What Office Space Should Look Like in 2022

As many professionals ditch virtual meetings and sweatpants for a return to office, in-person meetings and formal attire, companies are asking themselves what aspects about the office are truly important today.

While nearly all employees worked five days in the office every week before 2020, many companies have recently embraced a hybrid work environment which allows employees to split time working between the office and home (or coffee shops, satellite office locations, etc.). For these companies, the office has transitioned from a place for employees to primarily sit inside a cubicle and work quietly, into a space for employees to engage and collaborate.

To accommodate, many landlords and tenants are reimagining spaces with amenities that model common areas in a high-end hotel or apartment building, such as couches, soft seating and lounge areas. While phone booths and small team meeting rooms will still provide employees a quiet space to work, take a phone call or have a private meeting, the reimagined spaces are large, inviting open areas, no longer densely filled with cramped cubicles or bench seating.

In 2022, these factors and others need to be top of mind when companies start looking for their next office space, regardless of whether it’s a second-generation space or a new build.