Rethinking the workplace
Source: Adobe Stock

Rethinking the workplace

Flexible working is no longer a rare practice. In fact, Flex Index recently reported that 51% of US companies will offer some work location flexibility, whilst, in July, the UK Government passed the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 – giving many more Brits the right to hybrid working.  

SMEs, large companies, and corporates now must accept that the majority of their employees will embrace a flexible working lifestyle, in order to thrive in their professional careers. In the next two years, management consulting company Gantner predicts that generational workplace preferences will encourage at least 75% of companies to adapt to hybrid working. Although embracing flex puts the purpose of the physical workplace in jeopardy, the office can still exist but it has to evolve to support ongoing flexible working practices and various workers’ needs.

The intentional collaboration approach

“71% of HR leaders are more concerned about employee collaboration this year [2021] than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic,” reveals Gantner about the concerns that companies have about employees who aren’t coming back into the office. 

How will companies, leaders, and employees navigate flex working? Gantner has unveiled an approach known as intentional collaboration. “Our research shows that teams of knowledge workers who collaborate intentionally are nearly three times more likely to achieve high team innovation than teams that do not use an intentional approach,” explains Alexia Cambon, Director of Research at Gartner. 

Identifying four work modes for companies to successfully navigate hybrid working lifestyles, Gartner reveals the following solutions:

  • working together, together: “when teams are colocated, contributing to meetings in a shared space.”  
  • working together, apart: “when teams are distributed, but participating in virtual meetings.”
  • working alone, together: “when teams are distributed, but participating in virtual meetings.” 
  • working alone, apart: “when teams are distributed, and individuals are conducting deep focus work.” 

Source: Adobe Stock

Together in the office

An important place where work and collaboration happen, the office isn’t dead yet. Lisette van Doorn, CEO at Urban Land Institute (ULI) Europe, says: “Physical workplaces remain key for businesses to attract and retain talent, convey corporate culture and enhance employee productivity.” The office is staying, but companies need to recognise that employees aren’t always keen to come in. Leaders must establish a sense of trust and respect people’s wishes for flexible working too. 

Part of the reason why people aren’t coming in every day is because of the commute. “Before the pandemic, approximately 25% of US workers spent more than 90 minutes getting to and from work every day,” reports a revolutionary study conducted by Bloomberg. It explains that the commute has extremely detrimental impacts on people’s lives, from lengthening their working day to reducing their ability to exercise and eat well. Over time, commuting causes higher levels of stress and worsens mental well-being. 

So there’s no surprise that a study conducted by Savills found that out of 943 US workers, no one wanted to commute to the office 100% of the time (the report was released last summer). It’s because the global workforce got a taste of freedom during lockdowns when they swapped the daily commute for spending time with family or doing fun activities, saving money and precious time in the process. For some, the pandemic became the perfect opportunity to move out of the city for good, moving further away from the workplace as a result. When it was time to return, they didn’t want to go back to the office, and some people still don’t. 

On the flip side, the Savills survey reveals how the youngest members of the global workforce, Gen Z, would like to return to the office more frequently. Having some kind of workspace is essential, particularly as working from home increases feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Knight Frank reports that “the micro-interactions employees enjoy in a shared office space – even on a quiet day – can go a long way in helping us feel connected.” 


Source: Adobe Stock


Workplaces of the future

Companies should provide employees with a physical base, whilst appreciating a variety of needs for flex. Some companies host team days on a particular day of the week or month, depending on employee preferences. A workspace to host these collaborations is necessary, but it’s clear that the office has changed drastically in the last few years, and the space doesn’t need to ‘belong’ to a company as such.

Even before 2020, some corporates “in an effort to reduce capital expenditure and attract new talent” shrank their office space and took up leases in flexible workspaces instead. Since 2020, the global demand for flex offices has increased by 29% – a trend that Knight Frank expect to “continue as real estate adapts to be even more customer-centric.” 

“Occupiers have not yet fully worked out how much space they would need and which types of spaces…they need a flexible approach from landlords partnering with them on this journey,” explains Van Doorn, about the state of the office real estate market. This requires a process of catering to the needs of the people using spaces, whilst staying flexible. Meeting rooms, for instance, encourage the mode of working together, together, via team collaboration, whilst private phone booths bring workers into the office but they can work on their own projects individually (as they can take private phone calls) under the working together, apart, intentional collaboration mode suggested by Gartner. 

The intriguing Savills report also delved into what workers expected to have in their workplace – which brought some real generational differences to the fore. Baby Boomers, want to have more convenience-related amenities around their workspaces, like coffee shops, grocery stores, and F&B outlets, whilst Millennials and Gen Z preferred social and wellness amenities within their workspaces. If they’re to attract and retain talent in the future, employers must design workspaces with the needs of Gen Z in mind. Bank of America “predicts that Gen Z’s income will surpass that of their next older generation…and they will become the most disruptive generation ever.” However, this doesn’t mean discounting other generations in the process.

In 3 years' time, at least 50% of corporate offices will be redesigned for socialisation to happen. At our Clay Solution office in Amsterdam and other workspaces, such as the workcafe at our SALTO HQ in Spain, we’ve already designed a collaborative workspace.

The Clay workspace offers different zones, like a communal kitchen for teams to cook and eat together, a play area for team bonding, and different brainstorming areas across the workspace. Our events programme forges meaningful connections, and we encourage our ‘Bricks’ – our team – to recognise one another as part of a shared community. This trust-based approach empowers a productive workforce who have a greater sense of well-being. SALTO Systems also benefits from developing better innovations and collaborations between people too. Could our Clay office be an example of the future workplace? 

Clay Amsterdam Office space. Source: Clay Solutions - A SALTO Group Company


Technology – the key to collaboration

“Empowering employees to have equitable access to all work modes…will require a more intentional redesign of collaboration around the four work modes,” states the Gartner report. Office equipment, like laptops, tablet devices, and smartphones, essentially enables work to happen anywhere and everywhere. It’s important that employees are given the right tools for work within the workspace or at home. This also includes providing screens, a desk, and an office chair. Providing all this and more in the office is essential, and better still if companies can offer top-of-the-range equipment in a shared workspace to encourage more workers to come into the workplace to use them. 

Beyond the physical space, the virtual mustn't be overlooked. Software and digital tools hold the keys to collaboration, communication, and connection. It also allows people to work together, apart, and work, alone, apart. Whether it’s integrating Microsoft or Google suites, Slack messaging, or Zoom – a company’s chosen virtual tools are very important, to facilitate more meaningful connections and virtual meetings. After all, “69% [of companies] have already introduced, or will introduce…technology to boost in-office collaboration,” reports JLL. 

Digital tools are advancing constantly, so keeping up with the latest updates is crucial. Not only that, but companies mustn't assume that all team members can use their chosen software. Onboarding and team training on how to use virtual tools empowers teams and boosts productivity. 

Technology can also be implemented in the office. SALTO develops best-in-class access control solutions for workers to move through their workspaces effortlessly. 

Source: Adobe Stock


Coworking, third spaces, and flexible workspaces

Gartner calls for companies to make sure employees can access the four intentional collaboration modes. It’s important to remember that work doesn’t just exist in the office or at home. In fact, 36% of people work in third spaces at least one day per week, reports JLL about a workplace trend that’s likely to continue. How do companies embrace this under their systems of trust, allowing hybrid working to occur outside the workplace – or working alone, apart?

“By 2050 it’s projected that more than two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas,” reports Our World In Data. City centres are booming, but it doesn’t mean that the office needs to be located right in the centre of town. Many people live in areas of urban sprawl, and have historically dependent on commuting to get into the office. The 15-minute city concept, or polycentric city, conceived by Carlos Moreno, rethinks this. It’s a process of repurposing and utilising every piece of land for services that people every day in their lives, within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Workspaces included. Coworking consultant Marc Navarro, believes that workspaces will be used more regularly if they’re located within walking distance of an employee’s house, because of the shorter commute and more preferable way of getting there via active travel methods. 

Local workspaces, such as coworking, hotel lobbies on the high streets, coffee shops, and more can all be utilised by employees as nomadic workspaces, or third spaces. All that’s required is connectivity and a computer. Giving workers the option to use a third space is a great way for employees to involve themselves with their local community, contribute to the growing economic wealth of their local area, and be a part of the thriving community. The benefits of local workspaces are limitless, and they can really empower workers who need some time out of the house but not in the office. 

Rethinking the office

The rise of hybrid working is reshaping traditional work dynamics, and companies must adapt to these changing preferences for employees to thrive. Whilst the workspace landscape is changing, companies would do well to keep the four modes of intentional collaboration in mind when implementing processes to support workers. While the physical office remains important, the future workplace will likely involve a combination of physical, virtual, and flexible workspaces. Digital tools can help facilitate this. Staying agile and flexible will be necessary whilst all companies, leaders, and workers navigate the exciting workplace revolution of the 2020s. 

Caterina Maiolini

Aspiring Leader in Women’s Football | Passionate About Growing the Game | UEFA CFM Alumni | Skilled in Admin, Operations & Event Management | Angel Investor |

1y

Absolutely love this : four work modes for companies to successfully navigate hybrid working lifestyles All 4 of them make perfect sense, for any company, in any sector. Nice article!

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