The office talk: A series on how to make the office work for you | 1 |
As we dare to visualize a post-pandemic world, an opportunity arises to review the office. Sure, people might continue to work from home, but the “new normal” isn’t necessarily a world without offices, it’s a world where workers know what they want and have the power of choice.
In the office, workers will find a place to meet nature, a shared culture, healthy habits, and human interaction. Providing a human-centric experience for employees will be the rule, rather than the exception. Each Friday we'll explore a piece of the office of the future and how you can feel at home at work.
Is there a future for offices?
The office is dead. Or at least that’s what we keep seeing in headlines. And, while many workers might have enjoyed the extra time at home at first, after the initial shock the truth of the matter has emerged: the workplace is changing, yes, but its relevance and centrality to the success of an organization persist.
Workplaces have changed a lot over the years and the pandemic has further accelerated many pre-Covid workplace trends like mobility, choice, and well-being. Working remotely has not just affected how we work – it has also shaped our future expectations for the office. As we look to a better future and a post-pandemic world, an opportunity arises to rethink the physical workplace. The new office should support new ways of working, new ambitions, and new reasons for coming into the office.
Impact by design
Today, office work is more sedentary and more mentally demanding than ever before. With the average US employee spending more than 43 hours a week in the office, we would better make the most of it. Employees aren’t willing to commute for hours to be stuck in a sterile room all day just to get paid, they want to feel cared for and at home, and with good rights.
The evidence that the office environment has a significant impact on people in ways that may either impair or improve their health, well-being, and productivity is well recognized. Concept offices understand that employees are more than disposable workers, and that offices are more than just places of work. With a growing war for talent, companies do their best to attract the best minds in the world, which has compelled them to improve the work environment.
"Office design can influence, even shape, the productivity of our economy."
The times they are a-changin'
The pandemic has reshaped many aspects of our lives, including where and how people work. It has caused us to think about our shared humanity and what we want to achieve together. The “new normal” isn’t necessarily a business world without working in an office, it’s a world where workers know what they want and have the power of choice.
When the dust settles and people return to the workplace, the office will feel much different from the one we left. Let’s use this moment as a catalyst for reinventing an office that is not just a container for work, but a place that creates a community where people feel a renewed sense of belonging, resilience, and purpose.
Using design, the new office will embrace healthy behaviors and put people’s well-being at the core. Throughout this series, we dare you to think about what was good in the office, what didn’t work or isn’t longer required, and what might make your office work for you.?
There's a lot to talk about! So, what will we cover in the following weeks?
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