Inevitably, a pandemic that grasps our health and safety in its hands will transform how we work and go about our day-to-day activities. As corporate real estate advisors representing clients in Australia and globally, we have seen this impact our clients in many ways. Whilst the dynamics of workplaces continue to rapidly change and evolve, we can share what we have observed in the market over the past year of remote working and where we believe it is heading.
Employee's ability to ''adapt'' has become increasingly apparent. Businesses have reviewed their processes, and the ''old way'' of doing things has fundamentally started to feel like the new norm with some interesting but not necessarily surprising nuances. Technology will remain a key challenge for employers to ensure efficient accessibility to one another and remote data in the office and working remotely. For the majority, we've seen that both productivity and profitability is possible remotely. As we pointed out in our July post, we highlighted some global tech companies transitioning to permanent remote work, though this has iterated again to reduced numbers with some key global groups espousing a full return to the office. In contrast, other companies are still encouraging a hybrid transition back into the workplace. Management continue to navigate and derive best work practices for their teams who in their turn are reporting increasing frustrations working away from their colleagues.
The critical question employers should ask themselves is; What is the office really for – the purposes a physical space serves and what drives individuals. Understanding these factors can help derive best workplace practices. So, we polled reasons why we would like to return to the office.
1. Inspiring Environments
While offices are, in some way, a home away from home, equipped with the essentials like a kitchen and a place to sit and work, they can also be inspiring spaces, purpose built to encourage great work. They have funky furniture, greenery, lighting, creative writing walls. Being in a distraction-free environment provides focus and time management, and limit distractions. At home we often encounter distractions and limited tech facilities, including sharing broadband and family demands that may cause productivity frustrations, whereas good office design provides a balance between collaborative and solitary spaces.
2. Sense of Belonging & Socialisation
Going to the office provides socialisation and collaboration. Meeting rooms and areas to sit down and have a casual chat over a coffee, and indeed those “collisions” that occur in corridors, lifts and common areas are vital for everyone’s mental health. Many find a sense of belonging in their work environment, feeling valued and being a part of something that gives them purpose.
3. Learning Styles
People's learning styles will strongly determine where they most thrive and feel most productive. Some people function better at a dedicated place of work, with the ability to “partition” their lives from family and friends. They like to connect, learn, create, and challenge together in a social environment with a team.
Additionally, there may be too many distractions at home and limited tech facilities including sharing broadband with every increasing family demands may cause productivity frustrations - good office design will provide balance between collaborative and solitary spaces.
Understanding what the primary purposes an office is, and an individual's preferences will help shape your return-to-work strategies. While offices aren’t disappearing just yet (our personal and professional view is that they will not disappear just evolve), the purpose they serve in people’s lives is changing and the office layout must change with them. Check out our other article that highlights the ‘top 6 workplace changes post covid-19’.