In March, the Office for National Statistics reported that 57% of UK workers were back in the office full-time, 12% are working remotely and 15% are working in a hybrid model. Dr Nicola Millard argues that, instead of discussing the merits of remote vs office-based workplace strategies, businesses need to take the best of everything to create the perfect hybrid workplace. Organisations must take the best things from the digital workplace and best things from the physical workplace, to offer the perfect solutions for people, for productivity and for the planet. That is, the future of work means reinventing work itself.
“Our capacity to operate at peak productivity and performance varies dramatically according to our personal preferences. So, in designing hybrid work, consider the preferences of your employees—and enable others to understand and accommodate those preferences.” (Lynda Gratton, HBR)
So, rather than workplace strategies that focus on office vs remote, we can expect organisations to move towards workplace strategies that are closely calibrated with what individual employees need to be happier, more productive and fulfilled.
Creating environments that inspire
Pre-pandemic, organisations were already beginning to transform workplaces from static to agile. Agile workspaces deliver a diversity of work areas for different types of tasks or functions. These are typically: focus spaces for tasks that require concentration, collaboration areas for small, informal meetings, large flexible spaces for workshops/learning, environments that foster creativity and plenty of room for social interaction and networking (e.g., cafes, restaurants, break zones, etc.).
Offices are for connecting
“The reasons we missed the office weren’t about the building, they were about the people. Offices are for socialising. They are for connecting, for communicating, for collaborating, for building communities. It’s not about desk space. It’s about creating spaces that are compelling for people.” Dr Nicola Millard - Principal Innovation Partner at BT
We are realising that it’s not only about the types of spaces in our workplaces, but also about how connections are facilitated in those spaces. People who value the office most are those who depend on networks and communities to do their jobs and derive satisfaction from work.
We will see an acceleration of this ideology, with workplace strategies focusing on creating spaces that deliberately foster connection, as well as productivity.
Environment matters
ESG is currently top of the agenda at most organisations, but businesses are failing to truly connect the outcome of their workplace strategies with the true environmental cost.
Hybrid work models are in fact the least sustainable option when compared with 100% homeworking and 100% office working. This is because it involves heat and powering many homes and office spaces, plus requiring employees to commute. Carbon neutral office spaces and carbon neutral commuting can, of course, mitigate the increased carbon footprint of hybrid.
To create the perfect workplace strategy, companies will be looking more at incentivising greener employee travel or procuring renewable energy for both homes and offices. It’s likely that we will see a move towards decentralised collaboration hubs in suburban areas to reduce carbon footprint and improve employee experience.
ESG will remain at the top of the agenda, and, as a result, we will see more emphasis on organisations designing workplace and real estate strategies that tangibly reduce environmental impact.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has already transformed the ways in which we work, from marketing to finance, but it will feature heavily in shaping the future of work. That is, people and technology working together more effectively to create new working practices and flows.
We will see the use of AI in commercial buildings accelerate to support hybrid and flexible workplace strategies. From space planning to energy management, to predicting facility service needs, AI will continue to attune buildings to occupancy oscillations.
The final word
The world of work in 2022 is in an exciting period of change. There’s no doubt that ways of working are being redefined and it will be interesting to see how new uses for AI will change it further. Going forward, we will see an even stronger focus on reducing the environmental impact of work and workplaces. The pandemic has shown us that physical workplaces are needed to facilitate connection, but we will continue to see different strategies implemented before we find a solution for the ultimate physical/digital hybrid.
