The middle-ground here would be a Sage machine that is sort-of semi bean-to-cup. This one will grind and tamp the coffee and froth milk decently, but can also be used with pre-ground if people want to bring their own (decaf, for example), it also does hot water. That would be a lot closer to real espresso if you're fussy. I have no info about ease of cleaning or longevity, as I've only used a relative's (and was quite impressed).
My thoughts also, the thought of people in work attempting to use and not properly cleaning a regular espresso machine is not something that fills me with joy. To be honest this even applied when I worked in a coffee shop
The middle-ground here would be a Sage machine that is sort-of semi bean-to-cup. This one will grind and tamp the coffee and froth milk decently, but can also be used with pre-ground if people want to bring their own (decaf, for example), it also does hot water. That would be a lot closer to real espresso if you're fussy. I have no info about ease of cleaning or longevity, as I've only used a relative's (and was quite impressed).