Unsplash image of the Willis Tower in Chicago where Abbott is opening offices
[Willis Tower image from Unsplash]

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) will open offices in the iconic Willis Tower in downtown Chicago, a company spokesperson confirmed to MassDevice.

The company’s headquarters will stay in the northern suburbs, in Lake County, but the new downtown space will help accommodate flexible working arrangements for up to 450 Abbott employees, according to company spokesperson Scott Stoffel. The move comes as a host of companies debate how to handle hybrid or remote work arrangements as the U.S. and world emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abbott expects to have the new space open by the second half of 2023. Media reports say Abbott will take up about two floors in the more than 100-floor tower — which at one time was the tallest in the world.

“We believe that Abbott does its best work when our employees can collaborate in person. It allows for increased innovation, relationship building, and skills development. At the same time we want to continue to make it easier for more colleagues to balance their lives effectively and we’ve listened closely to feedback from employees about how Abbott can help them do so through a range of flexible work options,” Stoffel said.

“To further strengthen these offerings, we’ve decided to enhance our presence in Chicago with a new Abbott space in Willis Tower that will make it possible for some current and future employees who live in the city to work closer to home.”