Return-to-office mandates are reshaping Baton Rouge’s workplace landscape, forcing employers to rethink not just where people work, but how they want to feel while doing it.  As Business Report writes, when Gov. Jeff Landry ordered state employees back to their desks effective July, Louisiana jo ined a nationwide shift driven by similar moves from the White House and major corporations. The result is a new design playbook that trades rows of cubicles for shared, flexible environments. Local firms are downsizing their footprints while upgrading quality, a trend brokers have dubbed a “flight to quality,” as companies seek spaces that can flex with hybrid schedules. Designers working with the state, Entergy, Ochsner Health and the Louisiana Lottery say offices now prioritize collaboration zones, natural light, wellness rooms and a “palette of place” that lets workers plug in anywhere. With surveys showing more than half of employees still prefer remote options, the stakes are high: Offices must compete with the comforts of home. As one Baton Rouge broker puts it, the market hasn’t yet seen the full impact of the return-to-office wave, but the race to create more human-centered workplaces is already underway. Read the full story, and send comments to [email protected].    ...read more read less