Creating exceptional workplaces

It’s 2024: the year we’ve moved into a new stage of the amenity war. Employees aren’t simply interested in a well-equipped conference room or on-site dry cleaner. At this frontier, the full picture is what matters.

“They want their workplace experience to be as well-rounded as possible,” said Tyler Kethcart, JLL director of business development. “More of everything is the only way to describe it.”

That means coming to work knowing that there will be somewhere healthy for lunch as well as a place to socialize at day’s-end, that they’ll have equal access to professional collaboration and excellent coffee. It’s less about specific needs and more about a holistic look at a positive office experience.

Property owners and employers are finding that it’s not enough to give employees the amenities they think that they want. It’s crucial to keep a finger on the pulse of their feelings.

“The last wish of corporate employees is that their needs are being heard, (that employers try to) raise awareness,” Kethcart said. “Active listening – that’s what we need to be doing. Survey our tenants, ask them, ‘Hey, what do you like about your experience here?’”

Active listening also rides on effective communication. This means clarity, concision, and responsiveness. Tenants want multiple channels through which they can communicate – email, phone, text messaging, and online portals – as well as proactive property owners who don’t wait for them to bring up issues or concerns, but rather check in on a regular basis.

“All these experiences play into what we see in the amenity spaces,” Despot said. “It’s more than what meets the eye.”

Want to learn more about how JLL’s Experience Management experts can bring added impact to your property? Click here.