How Flexibility And Hospitality Turned An Office Into A ‘Godsend’

Tory Pratt, founder and CEO of Pratt Standard Cocktail Co., was looking for a flexible office solution that would satisfy the requirements of her growing business and young family. 

With her home office setup no longer meeting her needs, Pratt’s main criterion was proximity to a good daycare center. Other important checklist items included a central Washington, D.C., location with public transportation nearby, as well as a private, well-lighted office for administrative tasks that she could share as needed with a couple of her colleagues.

Pratt, whose 10-year-old business manufactures syrups and mixes for cocktails and mocktails at another D.C. location, said she got all that and more with a flexible shared office space her real estate broker found. 

“He had identified a couple of options, but the Industrious location on the 12th floor of The Homer Building in central D.C. was the most price-competitive and met all of my needs,” she said. “My private office there has been a godsend for me in terms of productivity and flexibility.”

The Industrious space checked all of Pratt’s boxes, including a few she didn’t even realize she had until she visited The Homer.

“It was like they had everything that you could want, including a wellness room that was well-stocked and thought-out, with space for a nursing mother to pump and a community manager who immediately knew your name and was always introducing you to other members,” Pratt said. “They also had good coffee, and that matters a lot to me because I'm a beverage person.”

Other amenities Pratt said she appreciates at the Industrious space include breakfast — an important perk for a working parent who might not have time in the morning to fix her own breakfast at home. Pratt also has the option of operating in other Industrious spaces in the D.C. area when she or her executive team makes client calls. 

And though she shares the 12th floor of The Homer Building with many other Industrious members, Pratt said the space feels “really nice, personalized and quiet.” 

Pratt’s quest for a flexible workspace designed around her needs has become much more common among business owners in recent years, said Maura Feltault, Industrious assistant general manager for Northwest D.C. and Maryland.

The pandemic and the shift to remote or hybrid work schedules changed many people’s priorities, making them feel less beholden to a five-day-a-week office routine. It also left many holders of long-term office leases in a bad spot until they could renegotiate their contracts or downsize, Feltault said.

As a result, arrangements that allow tenants to rent fully furnished workspaces for a year instead of getting locked into a standard 10- or 20-year lease look more attractive. 

“What people want today is flexibility when it comes to contract lengths, but they're also looking for flexibility in what that office space looks like,” Feltault said. “They want to come in and just work in a common space or be able to work from another Industrious location when they're on the road. They want the office to work for their needs, as opposed to the other way around.”

The shift requires a mindset change among building owners and managers too. Feltault, a former guest services manager for W Hotels, said the more successful ones will adopt a hospitality mindset. An employer can use the reliable WiFi, free snacks and other amenities to burnish its image with would-be employees.

“We're competing with people's ability to sleep in until 8:55 for a 9 o'clock meeting and then work in their pajamas, so we have to make the office worth coming to and more than just a sad desk in a cubicle where there are no windows and one dead plant in the corner,” she said. “What people are really craving, especially after the pandemic, is human interaction, and that is a huge part of the service we provide too.”

At each of Industrious’ more than 160 office locations around the globe, a dedicated staff person is on hand to not only answer questions but also create events and other opportunities for its members to make new connections, Feltault said. The company also regularly touches base with its members and building owners to make sure their needs are being met, she added.

“I’m really grateful this option exists,” Pratt said. “In addition to the flexibility this offers, I feel like Industrious goes above and beyond for someone who is acting as your landlord.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Industrious and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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