By: Jeff Ball, Director of Corporate Marketing, Teknion
The daily routines of millions of workers changed swiftly and profoundly in 2020 as many workplaces closed or restricted access due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. For many people who could work remotely, home became the workplace. While not everyone’s experience of working from home has been the same, some commonalities emerged. Many people embraced new-found flexibility through technology-enabled connectivity. The notion that time spent in the traditional office environment is somehow superior to time spent working remotely is increasingly difficult to defend. Several studies have concluded that work productivity actually increases as a result of working remotely. Other research shows that, on average, remote employees worked 1.4 more days every month, or 16.8 more days every year, than those who worked in an office.
Could we go on working this way? If we do, what does this mean for the future of the office? When things return to “normal” how can the office environment continue to provide value for companies who have traditionally invested in providing workplaces for their employees? We’re about to discover that the office will remain relevant, but for different reasons. Companies that understand and embrace these reasons will lead and inspire change.
What and WhereWhere workers have been able to return to the office, there have been changes to the way office spaces are utilized. Safety protocols promote physical distancing and reduced occupancy. According to a recent article in ‘The Economist,’ the average office can work with 25-60% of its staff while maintaining six feet of distance between workers. Workplace modifications may increase this occupancy threshold, but we’re likely to experience reduced workplace occupancy until health and safety guideline changes influence new behavior. At least for now, the office feels different. In Teknion’s publication “The Way Back, solutions for healthy, safe and productive work,” we recognize the need for companies to instill trust and confidence in employees through visible defenses against disease—like less densification. Design thinking becomes integrated with physical distancing thinking.
The popular model for work that emerges post-pandemic is likely to be a hybrid, where work from home is integrated more broadly and office spaces evolve to do a better job of supporting specific elements of work, such as collaboration, learning, and creativity. These spaces will also have to work harder to be purposeful and effective. When the work ecosystem is extended beyond the office more permanently, the appropriately designed office becomes a more appealing destination sought out by workers for what it can do well. This represents a shift from a more holistic planning model where most workers are present five days a week and companies must prioritize broad needs within their floor plans. The role of the office in a hybrid work model will be different and companies that adopt a new occupancy mix are wise to re-examine their office space needs.
When it comes to using office space as pandemic related restrictions are lifted, Maria Martinico, Principal at SmithGroup says, “Any new workplace design endeavor will require companies to define their ‘why’ as it relates to in‐office work and navigate a whole new normal in how and where work‐related activities are accomplished.” Every organization’s ‘why’ will be different and there will be a discovery process. This will have broad implications. Let’s look at a few possible scenarios and the ‘whys’ that could influence them.
Choice: Recent office planning trends consider the need for people to move and work differently throughout the day. Square footage allocated to social spaces and collaborative areas has been increasing. A greater emphasis on health and wellbeing has contributed to architecture and furniture planning that provides choice for where work can be done throughout the day. With a hybrid work model where fewer people work in the office every day, the office becomes part of a larger space that provides broader choices. In this context, redundancy poses questions. Do people need the same kind of workspace at home and at the office? What are the motivations for spending time in these spaces? Companies will likely guide how much time they expect employees to be in the office and there is no perfect one size fits all solution. If the right workplace environment is envisioned and created, individual choice should optimize the balance.
Connections: It can be argued that the main benefit of working in offices is that they bring people together, both formally and informally. We’re social beings that need time with other people: to share ideas, learn, guide, create, express, inspire, laugh, the list goes on. While technology can bridge some of the gaps of not being physically present, Zoom calls can’t replace all the ways people interact in person. So what does this mean for physical spaces in a hybrid model? Are collaborative models that have evolved within holistic floor plans expanded to take up more space? That depends. How have these spaces been utilized in the past? How can they be improved? A hybrid model also introduces new considerations for equalizing connectivity to those working from home. Layouts need to consider not only those present but also those joining remotely.
Collaboration: Collaboration is a social buzz word associated with productivity. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all find better ways to collaborate? We’d get so much more done! Organizational structure establishes how teams are organized, setting expectations for how people interact and collaborate. Physical spaces enable collaboration. Workshop rooms, open areas where less structured gatherings can occur, or settings that encourage random encounters; these are a few ways spaces contribute to enhancing collaboration. A hybrid work model might transform the majority of office space into a collaborative space. Does this mean random encounters occur only between a flurry of team meetings? Maybe, but space for other tasks that need to occur during a workday should be considered. This brings us to:
Privacy: Migration to the open-plan, for all its benefits, has faced some backlash in recent years due to distractions caused by the lack of acoustic and visual privacy. To some extent, encouraging movement by offering different places to work and interact with others across a floor plan has provided solutions for the privacy dilemma. In a hybrid workplace model that prioritizes such activities as collaboration, creating, and learning, the need for privacy doesn’t go away. Efficient places to retreat and focus or connect with others outside the office look different than meeting rooms. They have smaller footprints, perhaps shrinking from 10’x12’ to 10’x6’ with acoustical privacy. Some workers may even covet the office as a place where fewer distractions occur. A recent Gensler work from home survey indicates Millennial and Gen Z workers are finding it harder to avoid distractions and maintain work-life balance working at home than their older peers.
Creating, Learning and Mentoring: The activities of creating, learning and mentoring also require workplace environments that bring people together, yet recognize varied individual needs.
Creativity is influenced by our environment and the stimulus (or lack of) it provides. Here, similar to collaboration, interaction with others and the sharing of ideas fosters innovation. Creativity also needs quiet time; time and space to reflect and think. The home office without distractions can provide that. Similarly, workspaces that offer choice and provide the proper tools foster creativity.
As workplaces evolved, there have been many assessments of how generational experiences impact optimal workplace planning. A Gensler study concluded Baby Boomers prefer offices that enable consensus and collaboration. Closed offices don’t appeal to Generation X, but they will find private spots when needed. Millennials indicate they can work in many places. There is also a difference in how a new generation of workers entering the workforce may experience forming networks and learning. And ongoing career development will continue to be important to most workers. What does this mean for hybrid office planning? It’s likely a reminder that offices need to continue acknowledging generational differences. The ‘whys’ for physical office space can be more focused in a hybrid model, but companies should recognize that accommodating a mix of work styles to bring people together will optimize connectivity.
Redefining Place: We’ve experienced a shock to office culture through a shared pandemic experience that forced many offices to shut down. As offices open up again, both employers and workers have broad perspectives about the meaning of “workplace.” And not lost is the recognition that redefining this space is important and that it will take some work. Guidance from traditional sources; Architect and Design Firms, Furniture Manufacturers, and others will enable discovery. The office is not going away. Companies that actively seek to redefine its renewed purpose will show us what the workplace will look like in the future.
For more information, please visit www.teknion.com.