Creating a Sense of Community Among Office Tenants

Merz: “From a building owner’s perspective, a sense of community helps strengthen the bond between the management and ownership teams, which impacts leasing and retention for the property.”

NEWPORT BEACH, CA—Many companies are seeking an office-building “community” that adds value and positively impacts their business as well as their employees’ physical and emotional well-being, KBS’s SVP Brett Merz tells GlobeSt.com. The company has recently been putting a lot of effort into creating a sense of community for tenants at its properties. For example, in Chicago, KBS has been hosting events with its property-management team at 500 West Madison, such as a building-wide “Family Feud” event and charity initiatives. These events go beyond the typical physical-office amenities such as a fitness center or commuter shuttle that companies typically think of, but they really can impact employee morale and even retention. We spoke exclusively with Merz and regional president Ken Robertson about creating a sense of community among office tenants and other office trends.

GlobeSt.com: Why is creating a sense of community among office tenants important?