The Office Has A New Purpose, But What Does That Mean For The Hub-And-Spoke Model?

Prior future of work predictions have mostly come true. The world’s workforce is increasingly distributed, companies are heavily relying on automation and the definition of the office has been upended. 

However, one trend seems to have gotten lost in the noise. 

The hub-and-spoke office model consists of companies incorporating one large central office and several satellite (spoke) offices in suburbs closer to employees’ homes.

The concept aimed to support employees who didn’t want to make the lengthy commute to main offices every day, but it appears that work arrangements are progressing in a different direction.  

Instead of restrictive 9 to 5 schedules, the idea of autonomy and the work-from-anywhere trend has taken over, and employees aren’t interested in looking back.   

But what does this mean for the future of offices? According to Christian Beaudoin, research and strategy director at JLL, collaborative projects will be the main reason for in-office gatherings.  

“Clients are asking how to get employees in the office, and part of the answer is through creating a can’t miss experience, whether that’s through requiring a critical mass of people, investing in technology, or creating connectivity that creates a FOMO (fear of missing out) experience,” said Beaudoin.   

In short, the purpose of the office has completely evolved. 

“Offices need to be central places to collaborate and connect with co-workers, which is what employees are looking for most right now.” 

While this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the satellite office, it does indicate that regions struggling with low occupancy rates and high rent can motivate employees back to the office in a new way.