Citi’s Approach to Revitalizing Offices Across the Globe

The return-to-office movement is making real headway around the world, in part because companies are figuring out how to structure offices that accomplish their business goals while satisfying employee needs.

This is one of the insights gleaned from the latest installment of “Coffee with Citrin Cooperman,” a video series hosted by Citrin Cooperman and produced with Commercial Observer. In this segment, Meyer Mintz, partner and regional real estate practice leader for New York Metro and South Florida at Citrin Cooperman, connected with Linda Foggie, global head of real estate operations for Citi Realty Services.

As a strategic partner with all Citi businesses, Citi Realty Services offers cost-effective, safe, and efficient premises. With a portfolio of over 10,000 properties worldwide, they assist these businesses through the development and maintenance of office buildings, data centers, and branches.

In their discussion, Foggie notes that Citi first mandated return to work about 15 months ago, and while the comeback has been slow, it is now building up real steam.

“It’s been varied across the world,” said Foggie. ”The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is back. We’re seeing very high show-up rates, even on Fridays. In the Americas, we’re starting to see people come back three days a week, which is our mandate, so it’s going really well in terms of getting people back.”

Focusing on Manhattan, Foggie said that the borough’s significant finance presence has helped keep office spaces humming with activity.

“Financial services has been quick on the draw with return to office and with mandates and getting people back in,” said Foggie. “That has really helped re­energize the city, because the people coming back to offices help support the secondary and tertiary markets and businesses in the city. So, New York is booming, and in the middle of the week it feels like pre-pandemic to me.”

Mintz then asked how Citi was making use of technology to help those who have returned feel more engaged. Foggie responded that the best use of people’s time in an office environment is to engage with co-workers but that flexible office schedules that allow employees to choose which three days per week they come in, can make coordination a challenge. To help facilitate productive collaboration, Citi recently launched a workplace app with features designed to bring people together.

“We just launched a new feature in there called My Circle,” said Foggie. “This helps people coordinate their time in the office, to book into team suites and team rooms so they can plan for collaborative activities, and they can know when their friends or other people and colleagues that they want to see are going to be in the office. We’ve had really positive feedback about that.”

Foggie emphasized that Citi is doing everything they can to ensure that their employees have all the support and infrastructure they need, wherever they choose to work.

“Productivity can be measured in different ways on different days, depending on the activity you’re doing,” said Foggie. “We ask people to be very intentional about how they lay out work activities across the week based on where they plan to work. Some activities, in terms of leaders being available for their teams for apprenticeship and mentorship, are better in person, but heads-down, focused work is more productive at home for some people. So, we give people flexibility. We ask them to make the right choices based on the activities they’re doing that day.”

*“Berdon” is the brand name under which Berdon LLP, a licensed independent CPA firm, and Berdon Advisors LLC serve clients’ business needs. Berdon Advisors LLC is a subsidiary of Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC. Berdon Advisors LLC and Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC are not licensed CPA firms.

*“Citrin Cooperman” is the brand under which Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP, a licensed independent CPA firm, and Citrin Cooperman Advisors LLC serve clients’ business needs. The two firms operate as separate legal entities in an alternative practice structure. Citrin Cooperman is an independent member of Moore North America, which is itself a regional member of Moore Global Network Limited (MGNL).