As the real estate industry continues to navigate the COVID-19 crisis and its economic fallout, the “next normal” in building priorities will shift from safety to well-being and ultimately to trust. To get there, real estate companies will need to foster a collective sense of purpose that prioritizes trust, wellness, community-building, and sustainability.

It is critical for real estate companies to build security and safety, both physical and digital, into their business strategies so that occupiers can trust that their buildings protect them against harm and disease. Property investors will need to rethink the trust they put in their valuation, planning, and forecasting assumptions. Tenants and landlords will have to find common ground in lease negotiations. Building managers will need to develop new guidelines that keep both staff and occupants healthy.

Before COVID-19, real estate companies pushed to make structures smarter in an effort to yield savings in operations and management. Now real estate is focused on developing data, automation, and up-to-date wellness strategies that emphasize health and well-being of people. Going forward, trust will become the most important factor for occupants. That’s not to say that making money isn’t important, of course. But creating meaningful careers, supporting local communities, and prioritizing health initiatives – particularly in remote-work environments – should be just as important.