Over the past decade, amenity has evolved from a ‘nice to have’ to a key part of any office building strategy. In a competitive market with a growing focus on employee experience, landlords are under pressure to differentiate their buildings, and amenity is often the tool of choice. But more isn’t always better. The most successful amenity strategies aren’t defined by volume, novelty, or trend. They’re defined by relevance: to the building, the occupier, and the wider market context. When poorly thought through, amenity can become a sunk cost. When well-executed, it can drive rental growth, increase tenant satisfaction, and support leasing velocity.
Amenity should be more than a checklist of features. Some buildings may incorporate a wide range of amenities such as gyms, wellness lounges, Libraries, VR rooms, or climbing walls, without fully considering how these spaces will be used or how they align with the building’s overall positioning and tenant needs.
A more effective approach is to take a curated view of amenity, focusing on what truly adds value to both the occupiers and the asset. This approach should:
- Align amenities with tenant needs and demographics
- Reflect the building’s scale, location, and value proposition
- Prioritise usability, quality, and consistency over novelty
In doing so, landlords can ensure that amenity serves a clear, strategic purpose, enhancing both tenant satisfaction and the long-term performance of the asset.
Amenity should serve a purpose, not just fill space
Gensler’s UK Workplace Survey 2023 found that employees value the office primarily for focused work and in-person collaboration. However, many workplaces are not yet optimised for these needs. The study also highlighted the importance of offering a variety of work settings, not just desks and meeting rooms, but also quiet zones and social spaces, to support productivity and experience.
The message is clear: amenity should be purposeful, not performative. Rather than packing a building with attention-grabbing features, the focus should be on what is genuinely useful and aligned with the building’s positioning.
CBRE’s 2024 European Office Occupier Sentiment Survey confirms that enhancing the quality of the workplace experience is now a top strategic priority for occupiers. Tenants are increasingly focused on how the physical office can support productivity, well-being, and employee engagement. The following amenities are consistently associated with value creation:
- Flexible and Collaborative Workspaces
Demand for shared meeting rooms, breakout lounges, and agile zones continues to grow—particularly in multi-let assets. These spaces reduce fit-out costs for tenants and encourage interaction, helping accelerate leasing and support rental growth.
Secure cycle storage, quality showers, and lockers are now expected, especially in urban locations. According to CBRE, these features are among the most requested and are strongly linked to occupier satisfaction and retention.
- Good quality Focused Features
Gensler’s global research highlights a growing association between high-performing workplaces and access to wellness amenities, such as fitness areas, quiet rooms, and good-quality roof terraces. When designed at the right scale and properly managed, these spaces enhance employee wellbeing and the reputation of both landlord and tenant.
- On-site Food, Beverage & Activation of Space
Cafés, coffee bars, and grab-and-go outlets can help to foster community and define a building’s character. The most successful examples are those run by experienced operators and tailored to the occupier base, focusing on quality over novelty.
What doesn’t work
- One-Size-Fits-All Strategies
What works in a prime West End development may not suit a City fringe asset. Amenity must reflect the building’s location, size, tenant mix, and leasing strategy. Misalignment leads to underuse, wasted space, and poor return on investment.
- Features Without Clear Demand
Spaces like VR rooms or interactive installations may look innovative, but without clear demand, they often sit empty. They can be costly to maintain, difficult to measure in terms of value, and rarely influence leasing decisions.
Even the best amenities can fall short if operational delivery is weak. A gym with no oversight or a café with inconsistent service can quickly become a frustration. Design must go hand-in-hand with quality management.
While not all amenities guarantee a return, the right ones can significantly enhance a building’s marketability, both from an occupier and investment perspective. For occupiers, curated, high-quality amenities support talent attraction, employee satisfaction, and productivity. From an investment standpoint, they can boost leasing velocity, drive rental premiums, and underpin long-term asset value by aligning with occupier demand and evolving workplace expectations.
Amenity provision within buildings should be more than a tick-box exercise. It’s not about keeping pace with trends or adding features for the sake of appearances. It’s about understanding what occupiers genuinely value and delivering it with purpose.
When thoughtfully planned and well executed, amenity becomes more than an add-on; it becomes a true differentiator, driving performance, tenant loyalty, and long-term value. In a market where tenant expectations are shifting fast, landlords must ask: Are our amenities adding value or just adding noise.
May 28, 2025
The amenity trap: why more isn’t always better
by James Mohsen • Comment, Property
Amenity should be more than a checklist of features. Some buildings may incorporate a wide range of amenities such as gyms, wellness lounges, Libraries, VR rooms, or climbing walls, without fully considering how these spaces will be used or how they align with the building’s overall positioning and tenant needs.
A more effective approach is to take a curated view of amenity, focusing on what truly adds value to both the occupiers and the asset. This approach should:
In doing so, landlords can ensure that amenity serves a clear, strategic purpose, enhancing both tenant satisfaction and the long-term performance of the asset.
Amenity should serve a purpose, not just fill space
Gensler’s UK Workplace Survey 2023 found that employees value the office primarily for focused work and in-person collaboration. However, many workplaces are not yet optimised for these needs. The study also highlighted the importance of offering a variety of work settings, not just desks and meeting rooms, but also quiet zones and social spaces, to support productivity and experience.
The message is clear: amenity should be purposeful, not performative. Rather than packing a building with attention-grabbing features, the focus should be on what is genuinely useful and aligned with the building’s positioning.
CBRE’s 2024 European Office Occupier Sentiment Survey confirms that enhancing the quality of the workplace experience is now a top strategic priority for occupiers. Tenants are increasingly focused on how the physical office can support productivity, well-being, and employee engagement. The following amenities are consistently associated with value creation:
Demand for shared meeting rooms, breakout lounges, and agile zones continues to grow—particularly in multi-let assets. These spaces reduce fit-out costs for tenants and encourage interaction, helping accelerate leasing and support rental growth.
Secure cycle storage, quality showers, and lockers are now expected, especially in urban locations. According to CBRE, these features are among the most requested and are strongly linked to occupier satisfaction and retention.
Gensler’s global research highlights a growing association between high-performing workplaces and access to wellness amenities, such as fitness areas, quiet rooms, and good-quality roof terraces. When designed at the right scale and properly managed, these spaces enhance employee wellbeing and the reputation of both landlord and tenant.
Cafés, coffee bars, and grab-and-go outlets can help to foster community and define a building’s character. The most successful examples are those run by experienced operators and tailored to the occupier base, focusing on quality over novelty.
What doesn’t work
What works in a prime West End development may not suit a City fringe asset. Amenity must reflect the building’s location, size, tenant mix, and leasing strategy. Misalignment leads to underuse, wasted space, and poor return on investment.
Spaces like VR rooms or interactive installations may look innovative, but without clear demand, they often sit empty. They can be costly to maintain, difficult to measure in terms of value, and rarely influence leasing decisions.
Even the best amenities can fall short if operational delivery is weak. A gym with no oversight or a café with inconsistent service can quickly become a frustration. Design must go hand-in-hand with quality management.
While not all amenities guarantee a return, the right ones can significantly enhance a building’s marketability, both from an occupier and investment perspective. For occupiers, curated, high-quality amenities support talent attraction, employee satisfaction, and productivity. From an investment standpoint, they can boost leasing velocity, drive rental premiums, and underpin long-term asset value by aligning with occupier demand and evolving workplace expectations.
Amenity provision within buildings should be more than a tick-box exercise. It’s not about keeping pace with trends or adding features for the sake of appearances. It’s about understanding what occupiers genuinely value and delivering it with purpose.
When thoughtfully planned and well executed, amenity becomes more than an add-on; it becomes a true differentiator, driving performance, tenant loyalty, and long-term value. In a market where tenant expectations are shifting fast, landlords must ask: Are our amenities adding value or just adding noise.
James Mohsen MRICS is an Asset Manager with Oxygen Asset Management