01 Back to the office
Hospitality-inspired offices Companies now favor warm, inviting spaces over uniformly branded offices. The era of highly branded, «Google-style» workplaces is behind us, and the standardized, bland offices of the 2010s no longer align with today’s expectations. Now, clients are looking for lifestyle- driven spaces inspired by the restaurant and hotel industries, a concept known as «hospitality.» These more varied, welcoming environments allow employees to adapt their workspace to different moments and needs throughout their day. Serendipity Consulting firms have significantly reimagined their work environments, shifting away from individual workstations to more open-plan setups. What’s the result? Larger, more communal spaces. Serendipity is the key word.The sharp decline in informal interactions has hit consulting firms hard, especially since many of their employees are recent graduates. It’s all about encouraging spontaneous, informal conversations, passing along company culture, and engaging new hires in projects without those casual chats with seasoned colleagues, often by the coffee machine. How can knowledge be shared without these unexpected encounters? The answer lies in designing spaces that create opportunities for these chance meetings—by incorporating communal areas and strategically placed pathways that promote interaction, like cafeterias, lounges, breakout rooms, agoras, relaxation zones, and creative spaces. A strategic location Did you know that commuting time is the biggest hurdle to getting people back to the office? consulting firms, like many other industries, have caught on to this. Increasingly, they are eyeing city-center locations to create workspaces that rival the convenience of remote work and boost their appeal. They’re focusing on spots near major transportation hubs to keep them well-connected to employees, talent, and their broader ecosystem. Beyond securing a prestigious address, being in the heart of a vibrant city brings a lifestyle vibe— more restaurants for team lunches and a variety of services right at the office’s doorstep to streamline the workday.
Working from home was a great fit, offering flexibility, no commuting, and the comfort of staying home. But is that enough to keep people motivated in the long run? To remain competitive, the office needs to deliver more than just a functional workspace—it has to offer a unique and enriched experience that remote work can’t match. To encourage their teams to return to the office, consulting firms need to rethink how they use space, redesign office layouts, and update tools to align with the rise of digital communication and hybrid work
models. While office space may have been scaled down, the savings have often been reinvested in high-end infrastructure and premium services. The idea is clear: «Fewer offices, better offices.» Employees should enjoy a work environment that offers higher quality and comfort than they can get working from home. According to the 2023 Actinéo* barometer, 37% of employees struggle with concentration in the office, and 25% find their current workspaces inadequate. To address these challenges, offices must create optimized, supportive conditions.
*Actinéo is a French organization dedicated to studying and promoting workplace quality of life
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