The idea below is one of 20+ ideas from our 2023 Occupant Experience Ideabook (which you can download here). Today's idea comes from Noctilume's Elfreda Chan, an experienced workplace strategy leader that to get people into the office you need to make your office space not just for work.
Elfreda Chan, Founder and Strategy Director, Noctilume
Consider why people choose to frequent a favorite restaurant, why they go to a bookstore, or why they would drive hours into the mountains for a day on the slopes, even if it means getting stuck in heavy traffic.
People are always looking for ways to feel better, happier, or more content. Sometimes that means going out of their way to places that offer carefully curated experiences to accomplish just that.
None of these experiences are mandated or prescribed, and yet people make conscious decisions every day to be in these environments. They enjoy the experiences on offer, making it an easy choice to return, and as a result the businesses thrive.
As we continue into 2023, companies who want to increase in-person attendance into their spaces must first remove mandates and prescriptions on when they should do so. Using behavioral economics—much like restaurants, bookstores, or ski resorts might do—they should curate unique experiences that their people will proactively choose.
We can no longer assume that company-owned spaces are (purely) for work. In fact, we should stop calling them offices or workplaces altogether. If we pay closer attention to what people want or need—whether that’s a good coffee or a good laugh with a colleague—and why or how a company-owned place would be their best choice, new and better experiences will emerge. As a result, companies might actually begin to see attendance rates worth fighting for.
To read more ideas from the 2023 Occupant Experience Ideabook, go to our download page.