What Office Upgrades Support Return to Work and Enhance Property Value?

Even Zoom, the video-conference company that enabled remote work throughout the pandemic, has a back-to-work initiative. About half of companies are the same, requiring employees to be in the office four to five days per week, according to Resume Builder.

With employees and companies using office space more widely again, small businesses and landlords are discerning: What office update will increase the property’s value? And what upgrades will employees value as they return to the office?

Before we look at what upgrades answer both questions: How widespread are return-to-work initiatives?

The Value of Physical Proximity

Speaking with Fortune, Zoom’s chief people officer Matthew Saxon said the company now talks “about moving from surviving to thriving…we check the box, as a society, on whether we can survive remotely,” he said. “The question is still out on whether we can thrive and what that looks like now.”

Zoom employees who live within 50 miles of a Zoom office – in San Jose, Denver, Santa Barbara, and Kansas City – must come in two days a week, with teams given leeway to structure it differently.

Saxon observed that Zoom has both in-office and completely remote customers, as well as all the various flavors of hybrid. “We want to ensure we’re very customer-centric; that means really, truly understanding the customer use case and pain points,” he said.

Resume Builder’s survey of business leaders found that 93% of business leaders believe employees should be in the office. And 70% of companies will increase or maintain the number of days employees are required in the office in 2025.

Seven in 10 companies provide incentives to encourage workers. Among those incentives are the accommodations provided at the office.

What Upgrades to Consider?

Small business owners, especially those with an eye on their office’s market value, share a common goal with landlords: Increase property value. Likely, the upgrades that will make employees happier to come back to the building will also make potential buyers, or new tenants, more interested.

We’ve pulled together a list of office upgrade concepts – spanning the aesthetic to the practical – to motivate employees and improve property value:

Aesthetic: Does the building look like a desirable place to be?  

As with retail locations, curb appeal matters for offices. A fresh coat of paint and a refreshed parking lot can rejuvenate the property’s appearance. These two elements, alone, send a crucial message to employees: We’re serious about hosting you here, even though we can demand you come here.

Landscaping communicates a similar message but adds psychological benefits as well. Employees may need a more beautiful outdoor setting at home; providing a place in nature to escape during breaks can enhance their work life while also enhancing the office’s curb appeal.

Quality of Life: Does the building promote thriving employees?

The summer is an excellent time to contract office upgrades, but it’s also hot outside. Shade structures over outdoor break areas can enhance outdoor usability, improving tenant satisfaction and property appeal in all weather conditions.

Outdoor furniture also encourages employees to step outside. Comradery and in-person conversation are noted as primary goals for many back-to-office initiatives and creating a welcoming setting for “water-cooler” talk supports those initiatives.

An on-site workout space where employees can shower before or after work or during lunch can save people significant money in gym costs and travel time. This can be a great way to provide a net-positive effect.

Disease is much more on the radar for people gathering in public now. Assess the design of your bathrooms and break rooms. Do they prevent the spread of disease well? Elements to consider: Attachments to bathroom doors to allow employees to open them without using the handle, opting for canned or bottled water over drinking fountains, and providing hand sanitizer throughout the building.

Quality of Workspace: Does the office support efficient work?

Employees often had quiet workspaces at home. On the other hand, many offices have an open design where people usually talk within earshot. Installing sound-deadening to the space or changing employee policy to allow for headphones are simple enhancements that help ensure coming to the office is, in fact, more productive than working from home.

While working remotely, many employees invested in equipment, such as an extra screen, a standing desk, or a treadmill under their desks. Aside from making broader accommodations for these upgrades in the employee handbook, is there space and equipment to maintain efficient work?

With the increase in return-to-work initiatives, strategic office upgrades can significantly enhance both employee satisfaction and property value. Investing in aesthetic improvements, quality-of-life enhancements, and workspace efficiency can create a welcoming environment that benefits both current occupants and potential future tenants.