ESG sustainability performance is becoming increasingly important, not just to investors but to top talent in a competitive job market. We've spoken about the benefits of ESG previously, but we haven't talked about measurement. In a space comprised of many factors, from real estate footprint to emissions to parental leave policies to supply chain approaches, measurement is no easy feat.
Office meetings will be in the metaverse within three years, according to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. He predicts that virtual meetings will evolve from the current 2D images to full 3D avatars.
“Metaverse” is the latest buzzword going around the tech industry that can potentially revolutionise the way we live, work and play. Some are saying the metaverse is the future of work, and the office will be a thing of the past.
But what is the metaverse, how will it impact the way we work, what's the best way to prepare and when will we actually see and experience it? And the big one:
Spoiler alert: the physical office will not only live on, but even be enhanced by the metaverse.
“We believe the metaverse will be the successor to the mobile internet, we’ll be able to feel present – like we’re right there with people no matter how far apart we actually are.” (Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO)
Some are calling it the next evolutionary step for the internet - web 3.0. The metaverse renders everything in 3D rather than the current 2D visuals we currently see today. It “brings the internet to life”, and builds a virtual world of interconnected communities where everyone can meet, work and play.
Coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel “Snow Crash”, the term metaverse refers to a digital environment that enables people to interact as avatars, using VR headsets and glasses. Think of it as a cyber realm where you can move and act in the same way as in the physical world, and directly interact with other people from any location on the planet as if they were standing right next to you.
The metaverse will go beyond the current Zoom or virtual meeting, and transform the way we work and interact with our colleagues and teams. Here are some ways the metaverse will change the future of work:
According to Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse will open up new forms of work where people no longer need to be physically together to “feel present, collaborate or brainstorm.” Using 3D avatars, workers from different locations can meet in virtual spaces to interact, communicate and collaborate as if they were sitting side-by-side in the same meeting room. This will allow people to do more online like manage projects, design products or buildings, and other team-based activities. Also, with VR headsets and motion capture gloves, coworkers can see everyone’s expressions and body language.
Since the metaverse enables a work from anywhere model, employees are no longer confined to their workstations and cubicles. They are free to work at home, at a cafe, at regional locations, or at any other area where they feel comfortable and creative. Also, long commutes to work will be a thing of the past, since all interactions would be happening in a virtual environment.
The metaverse will not only bring change in the workplace, but also open new work opportunities as businesses adapt to the new digital environment. There will be new jobs created that do not currently exist - similar to social media jobs that would have been unthinkable before the internet. Also, some jobs today may need to change to accommodate this new virtual world, providing workers opportunities to learn and re-skill. Lastly, there will be new types of companies that may emerge to manage and facilitate the metaverse, delivering more job opportunities for people in any location.
That’s one difficult question to accurately answer. Although some of the needed technologies to enable the metaverse already exist, they are still in the early stages and have limited capabilities. Some say the full metaverse may take years to complete and launch. There are still a number of challenges that need to be addressed, including:
We know that it will take years before the technologies needed can mature and enable a full metaverse - but even if they do, the metaverse will not replace the physical workplace. Here are some of the reasons why the office will still play a crucial role in the future of work:
Our need for in-person or face to face interaction is the biggest reason why the metaverse will not replace the physical workplace. The office is not just a place to work. It is where people can collaborate, socialise, and build lasting relationships. Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has made people realise their need for some sort of physical connection. And the office provides a space where workers can establish this connection, have those ‘water cooler’ moments, and work creatively as a team.
Online gaming is perhaps the closest thing we have now to experiencing the metaverse. Online games allow you to create your characters or avatars and interact with other people through a virtual gaming environment. This can be fun and exciting but highly addictive. And there are health risks associated with too much online gaming, including sleep deprivation, insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, depression, aggression, and anxiety. So, spending your 8-hour workdays in the metaverse may have similar effects, and probably will be detrimental to your physical and mental wellbeing.
All employees need to be in the metaverse for it to work as a virtual workplace. However, this single working environment may not work for everyone involved. As we’ve seen during the pandemic, people have their own style of working. Some are more creative and productive at home, while others feel more focused and motivated at the office. Having the flexibility to work where people feel most comfortable, whether physical or virtual, enables them to not only be more productive, but also be more inspired to deliver their best work.
With the hybrid work model becoming the norm across many industries, we believe the metaverse won’t replace the physical office, but can actually enhance the experience. The metaverse can bridge the gap between the digital and physical environments. It can bring both on-site and remote workers into an immersive and engaging virtual workplace, where they can collaborate, brainstorm, and work together as one team. This would allow people to work seamlessly between the metaverse and the physical office - creating a happier and more inclusive culture, as well as a more creative and productive work environment.
Want to learn more about the future of work? Read our guide to the future of work in Australia.
Does a strategically placed fiddle leaf fig plant really help your employees to work smarter? Technically, yes, although a plant won’t achieve this on its own. More on the fiddle leaf fig later. The ultimate workspace design combines several key elements to create an environment where productivity, creativity and wellbeing thrive. A well-designed workplace is one that’s seamless; your employees interact harmoniously with their surroundings. One that facilitates focus, energy and efficiency. So as we begin to embrace the hybrid working model, there are ways you can optimise your workspace to not only bring your employees back into the office but increase their output at the same time.
The first step is to speak to your employees – what do they like about the current workspace and what do they need to feel more motivated and operate more efficiently? At Axiom, our wrkxTM data and strategy toolset measures the impact of workplace design on an organisation. We begin this process with an employee questionnaire – developed in collaboration with behavioural scientists – to assess how the current space could be adapted to help people work smarter. These insights tell us what is most important to the business, and what changes are needed, to deliver an intelligent design that motivates your workforce.
Armed with your all-important employee intel, it’s time to focus on places, not spaces. Drawing on the principles of agile working, your design should offer a variety of purposeful places to suit the task at hand and/or individual preferences. In order to work smarter, sometimes we need a quiet place to think, while at other times we need a large, open place to collaborate. And after extended periods of working from home, employees are looking for an informal place to reconnect, relax and feel part of their workplace community. A workspace that pays homage to different styles of working can boost employee engagement and improve the overall enjoyment of office life.
In addition to creating the right settings for tasks, collaboration and socialisation using the principles of agile working, there are other fundamentals to keep in mind. It’s all about designing dynamic workplaces which create the perfect environment for productive thinking. Here are some other elements to consider:
So as people crawl out from under the ‘work from home’ shell, how do you create the workplace of the future? A place where your employees can reconnect, be efficient and productive, yet feel just as comfortable as they do in their homes?
Gathering feedback is critical, asking your employees what they need will help make them feel valued, bring them on the journey and ultimately embrace their working environment. An intelligent design is a humanised design that recognises people need different places to work smarter – a diversity of purposeful places reflects the diversity of your workforce. And connection to the outside world, and the all-important benefits this brings to productivity and wellbeing, is just as essential as your floorplan.
Find out more about the workplace of the future in Leading the Future of Work in Australia: Insights and Strategies
The way we work has fundamentally changed, inviting us to reinvent how we operate and explore new methods to create value, culture and promote positive mental wellbeing in the hybrid workplace. In Australia, recent studies have demonstrated that 60 percent of employees would choose to blend their working time between the office and home, proving that there’s great merit in organisations addressing this common preference.
Never have we seen a bigger shake-up of the workplace as we have in the past two years. With that shake-up comes lots of uncertainty for commercial property owners. Business leaders want to substantiate the decisions they are making, ensuring that ultimate efficiency and usage of space is achieved and to do that, they want to make decisions backed by evidence. Enter workplace data.
The percentage of Australians working from home has jumped from eight per cent to forty per cent and productivity has endured. Many organisations have reimagined the way they operate which presents its own set of unique challenges. When implementing an effective hybrid workplace policy, striking the right balance between working remotely and in-office requires careful consideration.
The hybrid working model affords greater flexibility and freedom for staff but it’s essential that productivity, engagement levels, and inclusive working culture is maintained, in and out of the office.
There are many questions that employers have relating to hybrid workplace policy, implementing the right tech for efficient and effective workflow, and ensuring that productivity levels are upheld.
To help answer these questions we spoke with business and leadership expert Mandy Holloway. Mandy is the Co-founder and Owner of Courageous Leaders and her empathy-based approach to business leadership has helped mobilise different organisations to boldly rise to challenges and embrace them in their stride.
Through meaningful communication and understanding of employees, Mandy believes that organisations can inspire successful working environments, both face-to-face and virtually.
When employers actively trust their staff, they are more likely to perform better. Mandy believes that leaders “have to embrace what it means to be a leader, which means empower people, trust people. You don’t need to see that someone’s sitting there to prove that they’re actually working.”
Policies for flexible working
The hybrid model is effective in future-proofing the workplace. Many studies conducted since the pandemic began show that working flexibility catalyses employee engagement, productivity, and positive wellbeing.
Organisations that welcome hybrid workplace models are more likely to retain staff through giving them the option to work from home or in the office, or even allowing them to modify work hours. What’s more, creating a safe office environment that adopts adequate social distancing is paramount for organisational leaders and promotes the health and safety of everyone in the office.
Incorporating flexibility into workplace policies by giving employees options provides them with a sense of empowerment. Through doing this, you’re “giving people accountability. So as a leader with responsibility, you want your people to take accountability for what you’re empowering them to achieve. There must be a high level of trust and belief from the top leadership team,” says Mandy.
The right tech to support staff and aid productivity and efficiency
Organisations need the right tools to successfully manage change. Staff will need support when implementing new technology into working practices and to revitalise collaborative working cultures.
Encouraging learning opportunities will give everyone the chance to understand the tools and tech they need whether they decide to work in or out of the office. It is essential for organisations to address any gaps in understanding the technology involved in creating seamless, hybrid working environments. It’s also critical to review existing tech and processes.
Employers need to ensure that every staff member has exactly what they need to work effectively and to organise or stagger their in-office working days, all the while supporting digital inclusion. For example, implementing flexible desk/space booking platforms helps to carve a smooth path to hybrid working for organisations.
Change management is a work in progress. Once people have settled into the new way of work and balancing days in and out of the office, it’s important to evaluate the hybrid model’s impact to see how your organisation is tracking and to sustain the model’s long-term benefits.
Employers should consider the individual, team, and organisational impacts. Are staff able to successfully complete their work? Are teams able to communicate and collaborate easily? Are the organisational changes working as intended? What areas can be improved?
Mandy believes that change management is as much about processes, as it is about bringing compassion “as well as information to support staff to transition from where they are now to where they need to be in the future. This creates a safe and powerful team.”
“And as leaders, we need to lead people to be able to make the best decisions to create these outcomes.”
The future is here and now. Australian workplaces are transforming at a rapid pace and the significant changes that come with this historic time are testing the ability of organisations to tackle challenges. The changes are gaining momentum and that’s why being prepared is more crucial than ever.
So evolve, be open to transformation, and understand what the future of work means for everyone. Read our eBook: Wellness and Wellbeing in workplace design and strategy, to help you better navigate through these revolutionary times in the working world.
