MHN Executive Council: The Next Generation of Workplace Experience
Want a good company culture? Look beyond lounges, amenities spaces and game rooms.
What will the younger generations expect in the workplace? The MHN Executive Council takes a look at the future of multifamily company culture and organizational processes.
Innovation to Elevate
The next generation of workplace experience is built around connection, not just convenience. People want flexibility, but they also want purpose, collaboration and the feeling that their work contributes to something meaningful. Technology and AI will continue to streamline tasks, but they’ll never replace the creativity, empathy and relationships that define exceptional organizations. The companies that thrive will be the ones that use innovation to elevate people—not distance them from one another. —Kari Warren, COO of Property Management, Kairoi Residential
Personal Touch
We’ve spent years talking about employee experience as a perk. The next generation of workplace experience recognizes it’s a business strategy. The organizations that will lead the future aren’t treating every employee the same. Instead, they’re meeting people where they are. They’re personalizing learning, adapting communication styles, delivering meaningful feedback and recognizing that what motivates one employee may not motivate another. When employees feel seen, supported and equipped to succeed, organizations see stronger engagement, better retention and improved business performance. Employee experience and business performance are no longer separate conversations; they’re one and the same. —Stephanie Anderson, Senior Director, Grace Hill
People Power
I think the question itself contains the answer. “Workplace” and “experience” are two very different ideas, and I believe the future will focus far more on experience than workplace.
For most of human history, people held roles in society, not jobs. They were builders, bakers, teachers, sailors, craftspeople. Their identity was defined by the value they created, not by where they sat or how many hours they were visibly working. The modern office, with assigned desks, fixed schedules and the assumption that presence equals productivity, is actually a relatively brief chapter in human history.
I think we’re beginning to correct that. Technology, AI, changing employee expectations and the disruption of the last several years have all challenged the idea that work only happens inside an office between certain hours. We’ve also learned the opposite isn’t true either. Being away from the office doesn’t mean people aren’t creating value.
The next generation of workplace experience won’t be defined by better amenities, hospitality-inspired lounges, or another game room. Those things can enhance culture, but they aren’t the future. The future is designing around roles instead of jobs.
As AI and automation continue absorbing more administrative and repetitive work, organizations will have an opportunity to let people spend more of their time exercising the uniquely human skills that technology can’t easily replicate: judgment, creativity, empathy, strategic thinking and relationship building.
The best workplace experience won’t be measured by where people work. It will be measured by how effectively the organization enables each person to fulfill their role and contribute at the highest level. That’s a much more meaningful definition of work than simply occupying a desk. —Josh Kassing, Managing Principal, Mary Cook Associates
Beyond Perks and Policy
The next generation of workplace experience is less about where people work and more about how they experience work.
It will be built around clarity, flexibility, trust, accountability and connection. Employees will expect technology that makes work easier, leaders who communicate with transparency and cultures that support both performance and well-being. The best workplace experience will still be deeply human. People want to feel valued, challenged, connected to purpose and clear on how their work contributes to the organization’s success.
For multifamily, that means we have to look beyond perks and policies. The next generation of workplace experience will require better communication, stronger frontline support, smarter use of technology, and leaders who understand that employee experience directly impacts resident experience, retention, and financial performance.
The workplace of the future will not be defined by a location. It will be defined by whether people can do meaningful work, feel connected to the mission, and trust the leadership guiding them —Maria Pietroforte, President, Maria Pietroforte Consulting
Interested in joining the MHN Executive Council and sharing your insights? Email Jessica Fiur.
