Post-pandemic, flexible work models were meant to deliver the best of both worlds: freedom and fluidity without losing the spark of in-person collaboration. As the pendulum swings back toward on-site work, companies still need to compete for top-tier talent—notably in tech. But increasingly, they also need to convince those people to come back to the office.

It’s not enough to offer a desk and a decent coffee machine. The office has become something more symbolic: a reason to believe. A space that reflects your company’s intent and identity. That’s why commercial real estate, once just a line item on the P&L, is quietly becoming a talent brand platform.

And if you think that’s an exaggeration, look at the competition happening right now at the high end of the office and mixed-use market. Despite a general oversupply of space and an ongoing shift to remote work, premium buildings are still in demand in prime markets such as New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. That’s because they’re delivering more than square footage. They’re transforming the workplace into a cultural and connective experience—a choice, rather than a mandate.

The talent mandate driving the real estate competition

Before the pandemic, Class A developers were already beginning to differentiate through design and lifestyle. But post-pandemic, the stakes have risen. At the top of the market, the most successful commercial real estate developers are now acting more like boutique hospitality brands. They’re curating experiences, designing for well-being, and programming spaces in ways that resonate with a workforce that values autonomy, connection, and purpose. Look no further than Hudson Yards’ promise of “connected community,” or Brookfield Properties’ (owner of New York’s Brookfield Place and London’s 100 Bishopsgate), mission to create “new ways to work.”

In our work with clients like Tishman Speyer and SL Green, we’ve seen firsthand how a hospitality mindset long central to hotels and resorts is being used to reposition commercial spaces as magnets for talent. These are no longer passive shells for work; they’re active tools in the battle for culture, collaboration, and competitive advantage.

The imperative isn’t just to create “high-end” offices. It’s to build environments that help companies recruit the best people and inspire them to come together in person. That means more than adding rooftop gardens or wellness studios (though those help). It’s about the story those elements tell—and how they connect to a deeper promise about work, life, and belonging.

From asset to experience

Take The Spiral in New York, a Tishman Speyer property designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. Its terraced, corkscrew architecture connects every floor to outdoor green space, a vertical extension of the High Line that literally winds nature up the building. This isn’t just a design flourish; it’s a signal of fresh air, light, openness that tells employees: “You’ll be well here.”

Or Morgan North, another Tishman Speyer project we collaborated on, where a multi-acre rooftop park atop a historic post office delivers an unexpected sense of calm and retreat in the heart of Manhattan. These aren’t gimmicks, but curatorial decisions meant to align with the values of the people companies want to hire: wellness, connection, inspiration.

At One Madison, developed by SL Green, that narrative continues with a rooftop French garden, luxury fitness from Chelsea Piers, and culinary offerings from chef Daniel Boulud. There’s even an exclusive tenant-only amenities floor. This isn’t just where people work; it’s a place they want to be.

Why space is a dimension of brand

Real estate branding has been seen as ephemeral; temporary campaigns to lease up space. But this new era demands something more permanent, more intentional. When done right, the brand of a place becomes part of the product itself. It doesn’t fade once the building’s full. It lives on in the daily experience of the people inside.

And that’s where hospitality becomes essential. Not in a superficial sense, but in how you curate and program a space to say something meaningful. In many ways, it’s less about branding as communications, and more about creating an environment that signals what kind of company you are, and what kind of people will thrive there.

In this context, hospitality is no longer a metaphor, it’s a method. It means thinking about your office as a host would a guest: What do they need? How do we make them feel welcome, inspired, and cared for?

But what’s the ROI?

We’re often asked: Does this really make people more productive? How do we justify this level of investment in the workplace experience?

The short answer is: the best spaces don’t distract, they create tangible operational leverage. When employees can walk in a park, work from a lounge, eat world-class food, or exercise without leaving the building, they’re more productive, more loyal, more connected, and more likely to return.

More importantly, these spaces send a signal to current and prospective employees. They say: “We value your experience. We want you to do your best work, and enjoy your life while doing it.” That’s a powerful competitive edge, especially when top talent is scarce and expectations are high.

What founders should be asking

If you’re a founder or people leader, the question isn’t “How much space do we need and what well-being perks can we offer?” It’s “What kind of experience are we creating, and what does that say about who we are?”

The office, in this light, becomes a key pillar of your employer brand, not a backdrop, but a stage. One that helps you tell your story and helps your people to live it. And when that’s done well, it’s not just employees, present and future, who notice. Investors, clients, and collaborators do, too.

In the most effective developments, brand doesn’t just show up in a name or a logo. It informs the entire user experience, just as it would in a top-tier hotel or entertainment venue. From the lobby to the lounge, from fitness to food, every detail becomes a chapter in a larger story.

So, if your real estate is still telling a story about “available space,” you’re already behind. The next wave of workplaces is telling a different story, about purpose, energy, community, and care. That’s the kind of story the best talent wants to be part of.

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