiences, HqOS enables data-driven decision making while accelerating the implementation of innovative asset strategies.
Learn how HqOS can help ensure that modern “phygital” experiences succeed and reserve your free demo today.
