How to prepare now for the workplace of the future
In the last 18 months, the “workplace of the future” has accelerated faster than we could have imagined. No longer are we...
Activity Based Working (ABW)
This working style allows employees to choose from a variety of spaces according to the nature of the work they're undertaking. First seen in the early 1980s, ABW is customised to suit individual organisations and is empowered by choice.
Agile working:
The agile working methodology emerged in the 1990s and early 2000s. It focuses on using modular and project-based workspaces that can be easily transformed using flexible furniture and materials.
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Open-plan / Hot desking:
This working style has been around since the 1940s but gained popularity in the 1990s. Lately, open-plan offices have received significant criticism for compromising employee focus, but at Axiom, our attention is on the type of fit-out best suited to your organisation, not whether open-plan is good or bad.
Flexible working:
Although only established in the last decade, the idea of flexible working has been around since the 1970s. Flexible working is defined as leaving behind the traditional, rigid 9-to-5, five-day week structure. The flexible working model encourages diversity and inclusion, helping to future-proof and strengthen organisations.
Millennials are facing challenges due to a lack of in-person mentoring and regular feedback on their work, unlike older generations who feel more secure in their roles and are accustomed to working outside the office.
New employees are grappling with onboarding outside of a physical workspace.
Employees at the beginning of their careers missing out on incidental learning opportunities as they are isolated by working from home.
Poor acoustics in physical spaces designed for in-person meetings causing an inferior experience in virtual meetings.
Collaboration and teamwork
Although collaboration doesn't have to happen face-to-face for it to be successful, it is almost always easier to encourage powerful co-creation when people are in the same physical space. Although not ideal, the reality is that the need for virtual collaboration is only growing. Tools like Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive make it possible for dispersed teams to come together and work with one another virtually.
Employee engagement and company culture
Remote employees can often feel left out of team lunches, water cooler chats and casual office banter, and that's because they are! With more and more employees working from home, companies need to be conscious of these feelings and ensure ALL employees are being engaged and feel a part of the team. A remote workforce doesn't have to be a disconnected one. Technology has made it feasible to communicate, collaborate, and lead from any place but it does take intention and thoughtfulness to make it work.
Data security
Virtual employees and staff using mobile devices is a challenge which will become further pronounced. Protecting sensitive data with proper cybersecurity is crucial. Keeping information secure online isn't just the realm of the IT department; all employees need education in data security measures
The greener the better
We're not just talking more indoor plants, but some serious green sustainability credentials too. There is a growing trend towards creating high-quality working environments that prioritise ESG or Environmental Sustainability & Governance, benefiting both businesses and the environment. This approach also helps attract top talent from the eco-conscious younger generations.
Personalisation and flexibility
Activity-Based Working will continue to play an important role in workplace design. Offices will be designed to foster employees' intellectual processes and working preferences - catering for and enhancing people's working lives. Workspaces will provide different environments for different phases of work and also include virtual spaces where remote employees can collaborate with those on-site.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
How will Ai impact your future workplace? Ai tools could work out whom you need to meet with and book you the perfect space to do it based on the task at hand. Meeting invites will be sent, the right tech will be scheduled, and with each meeting AI will become smarter, predicting what you need with greater accuracy each time.
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