The office market is currently undergoing a clear transformation that is reshaping both tenant expectations and building owners’ strategies. Companies are increasingly compelled to reduce their office footprint while simultaneously seeking workplaces that offer high-quality space, strong locations and environments that foster collaboration. In response, building owners and managers are evolving their properties to deliver much more than just a place to work. The best office buildings are no longer empty after 5:00 p.m.; instead, they are increasingly becoming multifunctional environments for work and social interaction. Proptech solutions are also playing a pivotal role in enabling this shift.
The commercial real estate market is undergoing a profound transformation. With the widespread adoption of hybrid working, not only the way offices are used during the day is changing, but also their role beyond standard working hours. According to Savills data, the average office attendance across Europe is currently around 60%, compared with approximately 70% before the pandemic. This means that a significant portion of office space remains underutilized during parts of the week, particularly on Mondays and Fridays. In response, building owners are increasingly looking for new ways to activate these spaces.
“The biggest challenge for the commercial real estate market today is the shift in how office space is used. We are observing a dynamic increase in activity within office buildings outside standard working hours. Offices are hosting yoga classes, workshops, community meetings and corporate events. The scale of such activities is growing month by month,” says Maciej Grabowski, Founder of Blue Bolt.
Office Buildings as Lifestyle Ecosystems
The change concerns not only the timespan of building occupancy, but also their function. Increasingly, offices are designed as multifunctional environments that combine work, recreation and social activities.
“The traditional 9-to-5 model is becoming a thing of the past. A modern office building is a comprehensive ecosystem where work seamlessly blends with regeneration in spaces such as yoga studios or fitness facilities available within the building,” says Daria Stefaniak, Sales Strategy Manager at Brain Embassy.
As she highlights, coworking plays a key role in this model, as it enables the organization of events, meetings and activities that go beyond traditional office work. “The office is becoming an extension of lifestyle — a place not only to work, but also to participate in workshops, focus on wellbeing and build business relationships,” she adds.
A similar trend can be observed in the largest metropolitan areas across Europe and the United States, where office buildings increasingly operate as multifunctional hubs of activity.
Buildings Opening Up to Local Communities
The changing role of office buildings is also linked to their growing openness to the surrounding environment. Increasingly, building infrastructure is being used not only by tenants but also by residents of nearby neighborhoods. This development is supported by new technologies and applications which initially served primarily as access control tools but are now continuously expanded with additional features.
“More than ever before, the boundaries between residential and office functions are becoming blurred. Residents and employees can use the same application to register for events, access coworking spaces or book participation in activities taking place within the building,” adds Maciej Grabowski.
This approach strengthens the integration of buildings with local communities while increasing space utilization.
“We clearly see changing expectations among tenants, who view office buildings not only as a place to work but as a space that supports everyday needs. Increasingly, users return to the building after hours to take advantage of services or sports infrastructure,” says Martyna Czarnota, Senior Asset Manager at Adgar Polska.
Community as a Key Element of Business Strategy
In this new model, building user communities also play a crucial role. Opening to the needs of employees, tenants and residents is becoming an important strategic direction. Providing cycling infrastructure with bike parking areas, changing rooms and showers is now often a standard in new developments, just as expanding building functionality with services such as childcare facilities, dining options and events organized beyond traditional office hours.
“Building an engaged community is a key element of our business strategy. It is after standard working hours that the heart of the office truly beats — during workshops, shared cooking events or networking sessions,” says Daria Stefaniak from Brain Embassy.
Office buildings are also increasingly organizing events open to residents. Examples include initiatives implemented in Adgar complexes, ranging from sports and family events to hobby-oriented workshops for employees.
“We integrate office spaces with services — from cafés and restaurants to fitness clubs and childcare facilities — creating a complete ecosystem. As a result, buildings remain active throughout the day and strengthen relationships among users,” adds Martyna Czarnota from Adgar Polska.
Technology Enabling a New Operating Model
However, the growing number of users and activities also makes building management significantly more complex. The solution lies in modern applications that enable, among others, mobile building access, meeting room and desk booking, parking management, guest invitations and the generation of access codes.
“Tenants, event guests, residents and external partners all come together in one place. Without technology capable of integrating this ecosystem easily and effectively, managing such a scale of activity would be operationally impossible. Users can enter the building, book a meeting room or invite guests using their smartphone. With access to all services 24/7 and a virtual reception, buildings can operate in the evenings and on weekends without increasing administrative staffing levels,” emphasizes Maciej Grabowski.
Technology also enables the analysis of real space utilization and supports more efficient resource management.
The Future: Smart and Multifunctional Office Buildings
Real estate market experts agree that the transformation is only just gaining momentum. Market data prepared by advisory firm Colliers confirms this trend, showing that office buildings with shared amenities such as cafés, gardens or event spaces have vacancy rates three times lower than traditional office buildings.
“The office building is becoming a service and community platform rather than merely a place of work,” summarizes Martyna Czarnota.
As commercial realty continues to take on additional functions — from workspaces to social venues — technology integrating all processes, including access, reservations, communication and space management, becomes increasingly critical.
“The future of the commercial real estate market lies in intelligent, integrated buildings that combine multiple functions — particularly work and social interaction,” adds Maciej Grabowski.
Increasingly, it is activity outside standard working hours that determines whether an office building remains merely a workplace or becomes a vibrant part of the city — which also translates into stronger leasing performance.
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About Blue Bolt Blue Bolt is a Polish technology company developing proprietary hardware and software solutions for access management and booking systems in buildings. Its solutions are used by leading companies in the office and residential real estate markets, and the system already supports 80,000 users across more than 400 projects in Poland and internationally.
www.blueboltapp.com/pl
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