Amenities as a Success Factor in Office Buildings

Read the German version of this insight here

As hybrid work reshapes demand and ESG requirements intensify, the office market is undergoing a shift. Developers and landlords are confronted with a critical question:

While factors like location, flexibility, and ESG credentials matter, it’s often the amenity experience that tips the scale – for tenants, their teams, and long-term asset performance.

Once seen as optional extras, amenities now play a central role in how buildings are perceived, marketed, and ultimately valued. They help fill space – and more importantly, help keep it filled.

Today, amenities extend far beyond the traditional framework of retail arcades at the base of buildings. They are now integrated within and around the entire building, creating a complete ecosystem of services throughout. In our society where time is precious and comfort essential, a building offering multiple integrated services becomes particularly attractive. The objective is threefold: satisfy employees, impress clients, and ultimately contribute to the performance of the companies.

These services encompass a wide range of offerings: fitness spaces, community lounges, mobility solutions, wellness areas, childcare facilities, supermarkets, dry cleaning, and postal services, Bank/ATM’s – all accessible without leaving the building.

From the landlord's perspective, different business models coexist. Some services generate direct revenue through the integration of tenants which are offering these amenities as their business itself, particularly on the ground floor (pharmacies, dry cleaners, cafés, banks, restaurants, supermarkets). Other high value-added amenities such as fitness centers, daycare facilities, or coworking spaces can be located on the ground floor or upper floors. An integrated restaurant offers the additional advantage of providing catering services to tenant companies.

Another current trend shows increasing demand for amenities included in the rent: access to private outdoor spaces (rooftops, landscaped patios), locker rooms with showers, prestigious reception areas, informal meeting spaces between tenants, and specialized rooms (nursing, prayer). Despite their often-modest size, these facilities have a considerable impact on employee wellbeing and company image, which is increasingly challenged socially to satisfy different human needs related to religion, gender, or wellbeing.

Example of a luminous reception area with lobby and coffee bar "LEONARDO" , Zurich north

The optimal mix of amenities varies according to location and characteristics of the local market. It must be defined from the project's conception as a central element of the positioning and marketing concept of the building. Our experience at JLL shows that the presence of amenities has become increasingly important whether the building is located in the city center or on the outskirts.

In Swiss cities, we observe that many tenants now prefer to sign leases in buildings offering a wide range of amenities, even when rents are higher than alternative options (examples: "Le Rhône" building in Geneva as well as “LEONARDO” and “Lindbergh” in the north of Zurich).

Today's employees expect far more than just a workplace. They aspire to flexibility, a sense of purpose, and belonging. Employers, aware of this challenge, select workspaces that help them attract and retain talent. Real estate thus becomes an essential component of the employer’s value proposition. Amenities are no longer just about comfort – they now represent a true competitive advantage.

Smart amenity strategies can deliver measurable returns:

• Stronger demand and faster leasing
• Longer tenant retention
• Clear differentiation in mature or oversupplied markets
• Rental premiums and higher capital value

That said, a survey conducted by JLL in its “Workplace Strategy 2024 Outlook" shows that not necessarily all amenities offered in the buildings are used as much by the tenants as offered by the landlords:

Source: JLL Workplace Strategy 2024 Outlook

Amenities should be treated as core elements of a location strategy. Understand the user base, tailor offerings to their needs, and plan early – during repositioning or new development. Data shows it pays off.

Because today’s office isn’t just about work anymore. It is about experience, flexibility, and everyday value.