The one question every returning workplace has to answer: why?

There are millions of workers who haven’t set foot in an office since March 2020, and many of them have come to love remote work. In the U.S., commutes have been lengthening for years, and many see the shift to remote as returning that time to their day. Working from home is often comfortable, and, crucially, it provides a greater level of control over health and safety.

With so few people coming into the workplace, office vacancy rates are soaring. Stakeholders in commercial real estate are eager to get people back to the office, safely – but it may surprise you to learn, a lot of workers are, too.

But only for the right office.

Recent McKinsey findings indicate 52% of workers would prefer a “flexible working model” going forward, compared to only 11% who want to be fully remote. That same McKinsey survey found developing and communicating a clear safety plan for the return to in-person work vital in promoting employee morale and productivity. Such health and safety plans are table stakes for the return to the office. Executives need to buy into the necessity of these programs and see that they are implemented in a transparent, impactful way.

But what makes employees and candidates want to work in your office? What will make them choose to come in on flex days and make the most of the space?

While “losing time” to a commute has been a common refrain, many remote workers are noticing they miss the psychological barrier the commute represents between work and home life, to the point that some take 15-minute walks at the start and end of the work day. People who take these walks have also felt a sense of improved health and well-being from the time moving about outside.

Efforts like the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI’s) WELL Building Standard (WELL) have been developed to bring these benefits to shared spaces like the office. WELL was created with healthy, safe, comfortable workplaces in mind, featuring strategies to address worker needs. It includes strategies like providing bike racks, showers and changing facilities to encourage cycling commutes; incorporating natural light and access to outdoor and green spaces; and establishing programs for physical activity and restorative practices such as meditation. Beyond offering guidance, WELL provides third-party verification of their implementation and impact – as well as strategies for communicating your successes with stakeholders in and outside of your organization.

Going forward, so much of the commercial real estate space will be about health, safety and comfort. How can you deliver on all three – and communicate that to stakeholders? Learn more about the evidence-backed, third-party-verified methods of WELL today.