TL;DR: What amenities do tenants actually want in a coworking space?
Tenants in coworking spaces ultimately want flexible layouts that support solo focus and team collaboration, including open work areas, private offices, and conference rooms. They also expect modern technology and comfort-driven amenities that improve productivity. This guide breaks down the top features and amenities to consider when building a coworking space that tenants will actually love.
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What Amenities Do Tenants Actually Want in a Coworking Space?
Idaho’s Treasure Valley has become a thriving community for businesses, families, and young entrepreneurs. As commercial development continues to grow across Boise and surrounding cities, coworking spaces have become a smart investment for developers and property owners looking to meet the demand for flexible work environments.
Whether you’re planning a tenant improvement (TI) project or a full build-out, this guide lists the top features that tenants are looking for in coworking spaces to help guide your construction project.
Flexible Layouts for Every Work Style
Today’s coworking tenants range from freelancers who need quiet spaces to teams looking for entire conference rooms. A well-designed coworking space should accommodate all of them.
Below are some of the key layouts and workspaces a coworking space should have:
1. Open Coworking Areas
One reason why many people seek out coworking spaces is to feel part of a community, even if they’re working independently. Consider incorporating open layouts with generous square footage for large communal tables, ample outlet access, and comfortable lounge seating to suit large groups of people and invite collaboration.
2. Cubicles and Partitions
Some tenants require more privacy to focus than others, and a communal table isn’t for everyone. Cubicles or low partitions create individual, private workstations, appealing to members who want to concentrate away from the crowd without renting a full private office or conference room.
3. Private Offices
Private offices serve small teams, remote employees, and professionals who need a focused workspace. They are among the highest-demand offerings in any coworking space and often command premium rates. These rooms should be quiet and soundproofed with proper lighting, ergonomic seating, and outlet access.
4. Conference Rooms
Conference rooms provide plenty of space for entire teams to conduct presentations and collaborate as a group. They should include whiteboards, large screens with video conferencing capabilities, multiple outlets, and thorough soundproofing. Consider offering multiple conference room sizes to serve a wider range of tenants.
5. Soundproof Privacy Pods
Soundproof privacy pods give members a private space to make calls, record audio, or lock in on their work without disrupting others. This can be especially attractive for tenants who create videos, podcasts, or other audio content forms. These rooms should be private and acoustically treated to prevent sound from coming in or out.
Smart Technology Features
A modern technology infrastructure is no longer optional for today’s coworking needs. Spaces with outdated or unreliable tech will struggle to compete, regardless of how well-designed everything else is.
Below are some smart technology features that tenants expect from coworking spaces:
6. Strong Internet Connection
Reliable internet is one of the first things coworking tenants expect, and the fastest way to lose them if it underperforms. Your coworking space needs a modern network infrastructure to handle the demands of video calls, large transfers, and other online tasks happening all at once.
This might include ceiling-mounted Wi-Fi access points, wired Ethernet wall jacks in conference rooms or private offices, and a dedicated IT closet for network equipment.
7. Smart Thermostats
Temperature is something that coworking tenants don’t want to think about, but it can easily throw off their focus if they do. Thanks to natural body heat and running computers, you’ll likely have to crank up the AC when it’s busy and lower it back down when it’s not.
Smart thermostats make it easy to optimize the interior climate around key occupancy hours. They are fully programmable and can be set to a specific schedule, keeping things as comfortable as possible for optimal focus. The more productive tenants feel in your space, the more likely they are to become long-term members.
8. Smart Lighting Systems
Harsh, fluorescent lighting is not only outdated, but also a big distraction for tenants that can even cause migraines and headaches.1 Smart lighting systems help address this by providing automated, dimmable lighting you can control using smartphones, voice assistants, or tablets. Many systems also detect occupancy levels, so they turn on when someone enters a room and off when they leave. Some can even sense natural light levels and adjust accordingly.
With automated and dimmable lighting, your coworking space can become a more comfortable and productive environment while lowering ongoing energy costs.
Amenities for Comfort and Convenience
A coworking space that looks great but neglects day-to-day experiences will struggle to retain members for the long-term. Amenities that prioritize comfort and convenience are what make a workplace one that tenants return to.
Below are some of the top coworking amenities to attract lasting tenants:
9. Soundproofing and Acoustic Treatments
Soundproofing is essential for productivity. Private offices, conference rooms, and isolation pods should have proper acoustic treatments to keep sound private and contained. In open areas, sound-dampening panels absorb sound to reduce ambient noise, promoting focus and helping tenants get meaningful work done.
10. Modern HVAC System
Air conditioning is consistently among the top amenities requested by renters.2 Tenants often remain in coworking spaces for hours at a time, making an updated HVAC system critical for comfort and productivity. It can even cut back energy use for heating and cooling by 20–50%3, leaving more electricity available for other desirable amenities like charging stations, fast internet, and more.
11. Kitchen and Coffee Station
Coworking tenants expect easy access to food and caffeine to fuel their workdays. A shared break room with a full kitchen and well-stocked coffee station gives them a place to decompress, recharge, and connect informally. Outfitting it with modern commercial-grade appliances, plenty of counter space, and quality finishes reinforces the value of their membership and keeps them coming back.
12. Mail Delivery Options
Many professionals use their coworking space as a primary business address. Your tenants will need a reliable system for receiving mail and packages. A dedicated mail room or secure locker station adds practical value that makes their membership worthwhile.
13. Natural Light
Research consistently links natural light to higher productivity, better mood, and a likelihood to show up to work consistently. One scientific review about buildings designed to optimize sunlight found that it can have notable health and productivity benefits while reducing energy demand.4 Some of the strategies included:
- Bringing the light in from higher points and multiple sides
- Elongating buildings east to west
- Using light-colored surfaces
- Orienting screens and workstations perpendicular to windows
By designing your coworking space with natural light in mind, you can reduce eye strain, improve comfort, and make it more appealing to productivity-driven tenants.
Build a Coworking Space that Attracts Top-Dollar Tenants
Coworking spaces that maintain high occupancy rates are built around how tenants actually work, not just how a floor plan looks on paper. From flexible layouts and smart technology to natural light and more, every design decision should make their visits worth the time and investment.
At DRF Builders, we specialize in tenant improvement projects and commercial remodels in Boise, Idaho. Our team has plenty of experience designing and building coworking spaces that help attract quality tenants, deliver lasting returns, and boost your bottom line.
Ready to take your coworking space to the next level? Contact us online or call (208) 254-2002 to connect with our experts today.
References
- American Migraine Foundation. (2022, December 8). Photophobia (Light sensitivity) and migraine | AMF. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/photophobia-migraine/
- 2025 State of the Property Management Industry Report. (2025). In Buildium. https://www.buildium.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/BLDM-2025-Property-Management-Industry-Report.pdf
- Why energy efficiency matters. (2026, May 14). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/why-energy-efficiency-matters
- Leslie, R. (2002). Capturing the daylight dividend in buildings: why and how? Building and Environment, 38(2), 381–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1323(02)00118-x
