The modern workplace: How innovative commercial buildings are enticing workers back to the office

$23 million. Even the most lavish home office can’t compete with that scale of refurbishment. But that’s precisely the figure Charter Hall invested to transform its commercial office building at 2 Market Street in Sydney into an innovative and inspiring hub for the modern worker. The end result? An intuitive multi-purpose building that will fundamentally improve our tenants’ efforts to entice their employees back into the office.

And not a moment too soon. As Australia transitions back to a WFO environment, it’s not just Friday drinks that business leaders need to attract talent – it’s the flexibility in their workspace and the unrivalled amenity you just can’t get at home. While the pandemic may have challenged businesses last year, it also gave the property industry the chance to rethink and reinvigorate the workplace in ways that best serve the modern enterprise. The key question we had to ask ourselves: what is it that employees need to innovate and thrive in the modern world?

Social connection was revealed as critical to workers’ health and happiness, and offices provide more opportunities to maximise these vital interactions. In fact, trends indicate that the modern workplace is fast becoming predominantly a collaboration space – unlike the siloed cubicles of the past. At 2 Market Street, we partnered with COX Architecture to transform the building’s under-utilised foyer into a thriving multi-purpose open-plan space for tenant customers and their guests. The soaring two-level lobby now features a reimagined business lounge, multiple meeting rooms and break-out spaces and state-of-the-art end-of-trip facilities, helping workers connect, recharge and thrive – together.

Another key benefit drawing workers back to the office? Innovative and seamlessly-integrated technology. Workers at 2 Market Street can request personal adjustments to the on-floor temperature via our easy-to-use workplace app Charli, ensuring optimal comfort and greater productivity, while our digital concierge service allows them to book an umbrella for their lunchtime walking meeting. And just as upgrades to heating and ventilation are increasing comfort and air quality for employees, the ability to simply swipe your smartphone for building access enhances ease and convenience. These innovations provide employees with a frictionless workplace experience.

Survey data cited by Forbes shows that emotional nurturance and a sense of overall wellbeing also play an important role in luring workers back to the office. One way to offer employees that tangible sense of nourishment and luxury is with hotel-style end-of-trip facilities that make them feel as refreshed as they would at home – if not more. Personal lockers with ample hanging space, secure bike storage, spacious showers with fluffy towels and quality hairdryers reward the commute and provide staff with a seamless start to the day.

And just like the experience of a 5-star hotel, the concierge service at 2 Market Street provides daily personalised support and a point of contact for welcoming guests. The friendly and professional team is on-hand to ensure staff have a seamless working day.

Providing a space completely separate from the day-to-day interruptions of home life is in itself a drawcard. While many remote workers battle with individual space limitations and encroaching noise from family or pets, modern workplaces like 2 Market Street offer employees the exact opposite – comparatively boundless space in the form of breakout rooms, cafés, amphitheatres and peaceful outdoor terraces. These adaptable spaces can be tailored to workers’ individual needs, allowing them to seek quiet when they need it most.

As we emerge from the depths of the pandemic, businesses are increasingly involving workers themselves in co-designing innovative new solutions to their needs. At 2 Market Street, we actively partnered with tenant customers early in the design process to gain a deeper understanding of the requirements of their people.

The key learning? A flexible workspace with maximised shared space is critical to employee wellbeing. The end result was itself a collaboration, with services and amenity specifically tailored to our tenants’ unique priorities – space for Friday drinks included, if that’s what a tenant customer so desires to welcome their team members home.

2 Market Street awaits – register your interest in this progressive modern workplace today.