New York City stands at a pivotal moment. Five years after the pandemic emptied our streets and offices, we continue to grapple with fundamental questions about the future of work. According to a recent report by the NYC Economic Development Corp., employment has reached a record high of 4.77 million total jobs, with a labor participation rate of 63%.
Tourism has also rebounded — 2024 saw robust visitor numbers, and New York City Tourism + Conventions projects 67 million visitors in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic highs. Yet, the city’s population remains hundreds of thousands below its 2019 peak, and the office sector is struggling to find a new identity.
At the heart of this challenge is a simple truth: The future of the workplace is not about work as it is about place. Much like how cities evolved over the past generation from purely functional locations to vibrant, diverse hubs of activities, offices must evolve into vibrant hubs for connecting, collaborating and co-creating. Without this shift, New York risks falling behind in the global competition for tech talent and innovation.
Despite the promising economic indicators, the city’s office market remains deeply divided. Soaring rents for top-tier buildings coexist with plummeting demand for outdated office spaces. This mismatch is not just a real estate problem — it reflects a failure to redefine the purpose of physical workspaces.
Meanwhile, the city’s economy is undergoing a profound transformation. In 2020, for the first time, New York City had more tech jobs than finance jobs, signaling a shift from a finance-dominated workforce to one that is more dynamic, mobile and innovative. While many in the real estate world say we must “earn the commute,” the real challenge is to reimagine the office as a place where the three C’s — connecting, collaborating and co-creating — can thrive.
As employees gradually return to the office, we must reassess the fundamental purpose of these spaces. The pandemic demonstrated that productivity is achievable remotely, but it also highlighted what we may have lost — particularly for those just entering the workforce.
Traditionally, offices were the epicenters of all work activities. Today, advancements in communication technologies have rendered many of these functions location-independent. Knowledge workers now distinguish between “deep work” and “collaborative work,” underscoring the evolving role of the office in fostering innovation and company culture.
As we navigate this transition, it becomes evident that there are three critical functions that remote work cannot fully replace: connecting, collaborating, and co-creating.
Connecting: A well-designed office fosters connections, whether they occur in the pantry, along staircases, at elevator banks, in lobbies or within open office layouts. For example, The Walt Disney Company’s new headquarters at 7 Hudson Square was designed as a collaborative town square, providing numerous spaces for employees to interact and build relationships. These spontaneous interactions are impossible to replicate in a remote setting and are crucial for fostering a sense of community and belonging, which enhance employee satisfaction and retention.
Collaborating: Beyond individual connections, offices excel in facilitating collaboration through the exchange of ideas and project updates. Well-designed collaboration spaces help build trust within and between teams. Google’s offices exemplify this approach by incorporating spaces designed for deep focus work, collaboration and meetings, and areas to build community and spark innovation. This thoughtful design encourages spontaneous interactions and teamwork, which are vital for innovation and problem-solving.
Co-creating: Beyond connecting and collaborating, offices provide environments for co-creation — where teams can engage in discussions, debates and iterative processes to develop new projects, programs and innovations. A great example of a modern co-creation space is Microsoft’s Garage program. With locations embedded in their corporate offices, including New York City, The Garage offers employees dedicated environments to collaborate on experimental projects outside their core job functions. This initiative has led to the development of innovative products and technologies by fostering a culture of creativity and cross-disciplinary teamwork. Co-creation spaces like The Garage highlight how intentional design and a commitment to innovation can transform corporate offices into hubs of ideation and progress.
The future of work is not about constructing more buildings; it’s about transforming our existing office spaces into vibrant hubs of connection, collaboration and co-creation. By reimagining the purpose and design of our work environments, we can adapt to the evolving needs of the workforce and ensure that New York City remains a global leader in innovation and talent attraction. Let’s seize this opportunity to build a city — and offices — that work for everyone.
Michael Samuelian is the founding director of the Jacobs Urban Technology Hub at Cornell Tech.
