$44 billion. That’s apparently how much firms spent on redesigning their offices last year, according to Korn Ferry. That’s a lot of staplers!

The dollar amount is pretty astounding, but companies’ desire to retool their workplaces is not: After all, post-pandemic, the way we perform our jobs, collaborate, and gather is totally different. It makes sense that companies would want to reorganize their offices not only to adapt to modern business needs but also to better serve their employees.

Consider this: Korn Ferry estimates that pre-pandemic, offices typically consisted of five different types of workspaces: cubicles, small huddle spaces, conference rooms, private offices, and break rooms, for example. But now, some firms are building office with 30 different types of workspaces!

The general consensus is that with hybrid work being the new norm, employees are coming in to the office for specific reasons—otherwise they would simply continue working from home. A primary reason is to collaborate with colleagues in person, so companies are putting a lot of effort into retooling these collaborative spaces.

This got me thinking, though, about the importance of employee input and the need for a seamless transition from virtual to in-person work. Before engaging in any redesign, I think it’s critical to reach out to your workers to find out why, how, and how often they plan to come into the office. Knowing the answers to these questions informs the kinds of spaces you’ll need in your workplace.

Further,  you don’t want your people to feel like their home office and their “office”office are worlds apart; the transition to the workplace should feel seamless, like an extension of their virtual setups. That means you’ll need to ensure all the technology they’re using at home is the same as what’s in-office. You may also want to include “homier” touches in the office, such as plants, comfy couches, natural materials like wood, and even warm lighting in certain areas.

What are some of the ways you’ve redesigned—or are considering redesigning—your workplace post pandemic?