What will the office look like in 2024 & beyond and what does this mean for mobility?
Throughout history, the office has taken many forms, from factory-like office floors at the beginning of the 20th century to cubicle-like offices in recent times. Today, hot desking and open floor designs dominate.
However, it is not only the office that has changed over time, but also the way people think about their work. And therefore also the way in which companies have to adapt to these changing needs. Three key developments in recent years:
These changes in the world of work will in turn change offices. More than ever, a people-centred approach is needed, as panelists at the NAVIT "Back-to-Office" event highlighted.
The pandemic has awakened employees' desire for "more" in terms of their workplace - many now want more flexibility and personal responsibility for their working day, they want to decide for themselves how and when they come to the office and how long they work, it's also about work-life balance.
More than ever, work is taking place in a wide range of spaces - onsite and virtual - and companies need to look at how these hybrid behaviours can lead to new work modes, not least to ensure the productivity of their employees. These factors are naturally leading to a rethink in workplace design. Physical and virtual office spaces should be centred on the person doing the work, not the work itself.
While presence in the office is fluid due to hybrid working models, people need to be at the centre of workplace design.
For these changes to be successful, they should be holistic, allow for progression and focus on the individual working habits of employees, regardless of where the work takes place.
Truly human-centred workplaces will:
These outcomes can only be achieved when efficient technology that ensures collaboration and productivity is integrated as part of a seamless hybrid experience.
Human-centric offices that prioritise flexibility, wellbeing and collaboration and cater to the various specific needs of employees offer numerous benefits:
Strengthening workplace culture and fostering a sense of belonging among employees is not only necessary, but invaluable. One way to improve these components through a human-centred design approach is to create a more conscious workplace through 'virtual first empathy', a deliberate emphasis on hybrid working models. In this sense, hybrid collaboration is favoured in offices, where open workspaces are equipped with interactive conferencing tools so that both face-to-face and virtual employees can work on an equal footing. Video conferencing tools that integrate seamlessly into offices have opened the door for equal participation when used correctly.
By putting people at the centre and embracing a flexible and hybrid future, a digital mindset supports the changing nature of work. This means that regardless of whether someone is working in the office, remotely or flexibly - which can change from day to day or at different stages - a workplace concept can be developed that supports this fluid workflow. This approach allows people to get involved and decide where they do their best work.
Like many other aspects of modern life, technology and digital transformation play an essential role in this new process of making offices more people-centred. A combination of digital and physical infrastructure is needed to strengthen collaboration in offices.
In practice, this means that offices should be equipped with built-in interactive elements such as sensors and screens that allow employees to control the heating, air and light while working on new business ideas.
Such ideal office spaces ideally erase the boundaries between back and front office, allowing employees to make decisions about their practical needs and personal wellbeing while seamlessly transitioning between working on site and at home.
When the meaning and purpose of the office changes, this also has an impact on people's mobility. In concrete terms, this means that most people have changed their mobility behaviour in recent years. With the increasing use of hybrid working models and a limited number of weekly office days, the importance of flexible mobility options is growing. Many people use different forms of mobility and adapt their choice of transport to their current situation and personal requirements instead of relying on a single mode of transport.
Flexible and customisable mobility budgets are playing an increasingly important role in optimally meeting the needs of employees. This is because a mobility budget offers various mobility solutions for the hybrid working environment of employees. In urban areas, new mobility will also have an increasing influence on how employees move around.
Companies should also consider the various mobility profiles of their employees in order to provide them with efficient mobility options in times of hybrid working. Last but not least, mobility plays an important role in attracting and retaining employees in the competition for the best specialists.
