The Future of Work is Now: Hybrid Work and Smart Buildings

Too often, I hear leaders talking about the future of work as if it is an either/or decision. Either we keep investing in office space or we do away with it altogether. However, it’s more likely that there will always be offices where people congregate to collaborate on work, even while they spend the majority of their time working remotely. What’s changing is how that hybrid workspace functions and how employees interact with it.

In a 2022 survey by Gallup, 59% of remote-capable employees (those whose work can be done remotely) reported that they prefer a hybrid option and 32% prefer a fully remote work experience. The number one reason? To avoid commutes.

The benefits of being in the office don’t always outweigh the time, cost, risks, and frustration involved in getting there.

Yet leaders often flex back to muscle memory and are quick to suggest, “Let’s meet in the office.” Many of them are having a hard time getting past the need to be in the room with people when they talk to them. But some people can no longer do that—for myriad reasons. And we need to embrace them as equals and train ourselves to respect their needs.

To bring people together in the office for meetings and collaboration, businesses need to provide a clear purpose and an environment that functions well, including smart technologies that facilitate collaboration and creativity and accommodate those who cannot be physically present. As organizations shift to hybrid work models, understanding and responding to employee needs and expectations is critical to retaining top talent and expanding the talent pool.

Today’s talent know they have options. And, when supported by the right technologies, productivity thrives in a hybrid work world.

Future-looking office spaces must go beyond providing walls and chairs. According to IDC Future of Work 2021, by the year 2025, 55% of G2000 firms will have remodeled, relocated, or constructed office facilities for the purposes of improved employee health protection and optimized business continuity.

The focus will be on creating smart buildings that accommodate people’s needs. A little over two years ago, smart buildings meant badge readers, thermostat controls, and lights that come on when you walk into a room. Today, they’re about contact tracing, people density monitoring, and interactive capabilities for remote participants in meetings.

Being able to reserve a room remotely doesn’t make a building smart, but being able to monitor the capacity for the health and safety aspects does. And it’s a way to embrace sustainability.

Smart buildings can now be part of your corporate social responsibility (CSR) and your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives as they’re an extension of your corporate values.

What a smart building was and is has changed in a couple short years, and the speed of innovation isn’t slowing down. For CIOs and COOs planning for a future that includes a hybrid work model, there are two things I recommend keeping in mind:

Be aware of opportunities to lead by example. Change is hard for a lot of people. Senior leaders have the power to bring others along when it comes to hybrid work and alternative work styles. Leaders need to embrace change — if leadership isn’t comfortable with it, no one will be.

Make it clear to everyone that employee health, safety, and wellbeing are a top priority. Leverage solutions for employee safety, such as contact tracing, temperature sensing, and proximity monitoring. Never treat people differently because they can’t join the group in person.

When leaders rise to the occasion to be an example for the organization, people follow, the culture benefits, and the company thrives.

Leverage the asset as a competitive advantage. When it comes to hiring and retention, the physical and virtual aspects of working for an organization become crucial as we move forward. Interviewees now regularly ask about the office space, even if they plan to work remotely.

They want to know a potential employer is thinking about their employees’ wellbeing. A physical workspace that’s equipped and aligned to support a consistent, inclusive hybrid work experience for people with different roles, requirements, and work styles is a must-have for today’s top talent.

Smart buildings and hybrid work are an advantage for employers; it’s not just a way to accommodate how people work. Things have changed in the past couple of years, and they’re not going back to the way they were. And that’s okay. We’re moving forward — the future of work is now.

I encourage you to learn more about what smart buildings are and how they function as part of a hybrid work strategy. Watch our webinar, Deploy Smart Buildings that are both Safe and Productive, and our video on The Making of Penn One, Cisco’s very own smart building. If you want to chat, give us a call. Cisco wants to help businesses unlock the true value of their real estate portfolios and space.