What’s Next for New York, Volume II: A New Way of Working

As many of you already know, last month we opened our new US headquarters and flagship New York City office at One Manhattan West. It was thrilling to see friends and peers in-person, marvel at the awesome cityscape views and begin exploring our dynamic new neighborhood.?

As I think about What’s Next for New York, the physical return to office plays a big role. Professionals have long fueled major sectors of the City’s economy, and their return to Manhattan will be a boon to post-pandemic growth. I’m proud that EY has taken the step to invite our people back to the office, which will not only reenergize our own great culture but also contribute to the city’s recovery.?

But that said – I recognize that we’re still in a pandemic, and predictive flexibility must be our watchword. At EY, this means prioritizing our peoples’ health and safety, tracking the latest public health guidance and if necessary, adjusting our plans accordingly.

With that in mind, here are key considerations for leaders as they reimagine the workplace in the months ahead.

Listen to your people

Over the past decade, we’ve frequently surveyed our teams to understand what they most want in an office, and overwhelmingly, the answer is a space that supports open communication and creativity. Pulse-check surveys conducted during the pandemic only underscored this need, and we designed our new office to support activity-based working – with spaces designed for everything from formal meetings to spontaneous brainstorms to one-on-one catchups.??

Personally, I couldn’t wait to be back in person with colleagues. I thrive off others’ energy, and it’s clear that I’m not alone – in our opening week at One Manhattan West, we welcomed more than 2,300+ EY professionals. And as we settle in and people move about based on the task at hand, I’m seeing a renewed sense of purpose and stronger connections being built with our teams and clients.?

Leaders, start by asking your people how they are working today, and what they miss most about an office environment. Gather input from professionals of every level and business unit to find out what works best for your teams and your organization going forward.?

Promote wellbeing and offer flexibility?

The challenges of the past year and a half vaulted personal wellbeing into the spotlight. As I've shared, it’s so important to prioritize your physical, emotional and mental health, and we should rethink our workspaces accordingly. Our modern workplace at One Manhattan West helps promote personal wellbeing, with ample natural light and ergonomically designed sit-to-stand desks – a feature that I love! And from the feedback I’ve received so far, our teams are also excited about the sunny and comfortable new space.?

But importantly, flexibility is a must. We encourage our teams to see the EY office as one of several locations where they can be productive and successful. In fact, we expect most of our people to have flexibility in where they work approximately 40% of the time, depending on team and client circumstances. While the option to work remotely has long been valued by working parents and other caregivers, among other professionals, the continuing pandemic has made it our new normal.

The data is clear that there’s strong demand for flexible working, and leaders should take heed when developing their own policies for a hybrid workplace.

Use technology to break down boundaries

How many times in the last year have you said “Sorry, you’re on mute”? Some have called 2020 “the year of the video conference,” as millions of people transitioned to working, learning, exercising and socializing on camera from their homes. When companies were 100% remote, these technologies helped us stay closely connected.

But now, we must rethink how to bring tech into the office. Post-pandemic, many companies will be hybrid workplaces, with a mix of professionals at home, in the office, with clients or traveling. It’s not just about what technologies we use, but how we use them. We need to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging and like their contributions are important, no matter where they’re based that day.?

I believe that in a hybrid working world, technology has the potential to create boundaryless experiences – transcending physical locations to foster a strong workplace culture and offer diverse career opportunities. When returning to the office, consider how to harness the “best of” how your teams worked remotely during the pandemic, from virtual brainstorms to group chat channels, and apply these best practices to the future workplace.

It’s exciting to be safely heading back to the office, taking what we learned from the past 18 months and carrying it forward. Getting the physical space right plays a huge role creating a great place to work. Together, we can create both virtual and in-person workplace cultures that not only serve our people and our business – but lead to a stronger New York City. I can’t wait to see what’s next for all of us in New York.

The views reflected in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.