Column: What really makes an office super? Looking beyond the buzz words!

Monthly Column By Anthony Brown

The commercial property and construction sector has a strong affiliation with labels. Terms like ‘super prime’ and ‘Grade A’ dominate, but they rarely tell occupiers what they actually need to know, which is will people want to work here?

Too many offices still feel like pre-pandemic solutions with superficial updates like more breakout spaces, a coffee bar, and perhaps some biophilic design. The amenities have improved, but the fundamental offer hasn’t really changed.

The retail sector learned this lesson years ago. You can’t compete with online convenience by just making shops slightly nicer. You need to offer something the alternative can’t match. So, what does a truly super office need to deliver? The answer is an experience that creates value people can’t easily replicate from home or elsewhere.

Adding real value

Most of us are aware that the most successful workplaces are designed to flex around people’s needs rather than delivering a one size fits all approach. Spaces should support the full spectrum of work modes, from quiet focus and private calls to collaboration and social connection. That means tailoring zones that can adapt well to these different needs throughout the day. Eliminating the bugbears that make going to the office feel difficult or make work harder is also imperative. This means getting the fundamentals right, such as having enough varied spaces to meet the needs of the team and avoiding any inconvenience such as a lack of meeting rooms.

Offices that borrow from hospitality design will stand out. Sleek and luxury aesthetics, with high-end facilities to match such as on-site gyms, meditation rooms and elevated catering options also add benefits that home can’t replicate. Enhancing the workplace experience with embedded technology and intelligent systems can take this even further. Workplaces that are built around artificial intelligence (AI) agents, particularly voice interfaces and ambient computing, can anticipate worker needs, streamline collaboration and make the environment feel effortless.

Being “super” means offering something so thoughtfully designed and genuinely useful that people choose to be there, not because they have to, but because the office makes their work and their day measurably better. Let’s not forget that every office design decision needs to be rooted in how people actually work.

Written by Anthony Brown, CMO at BW: Workplace Experts