case study

Host Flex

A future-forward enterprise platform designed to support human connection in the workplace. It adapts to the needs of a hybrid workforce by helping employees connect to the people and moments that make back-to-office meaningful.

Workplace Experience Platform

Outcomes

Collaborated with cross-functional team to explore Recommendation Engine Solutions and provided the unique selling points at an early stage to increase organizational effectiveness for clients.

Role

I was part of the Host Flex team that was working on the next-gen of workplace experience platform.

UX/UI Design Intern
(06/01/2021 - 08/10/2021)

About Host from CBRE

Host is a service created for businesses and property owners that focuses on improving the experience of employees at work. It uses CBRE's expertise in creating effective workplace strategies and flexible office spaces to meet the growing need for better working environments.

Problem Statement

In the post-pandemic era, as remote work remains a viable option, companies face the challenge of encouraging employees to return to the office. To support hybrid work models, the Host platform must evolve to better address employee concerns and preferences.

The goal of this project was to enhance Host with a smart recommendation engine — one that delivers a seamless, user-friendly experience to foster collaboration, boost office engagement and make returning to the workplace more meaningful.

Socialization Is the Key

To truly understand this problem, I approached it from a human-centered perspective. Beyond logistics or productivity, returning to the office is ultimately about people and connection.

According to a survey by CBRE Research & Insights:

  • 38% of respondents value random interactions with colleagues

  • 33% value in-person meetings

  • 32% value in-person collaboration

These findings highlight a critical insight: what employees miss most about the office isn't the desk — it's the spontaneity, connection and collaboration that physical spaces enable. Socialization is not a side effect — it's a primary driver.

Thought Process

To approach this challenge, I looked to industry leaders known for powerful recommendation engines — like Netflix and Amazon. I analyzed their logic and algorithms to understand how personalized suggestions drive engagement and behavior. I then expanded my research to place-focused platforms such as Booking.com and Airbnb, which offer location-based, contextual recommendations — more aligned with workplace settings.

With these insights, I began mapping out the employee journey and identifying key moments where smart recommendations could be introduced. The journey map revealed four strategic touchpoints where personalization could support employee preferences and workplace ratings, ultimately enhancing opportunities for social interaction and spontaneous connection.

Journey map of setting up an in-person meeting through Host

Turning Co-Worker Connections Into a Reason to Return

Based on the research and journey mapping, I aimed to design a recommendation experience that is not just functional but also socially intelligent. The goal was to increase the encouragement of employees to connect, collaborate and re-engage with the office environment (meeting rooms, desk, etc) in meaningful ways.

People-Presence Awareness

Employees are more likely to come in if they know their close collaborators or team members will be there too. The recommendation engine suggests office days based on co-worker working status, schedules and reservation history making in-person collaboration feel more organic and purposeful.

Social-Centric Recommendations in Action

Real-Time Nearby Coworker Status

The landing page introduced a people-first recommendation experience. Instead of focusing solely on availability or proximity, the design highlighted locations where co-workers are already planning to be — tapping into employees’ desire for social interaction.

  • The top recommendation featured the most popular office for the day, along with the number of co-workers already going. This acted as a subtle social nudge: "Join Your Co-Workers" turns presence into motivation.

  • Alternative suggestions like nearby WeWork locations provided flexibility while still communicating social proof (e.g., "12 booked").

This design not only helped employees find a space to work, but also encouraged intentional in-office interaction, making the return to the office feel collaborative, not obligatory.

This map view let employees explore available workspaces while showing where their team was currently working, which enhanced informed, connection-driven decisions about where to work.

  • Design on the left

    Real-time updates highlighted nearby team members and frequently contacted coworkers, helping users feel connected, build trust and increased the likelihood of in-person engagement.

  • Design on the right

    The card concept at the bottom highlighted a specific location, showing how many days the team had been there, reinforcing consistency and familiarity.

Outcomes & Impact

This design solved the return-to-office problem by focusing on what actually matters to people — being around their coworkers. Instead of just showing what’s available, it highlighted where teammates were going, making the office feel more social and intentional.

It encouraged a shift in behavior from just finding a place to work, to choosing a place because of who will be there. That kind of connection made showing up feel worth it.

While I was a UX/UI intern on the team, this was still a conceptual project, so there’s no direct measurable impact at that moment — but the goal was clear: create a people-first experience that inspires meaningful in-person engagement.

After the team’s concept discussions, “[X] are going in today” emerged as a key feature and unique selling point of the MVP — a direction also supported by senior leadership.

As a result of this project, the VP of the D&T department recommended me for a full-time UX designer role at CBRE, leading to a return offer.

Reflection

This project taught me to design for behavior, not just function. Behavioral insights from research and data are powerful tools for understanding human behavior — they not only reveal the problem but often point to the solution. I realized that motivating people to return to the office isn’t about utility — it’s about connection. That shifted my focus to designing with context: who’s there, why it matters, and how to show that in a way that feels natural.

If I had more time, I’d love to test this with real users and explore how the experience changes across different company cultures and team dynamics. I’d also explore how this approach could adapt over time as workplace habits continue to evolve.

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