The Hybrid or the Palette option? Emerging thoughts on Working From Anywhere!

Several surveys recently have shown that when we emerge from the pandemic, there is an overwhelming number of people who prefer a 'hybrid' arrangement for their workspace. Most want a choice of both where and when they work. Meanwhile, CFOs are drooling at the prospect of cutting down real-estate costs ( 3-4% of revenue per some estimates) by eliminating the traditional office space. What was one a fixed cost has suddenly become flexible; a source of productivity. Progressive organizations, however, are evaluating the pandemic-induced shift more thoughtfully and purposefully- thinking about it as a change in the work model, not just the workplace. 

Purpose, not costs, determine the thinking about where and when people will work in the future. And the urge now is that as we look beyond the pandemic, we can afford to look beyond the binary options that we have right now: home or office. Instead, designing a palette of work environments to cater to different objectives could not just drive productivity and cost savings but enhance wellbeing, employee creativity, and collaboration. The purpose-based workplace has arrived.

Technology has released us from a 'place' and 'time' definition of the workplace. Technology is the new workplace- no longer a physical space but a virtual one. This shift allows for a far more dynamic flow of work- it can be both mobile and agile, and can be both, whenever and wherever at the same time. The human need for safety, convenience, and wellbeing, as experienced during the pandemic, also become the prime driver of workplace choice. Thinking about workplace work in the future requires a more sophisticated and responsive appreciation of the intersections between human beings (individual and collective), technology, and space. This demand means a richer palette of workspace offerings. The real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield suggest six possible combinations that could serve a variety of purposes.

Option 1: Working from home. The primary place of work. Great for concentrated, focused, individual-based tasks. And it saves time for the individual. A recent Wall Street Journal survey showed that Americans saved a total of 60 million hours of commute in 2020. Viable long term if there is an appropriate place (dedicated space) and infrastructure (connectivity and bandwidth primarily) within one's home for the individual to carry out such their tasks.

Option 2: Local community hubs. An alternative to home. Excellent for quick meetings with colleagues or associates, even customers. Less than a WeWork kind of space but more than that is available in a home for some. Local restaurants, coffee shops are great examples. Ideal for those who like the smell of coffee and a bit of buzz around. A little bit of distraction is welcome, a bit of socialization is a respite from loneliness at home. And of course, for some, it may be more spacious than some home spaces. My daughter in New York prefers to park herself in her neighborhood Starbucks for a couple of hours every day, just to feel the presence of other people around her and get away from the small space she has to reconcile with otherwise. Many software apps have sprung up to offer such spots with private wifi and even private spaces. A bit more distracting than home but still allows for either single or small group work to be done.

Option 3: On-demand event space. More like WeWork, Regus, and other flexible, shared workspaces. Great for formal and informal meetings between colleagues, plus more access to facilities and equipment (printer, copier, scanner, etc.). Great for an in-out type of work, when one does not need a long term arrangement. Organizational memberships with such providers open up just-in-time and just-in-need options for people to connect and collaborate. 

Option 4: Connector places. These are more social and informal spaces, with a bit of work-related stuff thrown in. Increasing options like clubs, cafes, and entertainment centers where people can come in once a while, maybe connect for work and then let their hair down, are a new phenomenon. Pool tables, ping-pong, games, and other entertainment forms bring about the social connection that is otherwise difficult when people use the first three options. Work is secondary here, connections are primary. This is a formalization of the weekly happy hour or the Thursday night bingo that many have set up virtually during the pandemic. Many employees and organizations want to continue the social effects of the pandemic-induced virtual events after we get back to normalcy.

Option 5: Satellite offices. Thes are smaller offices closer to where people live so that people will not have to travel much. Such offices will be used for more formal purposes like key meetings, learning, reviews, mentoring, collaboration. While there is little individual space (space available is more hoteling, 'pre-book-what-you-need' type of space), the satellite office still epitomizes the organizational culture, with consistent environmental settings, feel, and look of the place that speaks to its purpose and values. It has the feel of corporate space, yet has a cozier and connected feel to it.

Option 6: Main office campus. The fully monty. For formal occasions: townhalls, customer visits, showcasing of products, technologies, and culture. The most formal tasks happen here- Board meetings, media, annual reviews, etc. It is where people may go to get their organization alignment and connection recharged when and where necessary. It is as alluring as it is intimidating. There is an element of depersonalization to the feel- the organizational feel dominates. Yet it is important. It is the symbol, the soul, the mothership. And having one is still a good idea.

As you can see from the above, different options cater to different employee and organizational needs and workstyles. The following grid maps out and summarizes the purpose of the workplace and the right fit.

Reconfiguring the emerging workspace discussion requires close coordination between human resources, technology, and facilities functions. Workspace management is increasingly an art- and doing it well converts it from a cost-based, efficiency-oriented paradigm to a strategic asset providing for a richer experience with appropriate environments to suit the work in hand. It is no longer just about geography- it is about workflow, and human dynamics, both. It creates the right 'fit' between employees' needs and organizational needs. It also enhances organizations' opportunities to engage, inspire, support, attract, motivate, and retain employees.

One out of two employees in a recent survey said they would consider leaving their company if their company does not provide better workplace flexibility. Reconfiguring traditional workplaces starts with reconfiguring traditional mindsets!

Do you agree?