Workplace of the Future: How Will It Evolve?

We live in an age where the opportunity to shape the future of work has never been more necessary. COVID-19 has massively pushed the adoption of nascent digital technologies. Business models, employee engagement, and service delivery have all been disrupted in a short period. Besides the disruptions we have seen, the real disruption is the fact that many business leaders have now fully adopted an innovative approach to the business landscape. The perception of how we work has been forever changed.

How Will Work be Performed?

It is important to evaluate how work was performed before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. There have been a lot of statements about the return to normal. However, the work system before the COVID-19 outbreak wasn’t optimal. “Normal” office work included daily 45 and 90 minutes commutes as well as employees working in crowded office spaces. Showing up in the office for work was regarded as a universal symbol of productivity.

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For corporate clients, this meant that businesses had to sign long-term leases of 10-15 years, which usually require major capital upfront. Incidentally, many of these office spaces are largely underutilized as companies find it hard to accurately estimate their future space needs.

The COVID-19 outbreak has seen an increase in the Work-From-Home model to observe all security protocols.

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While this approach isn’t expected to be the norm for a long time, there will be a hybrid of the Work-from-Home model and the physical office model. Workplace leaders will need to be daring, innovative and apply lots of empathy in understanding new employee preferences.

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Innovative business leaders are now focusing more on operational principles to move their business forward. Here are some of the strategies:

A Focus on Employee Experience

While many companies are optimizing their business processes for productivity and flexible working, forward-thinking business leaders are now being thoughtful about employee experience. Human experience programming such as experiential workplace features, well-being amenities, and inclusion and diversity initiatives are being implemented in workplaces.

Merging Digital Transformation and Sustainable Strategy

Digital transformation has a reputation for being disruptive. As such, many business leaders struggle to incorporate a digital transformation plan that is sustainable. Emerging technologies such as video conferencing have been effective in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19, and their utility is expected to outlast the pandemic.

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Forward-thinking leaders will bring employees into a digital-first world while keeping human experience. Hence, they will be able to capitalize on advances to inspire and engage their workforce and thrive in the new future of work. This implies that immersive digital collaboration, virtual office experiences, as well as augmented technologies, will drive the workplace.

This responsible approach to technology will enable organizations to invest in more efficient energy systems, operational resilience, and improved financial management.

Health and Wellness Programs are Imperative

Today, employee health is very important. Companies have started seeing the importance of focusing on employee well-being. To succeed in a post-COVID world, employers must provide a healthy workplace with excellent optimal indoor air quality, robust cleaning standards, and reliable health and safety protocols in place.

Health Wellness

Business leaders must also be willing to address the mental health issues that have arisen due to the pandemic. This can be carried out by prioritizing key areas like access to natural light, meditation areas, as well as optimizing workplace design.

2025 and Beyond: The High-Performance Path Towards “Work-from-Anywhere”

There has been an overwhelming call for hybrid work experience. In a survey by CIPD, it was discovered that, “44 percent of employers said that they are putting in place additional measures or spend to support home working. Of these, 66 percent plan to change their policies to reflect the move to more home working and 46 percent plan more line management training in managing and supporting home workers.”

Also, “33 percent of employers plan to introduce new forms of flexible working which includes working from home regularly (70 percent), always working from home (45 percent), part-time hours (40 percent), flexible-time (39 percent), term-time working (16 percent) and compressed hours (25 percent)”

The pandemic has accelerated the need to shape the future of work. Forward-thinking business leaders can begin to explore innovative ways of working to create a high-performance work environment that allows employees to have memorable and productive moments.