As worker safety has become a priority, the need for data and knowledge has come to the forefront. Now, tech companies want to create data about how people work and learn from it. Knowledge (and access to it) is the new amenity. In a post-pandemic world, companies will need to invest in tools to keep their workforce informed — from building and safety protocols, to scheduling coordination, and company updates. Data and content sharing with employees will be key.

Tech companies are looking to extend their reach into the surrounding neighborhood by investing in the “first floor” — creating street-level spaces and workplace amenities that can be enjoyed by the community in new ways. By reinventing sidewalk-facing storefronts and office lobbies, companies can design spaces and programs that bring people and local organizations into the building or extend their culture from the workplace to the street. In doing so, they can serve more people in the community beyond just the daytime workforce and reimagine the ground floor of our cities.

As remote work accelerates, tech companies will need to reckon with disparities in people’s home environments. Organizations can extend principles of office equity to people’s homes by investing in tools and resources to optimize WFH setups, such as monitors, improved Wi-Fi, and office furniture. Within the hybrid office, redesigned conference rooms can create equality among participants, regardless of physical or virtual presence. By focusing on equity and inclusion, the tech workplace can strengthen company culture and form new  connections.

The pandemic has acted as a catalyst for companies to rethink their space and operational needs. One idea that is rapidly gaining traction with commercial real estate investors is the hub-and-spoke model, in which companies are looking to move away from a single centralized headquarters in favor of multiple, smaller satellite offices that are strategically located in new and emerging markets. As tech companies explore a decentralized approach to the workplace, the hub-and-spoke model may allow them to adapt and prepare for an uncertain future.

The allocation of square footage will be the same — it’s how we use it that will be different. An emphasis on design and how we use/reuse the spaces will be even more important because the office will have greater purpose. A redesign of meeting and collaboration spaces will be needed to accommodate hybrid meeting modes. As the office becomes more of a collaboration hub, planning will evolve from a space-by-desk basis to account for the higher ratio of collaboration-driven work that’s expected to bring people back into the office.

Tech companies are looking to the addition of outdoor spaces, such as terraces or balconies, to address workers’ concerns with indoor air quality and to offer more choice and diversity in space. Mid-door spaces (not fully outdoor/not fully indoor) are becoming more prevalent. People enjoy having a seamless indoor-outdoor connection, and these spaces can serve as third places where work happens outdoors. Developments that integrate indoor and outdoor space will be more desirable to prospective tenants and building occupants.