Meetings (and meeting rooms) are an evergreen part of office life. Remote work, hybrid schedules and, arguably, multi-locational teams have only reinforced their importance. Team members need to share ideas, ruminate on possible solutions and create products influenced by multiple stakeholders.
That doesn’t mean coming into the office regularly isn’t a hard sell for staff members who find remote work more productive and easier to schedule around other responsibilities. However, both employers and their staff can suffer when offices are empty. Office friendships are no longer taking hold the way they once did. That can reduce retention rates and make collaboration more difficult. Research by Gallup suggests that employees with work friends are more satisfied with their jobs and 43% more committed. The solution begins with the much-maligned meeting, even when it’s partially still virtual.
Combating open-office distraction
Often lit in the same harsh light as the office and occasionally giving off the aroma of the last occupant’s lunch, conference rooms are key. They limit distractions for both attendees and colleagues not invited. They provide the quiet and privacy that once-remote workers often prize.
Even a table for one may want a room. Private, soundproof office pods or booths for a single occupant are increasingly common, as companies redesign workplaces to appeal to hybrid and diverse workforces. Once seen as cramped, pods now provide privacy for focused tasks and video-call meetings. The goal is to make the office an appealing and productive place to work, encouraging in-person attendance.
Collaborating in less but better space
All of these spaces take up space, just as offices are minimizing their footprints. Enter the flexible office, which removes traditional office boundaries. For example, WeWork allows firms to grow or contract more easily. Meeting room alternatives are also flourishing, including classroom setups and impromptu meeting spaces such as lounge areas and kitchens.
In its first global office research report, WeWork calls these spaces “collaboration hubs”. (It’s worth noting that the only kind of meeting space that decreased was for executive offices.) No longer is the size and layout of an office determined by the number of employees, but by how employees use the space regularly. Creating a work environment that encourages participation (and office attendance) is the new goal, even with less traditional space available.
Coworking goes beyond hot desking
An Art Deco building recently renamed 10 Grand Central in Manhattan has raised rents four times in the last 12 months, from $82 per sqft to $130. Once refurbished, two more floors will rent for $230. One reason for the building’s popularity may be a new space called The Meeting Galleries for gatherings needing a little more atmosphere. According to its website, the office building “reimagines the workplace as an experiential destination.”
The lighting is flattering; the chairs are comfy. There’s even bar service available. It lends an element of escapism, the way attending corporate events at a nice hotel can. It’s easy to imagine hosting an important client meeting or a manager’s formal presentation at The Meeting Galleries. There’s also a podcasting space, a screening room for movies, a lounge and a furnished, outdoor terrace.
Does maturation mean it’s working?
Providing these posh spaces for a single tenant would be impractical for most firms, but shared across all building tenants, they become an alluring perk. They give meetings an air of importance, making them feel more like an event than just another mandatory meeting. The Meeting Galleries exemplify the maturing of the coworking office space trend. It’s a long way from the hot desking that once riled office staff members loath to give up personalized spaces. It’s estimated that at least a fifth of US office desks are unassigned and left for hot desking now.
It’s hard to measure if redesigned meeting rooms and office setups are working, but more staff are showing up in the office. For managers, it’s a priority this year. According to CBRE’s 2025 Americas Office Occupier Sentiment Survey, released Monday, 90% of surveyed organizations have office attendance goals, with the number of mandated or recommended days in the office creeping up. Seventy-two percent of those surveyed report meeting these goals, which is significantly higher than the 61% reported a year ago. Office occupancy rates are at their highest since 2020, with companies aiming for an average of 3.2 days per week in the office. Actual attendance averages 2.9 days, according to the survey.
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