Hospitality at work: Lessons we can apply to flex offices from 20 years of experience in pub design
18th December, 2024
Today’s flex office occupiers are searching for the third space. A hospitality-led workspace where they feel like a community. And where better to learn from than the traditional community pub? Our sister company, Design I.D., has been designing pubs for household names such as Shepherd Neame, Heineken, Punch, Greene King and Stonegate for over 20 years, creating spaces that blend familiarity with excitement, comfort with energy, and function with character. It’s this same thinking that shaped our Derby project, where pub design principles informed every decision—from leveraging large street-facing windows to draw people in, to creating a warm, communal environment that encourages interaction.
We’re now reshaping the future of office fit outs through the same principles. As hybrid working grows, flex offices are racing to create better experiences, stronger communities and environments that drive people back into the workplace. And the best inspiration doesn’t come from corporate real estate, it comes from hospitality.
For two decades, the hospitality sector, especially pub design, has perfected the art of creating places people want to spend time in. Warm, welcoming, atmospheric and intuitive. Spaces that blend familiarity with excitement, comfort with energy, and function with character. In Derby, this thinking translated into visible social energy at the entrance, with high-top community tables placed directly along the façade to attract footfall; an internal pergola layered with hanging plants to ‘bring the outside in’; and a mix of collaborative booth seating in 2, 4 and 6-person formats—echoing the varied social groupings typical of a great pub.
Here are the biggest lessons we’ve learned from 20 years of designing for pubs and hospitality, and how they’re transforming modern flex offices into true third spaces.
1. Atmosphere is everything — and it starts before you walk in
Succesful pubs understand the power of atmosphere. Lighting, layout, textures, acoustics and sightlines are all carefully orchestrated so guests feel welcome from the moment they enter. Flex Offices need that same approach.
In office design and build, this translates to:
- Warm, layered lighting instead of harsh panels
- Natural materials and tactile surfaces
- Thoughtfully designed entrances and reception moments
- Acoustic balance for a calm, productive feel
- Soft transitions between zones
An exceptional office fit out shouldn’t feel like a workplace. It should feel like a place you gravitate toward, just like your favourite pub. For insight into creating exceptional luxury interiors, atmosphere is key.
2. People stay where they feel good
Comfort drives attendance. Hospitality teaches a simple truth: comfort encourages longer stays. The same applies to flex offices, highlighting the many benefits of flexible office space.
That means:
- Ergonomic, lounge-like seating
- A mix of high-top, sofa, booth and table options
- Intuitive space flow
- Human-scale lighting and warmth
- Social spaces designed as anchors
Office fit outs that feel like hotels or premium lounges consistently see higher attendance and better tenant retention.
3. Create places that spark community
Pubs thrive because they foster interaction. Their layouts naturally bring people together, whether in a booth, at the bar, in a snug or at shared tables.
An exceptional office interior fit out must be designed for connection, mirroring a successful pub fit out by creating:
- Social hubs around barista-style coffee points
- Community tables and open lounges
- Event-ready breakout zones
- Spaces that encourage informal collaboration
Flexible working has given people autonomy. Now, Flex Offices give them connection. Hospitality has mastered this, and Flex Offices benefit enormously from applying those principles.
4. Zoning matters — One space, many uses
Great pubs transition seamlessly throughout the day: morning coffee spot, lunchtime meeting place, post-work social hub. Flex Offices should embrace the same adaptability. Hospitality-led zoning helps create Third Spaces by offering:
- Quiet zones
- Collaborative areas
- Semi-private nooks
- Event spaces
- Wellness or recharge rooms
A multi-use workspace is a productive workspace, and hospitality has been doing that long before office fit outs caught up.
5. Sensory experience drives loyalty
In hospitality, people return not because of a single feature, but because of how the space makes them feel.
That emotional experience translates directly to flex office design through:
- Biophilic materials
- Scent and acoustics
- Colour psychology
- A sense of arrival
- Lighting that adapts to energy and focus
When workers feel good in a space, they come back. When they love an office interior fit out, they stay.
6. Service mindset: The hidden ingredient
Hospitality isn’t just design, it’s service. And service can be embedded into office design and build through:
- Easy wayfinding
- Intuitive tech
- Thoughtfully placed amenities
- Spaces that reduce stress, friction or bottlenecks
A hospitality mindset ensures that every interaction—digital or physical—feels effortless.
7. The third space is a hospitality concept at heart
A true Third Space blends:
- The comfort of home
- The convenience of hospitality
- The performance of a workplace
It’s not just an office fit out with soft furniture. It’s an experience-led environment designed around human behaviour, not old corporate habits. And that’s exactly what hospitality has spent decades perfecting. For a comprehensive view, refer to DBSJ’s guide to prime and luxury fit-outs.
Why DBSJ brings hospitality expertise into every flex office
Our history in hospitality design gives us a huge advantage in the Flex Office market.
We understand:
- How to create an environment people want to spend time in
- The role of atmosphere and flow
- The psychology of comfort
- How to design spaces that build community
- The importance of materials, lighting and sensory cues
As experienced office fit out contractors, we apply those lessons to every flex office we deliver, helping operators attract and retain hybrid workers by offering experiences they simply can’t get at home through exceptional modern office interior design.
Ready to bring hospitality-level experience into your flex office?
DBSJ is shaping the next generation of flex offices: warm, inspiring, experience-led workplaces built around human needs.
