In today’s market, buildings must be more than where tenants clock in and clock out. Property management teams are beginning to broaden their offerings and amenities to make their spaces a place where tenants enjoy being beyond their jobs. Office owners now must exceed expectations in order to provide a well-rounded experience for their tenants.

Shorenstein Realty Services began to look outside the box and into the kennel with their dog adoption event held at Bank of America Plaza. The event was in partnership with Furkids and was meant to celebrate National Pet Appreciation Week. The event was a success with 10 dogs adopted and more than 200 people in attendance. Beyond the success of the event, this instance serves as an example of how many property management companies are evolving with the shifting preferences of tenants to stay competitive.

Linda Beauchamp, general manager with Shorenstein, helped arrange the event and said that it was one of many ideas for tenant amenities. She said property management teams need to consider how quickly the modern workplace is changing.

“The office is no longer a place just to punch in and out of,” Beauchamp said. “Tenants want to be part of an atmosphere that blurs the lines between work and play, and our dog adoption event is a prime example of how we’re responding to the call for community.”

Community is a central tenet of a lot of new thinking surrounding tenant amenities. Property managers can no longer just provide a building for tenant to occupy. They must also consider the inside and outside components of the building that foster a sense of community. It is increasingly up to the property management and operations staff to craft that experience for the tenant. Beauchamp said tenants are willing to pay a higher premium for properties that imbibe this sense of community.

“Our formula at Bank of America Plaza has helped drive leasing momentum while adding overall value to the property,” Beauchamp said. “We’ll continue to evolve our community programming options moving forward,”

Shorenstein is trying to make spaces in their properties have a purpose. Beauchamp said they want tenant spaces to boost mood and productivity. This quest for the creation of dynamic spaces is the direction many property management companies are headed.

Beauchamp said they are already planning another event with Furkids and are happy their company’s values lined up with this project. In the future of office space, the competitive edge may go to those that are thinking beyond office space.

“In today’s competitive environment, office owners and property managers must enliven their buildings by activating common spaces with programming that allows tenants to collaborate and socialize,” Beauchamp said. “As employers continue to battle for top talent, they will gravitate to those workplaces that offer the types of features their prospective employees are seeking.”