Discover how workplace design attracts top talent across industries — from corporate offices to healthcare and higher ed — by blending culture, flexibility, and purpose.
In today’s competitive hiring landscape, workplace design has become one of the strongest ways to attract and retain top talent. For many professionals, the workplace isn’t just where they do their jobs; it’s where they connect, collaborate, and find meaning in their work.
The best environments go beyond aesthetics. They express a company’s purpose, build culture, and help people feel supported from the moment they arrive. From financial services and professional firms to healthcare, life sciences, and higher education, design now plays a strategic role in shaping employee experience.
Here’s how leading workplaces across industries are redefining what it means to design for people, and why those environments continue to attract top talent.
Financial Services: Designing for Trust and Transparency
In an industry built on relationships and reputation, design plays a powerful role in communicating trust. Financial institutions are evolving beyond traditional, closed-door offices to create open, connected spaces enhancing employee wellbeing, but still protect confidentiality:
Sun Life’s 94,000 sq. ft. Wellesley office embodies this shift with a modern, choice-based environment that allows employees to decide where and how they work each day. The space features a variety of work settings — from focused individual zones to collaborative team areas — as well as inviting social spaces like a deck with a fireplace. Wellness and sustainability are woven throughout, with fitness rooms, bike paths, and mindfulness areas supported by energy-efficient lighting, water conservation, and natural elements such as moss walls.
Photos © Robert Umenhofer Photography
Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod’s 37,000 sq. ft. Hyannis headquarters redefines the workplace with a warm, resimercial aesthetic that blends comfort and professionalism. Natural light, biophilia, and nautical-inspired accents bring the essence of Cape Cod indoors. Flexible furniture and demountable wall systems create a bright, open atmosphere while preserving privacy where needed. With integrated Microsoft Teams rooms, mobile technology, and adaptable meeting areas, the environment supports collaboration, choice, and connection.
Photos © Greg Premru Photography
Cape Cod 5’s 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Barnstable, sustainability and community are at the forefront. The campus consolidates 300 employees into a central hub designed to encourage collaboration and reflect the organization’s “Five Ways” of engagement — from responsible business practices to community leadership and financial education. The headquarters stands as both a cultural and environmental investment in the region’s future.
Photos © Kevin Brusie Photography
Professional Services: Spaces that Reflect Brand and Expertise
For consulting, law, design, and other professional service firms, the workplace doubles as both an office and a stage for the brand. These organizations attract top talent by creating environments that showcase personality, confidence, and hospitality:
AEW Capital Management’s transformation of its headquarters at 2 Seaport Lane in Boston was a chance to create a destination worthy of its people — a space that truly earned the commute. Designed to support company growth and inspire engagement, the office offers a variety of spaces that empower employees to choose how and where they work best. Private offices, enclosed meeting rooms, and open collaboration areas are balanced with wellness-driven amenities like natural light, an on-site gym, and the inviting Ciao café at the heart of the space. Warm wood finishes and refined materials create a setting that feels elevated yet welcoming, encouraging connection and focus throughout the day.
Photos © Evan Joseph Photography
BXP, the nation’s largest publicly traded real estate developer and manager of premier workplaces, reimagined its 28,000 sq. ft. Boston regional office inside the Prudential Tower to better reflect its culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence. The space brings together 35 private offices, 50 workstations, and dedicated huddle rooms for each department, creating an environment that supports both quiet productivity and spontaneous collaboration. A central “Main Street” connects community zones and a vibrant café lounge — the social core of the workplace. With layered textures, rich materials, and warm lighting, the design achieves a jewel-box aesthetic that’s refined without feeling formal, perfectly mirroring BXP’s brand and values.
Photography © Ben Gancsos
A leading product development and technology consultancy also embraced this balance of innovation and identity in its new 30,000 sq. ft. North American headquarters in Boston’s Seaport District. The design integrates state-of-the-art laboratories, collaborative work areas, and flexible furniture to support fast-paced, cross-disciplinary work. Vibrant brand colors infuse energy and personality throughout, while adaptable spaces encourage creative thinking and technical exploration. The result is a workplace that inspires innovation and supports wellbeing for the world-class technologists who call it home.
Photos © Robert Benson Photography
Technology & Innovation: Environments that Inspire Agility
Designing for agility means blending heads-down work areas with maker spaces, project rooms, and casual lounges. Technology companies are reimagining the workplace as an engine for innovation, culture, and human connection, creating environments that inspire collaboration and celebrate flexibility.
CarGurus, a leading automotive technology company, united nearly 1,000 employees in a single Boston headquarters spanning ten floors in the Back Bay. Designed around adaptability and inclusion, the space features a mix of bookable workstations, quiet libraries, and social hubs to support every work style. Wellness rooms, mothers’ suites, and ergonomic furnishings promote well-being, while color-coded wayfinding and themed floors reflect the company’s global brand. A barista bar, game room, and rooftop decks add moments of connection that bring CarGurus’ vibrant culture to life.
Photos © Robert Benson Photography
Workhuman, a global HR technology company, created a 157,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts, that embodies its mission to make work more human. The space balances innovation and well-being through an immersive experience center anchored by a two-story Gratitude Tree, a Wellbeing Center, and a café designed for social connection. Flexible work zones built with Steelcase Everwall empower choice, while sustainable design practices — including recycled materials and upcycled furniture — reflect Workhuman’s values of inclusivity, purpose, and care.
Photos © Carly Gillis Photography
PTC, a global leader in digital transformation, relocated to a new 17-story headquarters in Boston’s Seaport District, positioning itself within the city’s innovation hub. The 250,000 sq. ft. workspace blends cutting-edge technology with cultural storytelling. A fully free-address environment supports flexibility, while a first-of-its-kind AV-over-IP network connects every meeting space through the Crestron DigitalMedia NVX platform. A custom boardroom table crafted from the wood of a 19th-century schooner discovered onsite ties the company’s spirit of innovation to its roots.
Photos © Robert Benson Photography
Life Sciences: Innovation by Design
In life sciences, innovation thrives where people and ideas intersect. These environments unite research, technology, and collaboration — creating workplaces that accelerate discovery and advance global health.
The Ragon Institute’s new facility in Cambridge’s Kendall Square embodies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. A joint initiative between MIT, Harvard, and Mass General Brigham, the five-story building supports the Institute’s mission to unite disciplines and drive progress in global health. Technology plays a central role, with Planar LED walls, Poly conferencing systems, and fully integrated AV across multiple meeting and event spaces — including a 20-person boardroom that opens to a rooftop deck overlooking Kendall Square. One-third of the building is dedicated to public use, reinforcing Ragon’s commitment to community and open scientific exchange.
Photos © Chris Navin Photography
eGenesis expanded its Cambridge headquarters to a five-story mixed-use building designed to support breakthrough research in organ transplantation. The workplace blends flexibility and focus, with adaptable Steelcase workstations, varied collaboration zones, and fully equipped hybrid meeting spaces featuring AI-enabled video conferencing. Communal areas such as the café and town hall encourage connection and transparency, while a neighborhood-style layout reflects the company’s collaborative, mission-driven culture.
Photos © Edward Caruso Photography
A confidential pharmaceutical company’s six-floor headquarters was designed to bring science and culture together in one dynamic environment. Each level supports focus, collaboration, and connection, while the first-floor amenity zone — complete with a marketplace café, after-hours bar, and flexible meeting spaces — fosters engagement and community. Thoughtful design elements like layered textures, adaptable lighting, and diverse seating create an environment that feels both high-performing and human-centered.
Photos © Bruce Martin Photography
Healthcare: Supporting the People Who Care for Others
Healthcare environments are increasingly designed to care for the caregivers — spaces that help staff recharge, collaborate, and deliver exceptional care. These workplaces prioritize well-being, efficiency, and connection, creating settings where healthcare professionals can thrive.
At the Hospice of Southern Maine’s new center in Scarborough, thoughtful design supports the staff who care for more than 200 patients daily across 68 towns and islands. Developed through an integrated project delivery approach, the facility brings together architecture, technology, and furnishings to create an environment that fosters teamwork and learning. A simulation lab allows for hands-on training, while a family bereavement suite and flexible community boardroom provide spaces for education and collaboration. The result is a warm, adaptable workplace that encourages communication, comfort, and shared purpose among staff.
Photos © Trent Bell Photography
The Fair Haven Community Health Center in New Haven, Connecticut, was designed as both a sanctuary and a hub for compassionate care. Every detail of the new 36,000 sq. ft. facility — from the color palette to the furniture selection — was chosen to support dignity, healing, and connection. Created in partnership with OFS, Steelcase, and AMQ, the space includes a wellness room, community kitchen, and outdoor patio for staff to recharge. Rooted in community feedback, it incorporates zones for Fair Haven’s “Food as Medicine” program, behavioral health consultations, and moments of respite. Sound masking solutions enhance patient confidentiality while maintaining openness. For staff, the environment balances functionality and empathy, creating a workplace where connection and purpose drive every interaction.
Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA of Connecticut) designed its new clinic to energize and inspire its care teams as much as its patients. Bright colors, daylight, and thoughtful materials create a space that feels positive and motivating for physicians, nurses, and extended care staff. The inviting design encourages collaboration while offering areas for privacy and focus — helping teams deliver compassionate, personalized care with renewed energy and connection.
Photos © Andrew Rugge, Courtesy of Perkins Eastman
Learning Environments: Inspiring the Next Generation
In education, the workplace extends beyond the classroom. Faculty and administrators need environments that foster collaboration, innovation, and connection — spaces that make teaching, mentoring, and managing campus life easier and more fulfilling.
Bunker Hill Community College’s new Student Success Center redefines what a student-centered campus looks like, while also creating an inspiring place for faculty and staff to work. The three-story facility brings together classrooms, study areas, and faculty lounges in a modern, welcoming environment. With consistent standards of fit and finish across furniture and AV solutions, the building supports both academic and administrative needs — from private offices and conference rooms to classrooms equipped with advanced presentation systems. Designed to foster accessibility and collaboration, the center empowers educators to better engage students while strengthening community across campus.
Photos © Chuck Choi Photography
At The Roux Institute in Portland, flexibility and innovation drive both research and teaching. Serving as a professional graduate school and research hub, the 43,450 sq. ft. campus was designed to support fluid collaboration between learners, faculty, and industry partners. Open and enclosed classrooms, café and makerspace zones, and mobile furnishings allow teams to adapt the environment to their needs. Faculty and staff benefit from a dynamic, free-address workspace model that encourages interaction and cross-disciplinary problem-solving — a setting that mirrors the innovative, experiential learning culture at the heart of the institute.
Photos © Ryan Bent Photography
South Portland Middle School was created through deep collaboration with its educators. Leadership workshops and mockup installations helped shape a design that reflects how teachers and administrators truly use space. Flexible furnishings allow classrooms to shift between individual focus and group learning, while shared wings for art, STEM, and dining foster collaboration across departments. Faculty input directly informed the furniture choices, technology integration, and layout — creating a supportive, adaptable environment that helps teachers focus on what matters most: student growth.
Photos © Jeff Roberts Photography
The Common Thread: Design as a Talent Strategy
Across industries, the workplaces that attract top talent share the same DNA:
- People-first design. Every element supports comfort, connection, and well-being.
- Flexibility with purpose. The best workplaces evolve with how people work — not against it.
- Culture made visible. When employees see their organization’s values reflected in space, it builds pride and loyalty.
When design captures who you are and how you care for your people, it sends a clear message: this is where you want to be.
Explore More Resources
Designing a workplace that attracts and supports talent takes both inspiration and practical insight. That’s why we’ve created tools to help you plan with confidence — from early visioning and layout considerations to budgeting and material selection.
Our Application Planning Guides provide a starting point for understanding what’s possible, offering examples and ideas that can help you make more informed decisions as you shape your next space.
