The Future of the Office
The future of the office has been a hot topic of debate following the global work-from-home experiment we were forced into back in March 2020. Like many of the trends that have surfaced as a result of the global pandemic, the long term sustainability of remote work has been questioned and debated on the global stage, but I think the answer is likely to be more nuanced than some commentators have suggested.
Working from home as a modern construct?
In my mind, any conversation on the future of the office must start with where it first appeared. It is no surprise to learn that, as well as underfloor heating, concrete and the modern day calendar, the Romans also invented the office. However, more surprisingly will be the revelation that the Romans actually invented ‘working from home’. After the collapse of the Roman empire and right through to the 18th century, most work was carried out from home, with offices located above business owner’s store fronts. From the 18th century onwards, we see the first examples of dedicated office spaces being built in Great Britain, the most famous of which was the headquarters of the East India Company, known as East India House on Leadenhall Street. Crucially for this discussion, workers travelled to the office every day in order to process large swathes of information to support the cross-empire business on a daily basis.
However, since the 1950s we have seen the emergence of a new kind of worker, one that Peter Drucker refers to as the ‘knowledge worker’, essentially someone that applies theoretical and analytical knowledge to think for a living. Knowledge workers have emerged as the dominant trend in almost every single industry that has an office space, from professional services through to information technology. The knowledge worker no longer requires a permanent space to process information on a daily basis, instead relying heavily on collaboration with their peers to analyse, evaluate and creatively approach different problems, aided of course by technology. We have therefore seen a drastic change in the nature of work since the office was first conceptualised and yet we have seen very little change in the spaces we use to carry out that work, despite the advent of exceptional technologies to support this change. Why is this?
Culture, Technology and Sustainable Change
Many people will suggest that it is technology and innovation that causes change in our world, however my background studying History tells me this is not quite the case. Whilst technology can enable and accelerate change, it is in fact cultural change that leads too long term societal shifts in the way we think about and go about our daily lives. It is also this understanding of the relationship between technology, culture and sustainable change that provides an explanation for why, until the global pandemic hit us, technology did not force a monumental change in the way we imagined the office and carried out work, despite the nature of work changing dramatically. It is also not the first time a pandemic has triggered massive societal shifts. The Antonine plague in A.D. 165 caused a shift in the dominant faith from Pagan to Christian, with the plague of Justinian in A.D. 542 crippling the Roman empire and eventually leading to its demise and the beginning of Medieval Europe.
Before the global pandemic hit in March 2020, offices were perceived to be critical to productivity, however the pandemic forced us into a global experiment in working from home, with companies having to react rapidly to minimise the impact. Since then, a number of trends have been identified that have caused business leaders to re-think attitudes towards the office and how we go about our work. In a McKinsey research report, 80% of people questioned said they enjoyed working from home. Moreover, 41% said they were more productive than before and 28% that they are as productive. Business leaders are also beginning to realise the potential financial benefits of cutting overheads through less office space in prime city locations and reducing travel.
However, some prominent leaders, such as Jamie Dimon, have voiced the opposite, stating that productivity is overwhelmingly down, especially amongst younger employees. There have also been rising concerns amongst the business and scientific community that mental health issues are rising and will leave a significant negative legacy on society. Business leaders are therefore tasked with making a decision on whether the benefits exhibited from remote working will outweigh the negatives.
The truth, I believe, is that we are creatures fundamentally wired to work together and that we will always need to have space to work collaboratively. The pandemic has altered attitudes towards how we work and where we work and it is now up to businesses to ask the right questions to understand what approach suits their operating model best.
Reimagine, Redefine and Redesign
Offices will continue to be excellent places to personify and embed great culture, collaborate with colleagues, attract excellent talent, and retain that talent. But I believe there are some fundamental areas that need reimagining in order to do this and it all starts with a key question:
What is the most productive way to carry out our work to achieve our strategic objectives?
Asking this question will lead to some key areas to then focus on:
Reimagine
Reimagining the workspace entails leaders embedding cultural attitudes to challenge assumptions around the workspace and the way we go about work, as well as gain buy-in from all stakeholders. This is critical to achieving success. Having worked in the world’s largest professional services company, I have seen first hand how cultural attitudes hinder progress, despite the advent of excellent technology. Culture is king and must be managed before change can begin.
Redefine
Leaders then need to redefine their operating model in line with their strategic objectives and the assumptions they have challenged. Which roles require the most collaboration and which require lots of individual focus. Some roles may be completely remote, whereas others may be hybrid or entirely on-site. This needs to be accompanied by clear and concise communication from the top down to ensure employees are aligned with new ways of working and structures.
Redesign
Workspaces will also need to be redesigned to suit the work being carried out in them. This will usually mean more areas for collaboration and a move away from individual booths. There might also need to be a consideration around where offices are located best to suit their employees, their business and their clients. Ownership models will also be considered here and could be a great way for companies to drastically reduce overheads and increase resilience and adaptability.
Blurred Lines
Finally, I believe we are seeing a trend, driven very much by the technology industry, that is blurring the lines between personal and work life. Offices are no longer being considered as places simply for work, but as places to sleep, exercise, socialise and creatively express. In fact, workspaces are no longer being considered physical places at all. Instead, the concept of the workspace is being transformed into an experience, designed to stimulate our senses on a daily basis. Of course, technology is playing a huge part in this shift from physical space to experience, taking workspaces from high-tech to high-touch environments where everything is engaging and customisable.
Whatever the future may hold, I think it is safe to say that we will always need areas to collaborate and socialise as human beings and that the workplace is here to stay.
