In the early stages of the Covid pandemic, commercial real estate industry experts predicted that businesses would increasingly move toward a hub-and-spoke office model.
Many employees had moved away from central office locations—large urban hubs—so they reasoned that companies would shrink their hubs and grow their spokes. It may not be working out that way, though, if new research by JLL holds up.
According to JLL analysis, investment is increasingly moving back to the hub, with less going into the spokes. Employees seem to be happy with working at home or going to flex workspaces. So, companies are questioning the role of their central offices, and looking at how they can make it worthwhile to commute to the central office. That seems to be translating into upgrades for hub offices to accommodate collaboration and meetings—the activities in which hubs excel.
Companies headquartered in large metro areas that have clusters of employees living in outlying areas may still embrace the hub-and-spoke model, according to JLL.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Mar 2, 2017
White paper from Perkins Eastman and Three H examines how design can inform employee productivity and wellbeing
This paper is the first in a planned three-part series of studies on the evolution of diverse office environments and how the contemporary activity-based workplace (ABW) can be uniquely tailored to support a range of employee personalities, tasks and work modes.
Office Buildings | Mar 2, 2017
Office renovation and addition give new life to a section of Huntsville, Ala.
The newly opened Freedom Center, near Redstone Arsenal, includes a 10,000-sf conference center.
Office Buildings | Feb 24, 2017
The sun’s rays helped shape this Studio Gang-designed NYC tower
Solar Carve Tower advances Studio Gang’s ‘solar carving’ design strategy.
Office Buildings | Feb 16, 2017
Bjarke Ingels Group wins competition to design S.Pellegrino Flagship Factory
The factory will immerse employees and visitors in nature from all sides.
Industry Research | Feb 15, 2017
Putting workers first should be every employer’s priority
The latest Sodexo report on workplace trends explores 10 factors that are impacting the global work environment.
Office Buildings | Feb 8, 2017
London office building employs transitional forms to mediate between the varied heights of surrounding buildings
Friars Bridge Court will provide a transition between the unvarying height of the buildings to the south and the more varied heights of the northern buildings.
Office Buildings | Feb 7, 2017
SOM-designed HQ will provide new riverfront space for C.H. Robinson
Over 1,000 employees will work in the HQ building when completed.
Office Buildings | Feb 6, 2017
The see-through office: Why interior glass is all the rage in workplace design
The hottest material in workplace design—interior glass—opens offices to light and collaboration. But what about privacy and acoustics?
Office Buildings | Feb 3, 2017
Zurich defies center-core office archetype with stacked, cantilevered HQ
The top bar is 500 feet long, spans 180 feet between the bottom two bars, and cantilevers out 60 feet to the east.
Office Buildings | Feb 2, 2017
3 tips for designing workplaces that support culture, brand, and community
An authentic culture cannot be forced, but can be encouraged and supported.
