Offices Flex Their Wellness Muscles

When I walked into an office building recently, the prominently featured and well-equipped fitness center right off the lobby almost didn’t make me think twice.

But then I remembered where I was; a Class B office building in suburban Houston.

It’s not far off to say that everyone is checking the box with a fitness center these days. What used to be a high-end amenity reserved only for trophy buildings is now so common it’s showing up, well, in Class B buildings in suburban Houston. As a property manager, it’s further proof that being on top of the fitness trend is critical to ensuring success on behalf of the building owners.

The proliferation of fitness centers is rooted in their efficacy. From a landlord’s perspective, fitness centers can be a great capital improvement because they serve as a differentiator for tenants looking to recruit the younger, more amenity-hungry talent they want. It becomes both an investment in improving the building while also a marketing expense designed to attract and retain tenants.

Fitness centers can also serve as a revenue generator if owners choose to charge individual membership fees rather than spreading the cost to tenants as a recovery through building operating costs.

But charging people who are in the building a fee means your gym better bring its A-game, because it will be competing with the club down the street.

That challenge has been accepted readily by many landlords, resulting in some gorgeous facilities that would make competing gyms drool. Peloton bikes, mirror tech, personal trainers, nutritionists and fitness classes are being woven into fitness center offerings, making it tough for individual users to justify spending more money on comparable gyms instead of just staying in the convenience of their office building.

For example, there is an exquisite fitness center on the 70th floor of the Aon Center in Chicago. As part of the building’s Cloud Level, tenants enjoy access to a fully staffed 16,000-square-foot fitness center with spacious locker rooms for just $120 year. That’s right. Not per month. Per year.

But fitness centers are only part of the picture. Wellness in the workplace goes beyond just allowing your tenants space to sweat. It is also about offering healthy environments and wellness experiences.

For instance, head of JLL’s Experience Management Tom Larance and his team organized helipad yoga in Los Angeles on behalf of a tenant.

“The event not only promoted a healthy lifestyle, but also established the building’s reputation as a place people want to work,” Larance told me. “Everyone who attended immediately brought out their phone and posted it to their Instagram. Those are valuable experiences.”

Larance notes there is an evolution taking place in which landlords are realizing the power of providing comprehensive wellness programs that touch on social and mental aspects of the tenant experience. “There are huge benefits to fitness centers that go beyond the physical aspect of the space,” he says. “It creates a sense of community and pride in the building that extends into the workplace.”

According to Larance, more landlords are looking at how to foster that sense of community to promote social wellness. This can be done through tenant events and gatherings or just simply offering wellness options like chair massages, yoga classes or nap pods.

Part of that trend includes improving the basic quality of life. Fundamentals like air quality, access to water, natural light and, of course, safety, aren’t necessarily as eye catching as helipad yoga, but are essential to the viability of a workspace.

Some landlords have turned to WELL Certifications to show their tenants they are walking the walk when it comes to providing the best possible workspace. While it is an expensive endeavor to go through the certification process, in many cases it serves as a differentiator and shows that owners are invested in the health of tenants and their guests.

All these pieces – encouraging physical fitness, managing social and mental experiences in offices, and ensuring a safe and healthy environment – are critical to offering a complete wellness experience. It’s clear the focus on health and wellness is not going away anytime soon, and if anything, will continue to be a focus as businesses compete for talent and look to differentiate themselves through their work environment.

Connie O’Murray is managing director for property management at JLL.