Today's Workplace

Manulife Financials,
200 Berkeley Street, MA

overview

200 Berkeley St., a Boston skyline icon since the 1950s, has long served as a public weather beacon. Yet, as workplace models evolve to include hybrid, remote, and flexible schedules, tenant expectations are shifting toward contemporary spaces that reflect the fluidity of today’s work styles. To anticipate these needs, we conducted in-person interviews with professionals across various industries, capturing insights into the modern workweek. This research supports Manulife Financial’s competitive repositioning of the asset aligning its offerings with the adaptive, experience-driven demands of today’s workforce.

Duration

4 weeks

Team

Ed O'Brien

Vaishnavi Mehta

Design Strategist

UX Researcher

My role involved gathering insights through key interviews—listening, questioning, documenting, and synthesizing information into actionable recommendations. Some interviews were conducted by me, while others were managed by Ed. Together, we consolidated these findings to present four core experience principles aimed at supporting the asset’s repositioning strategy and enhancing its appeal to both existing and prospective tenants.

Focus Areas

Ethnographic Research

Service Design

Experience Strategy

Stakeholder Engagement

intent

This project explored beyond traditional office spaces, focusing on individuals' daily routines, physical environments, and personal philosophies. By gaining an in-depth understanding of the services and experiences people interact with throughout their busy day, we aimed to develop a strategy that aligns with the evolving expectations of today’s workforce.

Images of some interviewees

demographics

Overview of role, age, and industry distribution among interviewees.

We conducted one-hour, in-person interviews with 12 professionals, including five current tenants at 200 Berkeley St. and seven Boston-based employees. These individuals represented fields such as people management, marketing and operations, real estate, cybersecurity, executive support, strategy consulting, banking, legal counsel, product management, investment, sales, and real estate advisory.

Demographics of all the interview participants

exploration

Our exploration targeted six key areas to understand today's workforce's daily experiences:

Health & Wellness →

Nutrition, exercise, recovery, mental health, and social connectivity.

Transit →

Commuting patterns and transportation needs

Sustainability →

Definitions, implications, and practical integration in daily life

Amenitites →

Building, neighborhood, and access to home

Physical Spaces →

Preferences and required features in work and communal environments.

Entertainment & Recreation →

Anticipated needs and emerging patterns in non-work activities.

Card sorting exercise to understand where employees find value and set priorities.

key discoveries

Through qualitative analysis of participant insights, we identified 4 overarching themes that emerged from the data.

Moments that Matter

The echo effect of the pandemic has ushered in lasting shifts in remote office and onsite work.

“If you're going in the office, you want to make kind of make it worth your while. So you find out the schedule of people that you will be working closely with, and you try to align on those days.”

- Henry

Muddy Work-Life Balance

The blend of work and life is profound and less separate today, leading to anxiety and frustration.

“I work all the time. It's actually very hard to estimate hours. I'm kind of just working all the time depending. So I would say there's never a week where I'm just working 40 hours. I'm working weekends too. But yeah, it's all immersive.”

- Rachel

Community and Connection Crave

Working from home can be a lonely existence. So too is being in an empty office.

“I see a SVP here every day, and I get face time with people who I have no reason to have face time with. You get the best juice when it's in person. So from a social and career laddering standpoint what's going on inside the organization is very important to me”

- Rebecca

Premium on Well-Being

Economic uncertainty, societal unease, doing more with less, bringing your whole self.

“I need to have the physical health to help my mental health, which makes me be a better dad, and hopefully makes me a better lawyer."

- Rob

outcomes

Principles of Experience

Drawing from our four key discoveries, we crafted these principles of experience to guide the design of work environments that foster engagement, adaptability, and alignment with current workforce values. Each principle offers actionable insights to create spaces that go beyond functionality, directly informing our project’s goals of enhancing tenant satisfaction and positioning the asset competitively in a dynamic market.

01) Make it Convenient

To ensure employees move efficiently through their day, high-value amenities should be accessible and tailored to evolving needs. Focus areas include food delivery, laundry services, bike storage and maintenance, concierge support, dog daycare, and childcare. With clear access points and an adaptable design for both remote and on-site work, these amenities provide time-saving support, enhancing tenant satisfaction.

02) Earn the Commute

To earn employee commitment, 200 Berkeley should focus on high-touch moments that enhance in-office value and productivity, particularly during arrival, lunch, and end-of-day transitions. Commuting is often costly, time-intensive, and environmentally impactful, making it essential for the workplace experience to be purposeful and rewarding. Structured meetings with leadership, skill-building sessions, and opportunities for meaningful social interactions maximize each visit's impact, acknowledging employees' competing priorities and busy schedules.

03) Stay Well

To support tenants' well-being, 200 Berkeley could integrate services that promote mental health, focus, and balance. Offerings might include mindfulness breaks, quiet zones for digital downtime, on-site fitness options, ergonomic support, and access to nutritional resources. These elements equip employees to manage stress, maintain focus, and sustain a positive outlook, fostering a productive environment that prioritizes well-being—a key factor in long-term retention and satisfaction.