As a Haworth Authorized Dealer, our designers spend much time thinking how people perform best in the office or anywhere lately. Today’s topic is from excerpts from Haworth Executive Summary on the future workplace.
Why the office?
The office originated as a production place for knowledge workers. It transformed to a workplace powered by hard-wired technology. Mobile devices and Wi-Fi allowed for increasing flexibility. Previously, we came to office to work– now we can work from anywhere.
Why do people value being in the workplace? To collaborate, create, and innovate. To connect socially. To leverage the teams, networks, and processes that help them perform their best. To be inspired. Its purpose has shifted from where we had to work to a place that’s more dynamic and experiential than ever.
Current State
The digital age enabled organizations to work virtually –and the corona virus pandemic forced us to embrace it. For months, approximately 85 percent of global employees were working at home. Now, organizations around the world are reactivating their office spaces while thinking through what’s next. The future state is one that reflects an ecosystem approach, which includes work in the office and in a multitude of spaces — home is just one of them.
50% of the workforce will likely be working across a Total Workplace Ecosystem balancing office, home, and third places. (Source: Cushman and Wakefield. The future of workplace report 2020).
In the Pre-COVID environment, 63% of respondents indicated their company had no full-time remote work; today, only 10% expect no remote work policies in the future. (Source: CBRE)
Here’s the Estimated Time for Employees’ to Return to Their Usual Workplace conducted in April 2020.
It’s not Home or Office — It’s Work from Anywhere
When given a chance, people drawn to the places that make them feel the most comfortable and productive. What we previously knew as the “office” was already evolving into a place of social context — more collaborative than ever. After all, interaction with colleagues makes us happier and more engaged at work. This flexibility of work from anywhere serves as an attraction/retention strategy for talent, offering improved work/life balance through flexible work schedule.
Here’s the survey conducted by BisNow 2020:
71% said they want their company to offer some sort of flexible office provision.
44% said working from home once a week would be the optimum level in future.
34% said more than once a week would be ideal.
Three Critical Areas of Focus
Haworth has identified three areas of focus when considering as ecosystem that supports Work from Anywhere.
Organic Workspace
In this new ecosystem, the workplace floorplate needs to respond–creating environments that provide connection and adapt for occupancy levels. Organic Workspace is Haworth’s perspective and process for understanding the work environment and how people use it. We start by looking at the entire ecosystem whether in the office, home of third place. Then we help our customers create solutions that ensure people perform their best, support organizational culture, and leverage their existing products, enabling reconfiguration with ease and reduced cost.
Finding the Right Balance
The office is the epicenter of what makes work happen, to help people perform their best. Starting with the office, we’ll explore with you the right balance for your ecosystem. We can provide solutions that will accommodate a continuous flow of work in multiple environments, allowing people to be effective and real estate to be efficient.
More details or free consultation, please contact us.
