Building for the Future: How India's Workplaces are Evolving

Technology, sustainability, and employee experience have been redefining the way organizations design and deliver workplaces. Project management today is as much about agility and accountability as it is about construction.

We sat down with Abhijeet Joshi, Director - Projects at Sodexo India, to discuss how India’s workspaces are evolving. Faster, greener, and more integrated than ever.

1. How do you see India’s commercial real estate and project delivery landscape evolving over the next two years?

We’re seeing India’s workspace market grow quickly. I believe the next two years will be focused on purpose, speed, and integration. Requirements for offices have gone beyond just aesthetics. They want workplaces that actively support productivity and employee well-being. For project delivery, the expectation for speed with certainty grows. Sustainability and wellness standards will be the embedded expectations. We’ve noticed organizations turn towards partners who are capable of designing, building, and operating their workspaces under one umbrella.  That’s where the industry is heading. Faster project cycles, fewer handoffs, and measurable outcomes that link decisions to business performance.

2. What are the key priorities clients are bringing to you today? How are you adapting project strategies to meet those shifting demands?

Clients today care about time, experience, and responsibility. They want shorter turnaround without quality compromise as well as people-centric design with measurable environmental impact. To meet that, we’ve adapted by using three ways. By utilizing modular and phased delivery, integrating our design, build, and facilities team for seamless execution, and leveraging digital tools and trusted vendor networks to improve speed and transparency. These approaches give the client the advantage of being ahead in the market. We ensure that every project delivers lasting and measurable business outcomes by managing cost, performance, and sustainability under one accountable partner.

3. How do you balance sustainability goals such as net-zero or LEED certification with client requirements?

Sustainability has grown from being just an add-on to something that is now a baseline expectation. Helping clients choose strategies that are sustainable but also make business sense is our role. Whether it be smart systems that lower operating costs, energy-efficient design, or circular material choices. Our commitment, which is global net zero by 2040, provides us with a strong framework. At Sodexo, we try to make sure each project is measurable in outcome and practically sustainable whilst also aligning with green goals with real ROI. That directly translates to designing for lower emissions and choosing to cut operation costs. In short, to sum it up, meeting compliance goals and strengthening long-term efficiency is what we want to do.

4. What is the business value (cost/time savings) of integrating data & tech into project delivery?

In simple terms, it cuts uncertainty. When there is data guiding you at every stage of the project, making smarter, faster decisions is easier. With the help of tools such as real-time dashboards and predictive analysis, tracking progress, controlling costs, and preventing rework gets easier. IoT and building data continue to deliver value once a site goes live. This is done by reducing energy use and maintenance overhead. It’s a cycle of efficiency, one that turns information into long-term savings for our clients.

5. As a leader at Sodexo, overseeing complex projects across diverse teams and regions, what’s your long-term vision for how project management in India should evolve in terms of technology, talent, and client partnerships?

I believe majorly there will be three big shifts in the future. Project management in India is moving toward a more tech-enabled and partnership-driven model. Digital-first delivery will gain popularity, as these are integrated systems that allow every stakeholder the needed visibility and control. Clients will increasingly look for a single accountable partner that is able to work under the same umbrella and can deliver across the entire lifecycle of a workplace, starting from strategy to operations. That’s the model we’re building at Sodexo -  one that’s agile, transparent, and focused on delivering business impact, and not just buildings.