Before the pandemic, the office was a place where people went to get work done. It’s where meetings were held, where teams would collaborate, and where colleagues interacted with one another. Today, as companies prepare for hybrid work, the role of the office is changing. 

The paradigm shift, says Prithwiraj Choudhury, associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, is recognizing the office won’t necessarily be the place where people go to get work done. Instead, it’s poised to become a place where people meet their colleagues, collaborate, and socialize. “Work can be done from anywhere, but social interactions still need a location,” he says. “Time in the office will be spent building and maintaining those relationships, coming together as a team, and maintaining that sense of belonging and camaraderie.