New York City is leading the nation's return to office. In July 2025, office attendance surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time, according to Placer.ai's Office Building Index. Nationwide, most cities still lag 22% below 2019 numbers.
According to CBRE, NYC leased 23.2 million square feet in the first three quarters of 2025—the strongest performance in 19 years. Major companies like Deloitte, Guggenheim, and Salesforce are actually expanding their office space.
Why Companies Are Investing in Premium Office Space
Organizations appear to be prioritizing employee experience.
This means:
- High-end finishes and modern design
- Better amenities and collaboration spaces
- Advanced technology that supports hybrid work
- Seamless connectivity for on-site and remote teams
JPMorgan Chase's new $3 billion headquarters at 270 Park Avenue sets the standard. With 19 food operators, outdoor gardens, and meditation rooms, it's designed as a destination workplace.
The Technology Challenge
As companies commit to premium office space, workplace technology needs to match that investment. Outdated conference rooms and collaboration tools undermine even the best-designed spaces.
Your professionals expect:
- High-quality video conferencing
- Intuitive room booking systems
- Reliable connectivity everywhere
- Smart building features that improve their day
- Security that doesn’t slow them down
Getting Workplace Technology Right
Align's Workplace Technology team helps organizations create connected IT enterprises for on-site, hybrid, and remote teams. We cover the complete spectrum:
- IT Advisory & Design for Workplaces – Transform your workplace so teams have the tools to be productive and collaborative
- Smart Office & Connected Enterprise – IoT sensors and collaboration tools to meet the needs of your hybrid professionals
- AV Design & Implementation – Digital signage, conferencing, room scheduling, sound masking, VIP support, and more
- Networking, Wi-Fi & Small Cell/DAS – End-to-end, scalable, and secure network and WiFi services that connect your entire workforce anytime, from anywhere
- Physical Security & Access Control – Safety in the workplace solutions to ensure your professionals and information are well protected
- IT & Structured Cabling and Revit/CAD – RCDD engineers ensure optimal cable designs and best practice infrastructure builds
Make Your Office Investment Count
If you're upgrading your NYC office space or planning your return-to-office strategy, your technology needs to support that investment.
Align has helped organizations across New York City create workspaces that employees enjoy being a part of. From initial design through implementation and ongoing support, we ensure your technology enhances the employee experience. Contact our Workplace Technology team to discuss your office technology needs today.
