The Future of Workplace: Current Developments and Trends
Leesman recently published a study where 46% of the interviewed office occupiers state that the design of their workplace environments does not support productivity. This surprising result should unsettle office occupiers and workplace decision-makers. Workplaces will change as the working environment is more and more transforming into a knowledge-based economy, where human capital and technical innovation are thriving factors.
I want to take a look at current developments and trends specifically in bigger cities, that will have an impact on the future of workplaces. At the end I want to examine of how can we react on this.
1. Change of Workforce
According to a study conducted by CBRE, in 2015, 75% of the workforce in 2015 will be represented by the so called millennials, people born after the year 2000. This group will have specific needs. 70% of the interviewees said that they would accept certain trade-offs (e.g. little pay cuts, promotion prospects) for a great workspace. Surprisingly millennials favor personal offices — allowing privacy — over open-plan workspaces. They wish for a workplace environment that adapts to the needs of the people: with areas for collaborative work, private focused tasks, social/free time activities or even workspaces outside the office area. When they have the freedom of choice fitting to their own workstyle they are more likely to feel engaged for the company, the study found out.
“|V|ery soon, millennials will become a formidable, lasting force in the working world. Location strategies, workstyle and workplace design are rapidly changing, and those employers who adapt to the growing needs and desires of their workforce will reap the benefits.”
The change of the workforce — also leaving male dominated and cleric structures behind leading towards a younger, culturally more differentiated workforce — is also accelerated by globalisation and technological developments, states Nigel Osewald.
2. Change of Workplace Structures and Workstyles
With the opening up of work structures such as freelance work or less
decision authority, the workspaces will also change: contract workers are no longer tightly bound to working hours and therefore need facilities which are open until late or on weekends. Furthermore workstyles also will have an impact on the design of workplaces: Offices no longer need to be rented permanently but are complemented by on-demand space.
The focus is shifting towards using spaces more efficiently. Research conducted by Steelcase and Microsoft found out that 42 percent of the interviewed office occupiers feel that there is a lack of privacy, well equipped conference rooms for collaboration and inspiring environments. Their research also proved that almost 46% of the workspace goes unused because of the high mobility of the workforce.
Therefore working spaces are increasingly conceptualised in a way that they can easily be adapted to diverse usage patterns. With shared workspaces for better collaboration, individual work, creativity, privacy and contemplation. Apart from serving different purposes workplaces are becoming a means for communicating corporate philosophy and company values. Providing great amenities and services can support positive experiences and thus attract professionals, indicates the study by Julie Wagner and Dan Watch.
3. Change in Awareness of Wellbeing and Health
There is an increasing awareness of health and well-being in the workplace, in terms of productivity and attractiveness of the workplace, states the report of Nigel Oseland et al.
“There is a push for more ‘active design’ to ensure that people move more at work, and the provision of welfare and amenities in the workplace to support wellness. There is now also a better understanding of the potential positive impacts of green spaces for contemplation and invigoration.” (Future Workstyles and Future Workplaces)
Workplace architects or planners are increasingly paying attention to wellbeing and stress reduction. They take scientific studies into account that prove that architecture has a strong impact on humans. Now, they are integrating green oases for contemplation and recharging or include elements like internal winter gardens or terraces to animate the environment and differentiate the workplace offer.
4. Change in the Importance of Public Spaces
The importance of public spaces for the working world is increasing. In the public realm work and leisure come together, and personnel relationships are build. Today’s office occupiers are already used to well serviced and more responsive workplaces. Thus they want this to be mirrored outside the building. They expect well groomed green areas, good infrastructure and service amenities like restaurants, shops, fitness centers or daycare facilies, quiet places, piazzas or other architectural gems to support contemplation and invigoration.
“The challenge is to ensure these places are easily found, accessible and promoted as public spaces with a high standard of amenities, including free high speed broadband.” (Future Workplaces)
“Mixed buildings” — where public areas and offices intertwine — gain importance. Those spaces can nurture exchange between different types of people from different backgrounds and fields and they provide a neutral territory for everyone in the building.
5. Change in the Importance of Technology
Within the last years technical developments have already caused severe changes in the working world. Computer workstations were replaced with smaller but more efficient devices like laptops or tablets. These very efficient devices already transformed working structures and communication processes and will moreover increase the demand for fast and reliable connectivity. Another development is the uprising of cloud technology, where computer applications can be delivered over a network or the web. Although data, software and experiences is increasingly stored and shared in a cloud hardware and a physical environment is needed to use this technology. Despite expectations cloud technology has not replaced the need for space.
It can hardly be predicted how technology will change the workplace.
“We don’t know what’s next. Telepresence rooms [rooms using virtual reality technology] are taking off but not for everyone” (Janet Pogue, Gensler Architects)
6. Increase of Employee’s Demands
With a more heterogeneous working class the demands also change: People increasingly want to work part-time or do home-office. Staff ask for opportunities for knowledge sharing, mentoring, and good spaces for collaboration and socializing. They want to be able to have cheap and fast transportation to and from the workplace, and good care and leisure facilities.
