5 AMENITIES THAT ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT

Data and insights from the Gensler Research Institute find that amenities that support effective work habits are crucial to an office’s overall productivity.

By AMANDA CARROLL

5 AMENITIES THAT ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT

Amenities that support effective work habits are crucial to an office’s overall productivity.

By AMANDA CARROLL

Intel Innovation Lab, Heredia, Costa Rica

Today’s companies are constantly looking for amenities that give them an edge attracting and retaining top talent. While many office perks are useful signifiers of a company’s culture and values, the amenities that have a measurable upshot on people’s experience and effectiveness at work are those that give people a choice of workspaces.

Gensler’s 2019 U.S. Workplace Survey found that the spaces that deliver the greatest impact connect directly to people’s most salient needs and preferences: quiet places to perform focused or individual work, and spaces connected directly to collaboration and group innovation. Amenities with a non-work focus, such as lounges and break rooms, deliver the smallest performance gains.

In fact, choice itself can be an important amenity. In today’s work-everywhere culture, having a variety of spaces to choose from is directly connected to a great workplace experience. An innovation hub or maker space, for example, can offer an alternative setting to one’s daily workstation, as well as an opportunity to work with a different set of tools and skills.

When evaluating which workplace amenities are worth the investment, there’s one key factor to remember: the most effective amenities aren’t meant as an escape. Rather, they’re designed to support workers’ freedom to be productive where they like, while instilling in them a sense of pride for the values, heritage, and future of the company.

THE TOP 5 WORKPLACE AMENITIES
A few people standing in front of a large screen.

1. Innovation Hub: Accenture Innovation Hub — Tokyo
With a variety of spaces to support innovation, Accenture’s Innovation Hub in Tokyo is designed to accelerate the launch of services and strategies to market.

A person working on a project.

2. Maker Space: Intel Innovation Lab — Heredia, Costa Rica
Inspired by the process of discovery, Intel’s Innovation Lab includes a robotic lab, and other spaces for interactions, idea generation, and technology exploration.

A person sitting at a table in a library.

3. Quiet/Tech-Free Zone: Digital Hyundai Card Pixel Factory — Seoul
Hyundai Card’s Pixel Factory includes a variety of flexible, alternative work settings, including a library for quiet space.

A group of people sitting on benches.

4. Outdoor Space: The MET — Costa Mesa, California
With an event green, outdoor social lounge, “Food Truck Runway,” and spacious courtyard that functions as a collaborative outdoor workspace, The MET is an amenity-rich office campus that offers a differentiated tenant experience.

A person standing next to a person sitting on a laptop.

5. Focus Room: Hudson River Trading — New York
Hudson River Trading’s multi-level headquarters in 4 World Trade Center features a variety of amenities, including dedicated rooms for focus work and privacy.

WHICH AMENITIES PERFORM BEST?

Graphical user interface.
Innovation hubs, maker spaces, and quiet zones are the most sought-after amenities.

We came to a clear answer. By comparing the WPI and EXI scores of workplaces that do and don’t have a particular amenity, our data suggests that some investments may be justified while others are not. The spaces that deliver the greatest impact connect directly to people’s most salient needs and preferences: quiet places to perform focused or individual work, and spaces connected directly to collaboration and group innovation. Amenities with a non-work focus, such as lounges and break rooms, deliver the smallest performance gains.

Read more insights from Gensler’s U.S. Workplace Survey 2019

Amanda Carroll
As Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s New York office, Amanda identifies trends that impact global business strategy and design philosophy for some of the most recognized companies, including Google, Deloitte, and IBM. She is an advisor to global developers like Vornado Realty Trust, Oxford Properties, Hines, and JBG Smith on the future of work and how it will transform their buildings and districts. Contact her at .