In the battle to encourage workers to come back into the office after working from home, the facilities on offer play a key part.

Although hybrid working is evidently here for the long term with employees maintaining their productivity is just as high if not better, many employers remain unconvinced, and are keen to encourage their workers to return, citing improved company cohesion, training opportunities, communication and mentoring of new staff.

So, how are beleaguered employers to cross the divide and encourage their staff to return to the office? Perhaps by upgrading their facilities and introducing some of the amenities found in hotels into the workplace, a process currently described as ‘hotelisation'.

The great question is, quite how far to go? Features such as plenty of large plants, cosy couches, sturdy coffee tables, high-end décor, and classy flooring create an upscale atmosphere that can make the office seem more like a "destination". While well-spaced, comfortable furniture can provide relaxed settings for casual meetings, helping employees to feel more relaxed at work.

Engage with an interior design firm, make a point of speaking to more than one person and viewing some of the work they have done for other firms in your sector. The firms that take a keen interest in how your company works so that they can organise the free flow of traffic through your premises and provide the working spaces that your team needs, are the ones most likely to come up with a solution that works for you. The days of the completely open plan office are long gone, it is more about co working spaces, interspersed with quiet areas for concentration these days. Discuss your budget with your designer from the start, it can be heart breaking to turn down a dream design because it is out of reach of your pocket.

Just improving the furniture and décor is one thing, upgrading all your tech, to say nothing of building in additional facilities such as an on-site gym, a proper kitchen, dining and break out areas all come with a hefty price tag. Some firms have even gone as far as offering various other amenities from dry cleaning services to hair-care options. Before going to this extent, it would be as well to discuss with your employees which benefits and facilities they would like to see, then weigh up the costs versus the benefits.

Employers may be unwilling to invest in a space they have on a short-term lease, being unlikely to stay there long enough to reap a sufficient return on their investment. Too, there is always the possibility, that when the time comes to renew the lease, your expenditure on improvements simply results in a higher rental.

Many businesses seeking alternative solutions to their office accommodation are joining the shared workspace movement. Hybrid or shared workplaces come ready equipped and fully furnished with the advantage of excellent connectivity, and all the facilities you would expect from a good hotel, but on very flexible terms. In such a set-up, instead of spending out large sums, you can choose to just pay for the space you use when you use it. For instance, using the co-working space as somewhere to drop in when you need a desk or a quiet space to work, or to have a chat with peers over a cup of coffee. Alternatively, you may choose to rent semi-permanent office space there. All secretarial and telephone services are on site, and if you need a boardroom or conference facility you can generally book that on site too - often at an hourly rate.

A hybrid working facility or serviced office may well be part of a larger building with long term tenants on the upper floors, temporary space-as-a-service offices on the lower levels, and kitchen, dining, fitness, and other facilities on the bottom floors. The rents from the long-term tenants defray risk while providing them with the same amenities so attractive to shorter-term tenants, or the occupants of the serviced offices or co-working spaces. The amenities are common areas for all lessees, thus defraying the expenses, while the on-demand office areas can provide additional office or meeting space for long-term tenants when they need it, providing increasing flexibility as more employees return to work.

The upshot of all this is that employees can be encouraged to return to the office in greater numbers, if the "office" is an attractive place to be.