The office of the future…
What does the “desk of the future” look like? And how can concepts such as coworking spaces work in times of crisis and promote team spirit?
Economic experts have given us their thoughts.
“remote office often works astonishingly well. sometimes even better.”
Markus Albers Co-founder and managing director of the agency Rethink, co-founder of the consulting company Neuwork and expert for new working methods an digital transformation
Until recently mobile and flexible working structures were the exception in German companies. Employees were expected to collaborate using current digital tools and hence were effectively expected to be available round the clock – and were also expected to be at their desk in the office, on time, the following day. The combination of this has sucked people dry, sometimes made them ill and has not been productive. With the arrival of the pandemic the second part, the culture of attendance, was eliminated. What we noticed was that the remote office often works astonishingly well – and sometimes even better. After the pandemic a lot will remain. The office desk of the future will finally be able to be located anywhere: at home, in the park or garden, in a café or also occasionally in the office. Offices will change their functions. They will finally not be places, to which I travel, in order to stare at a screen – I can do that anywhere. But they are going to be places for exchange, creativity, communication. They will be smaller, more central and will look more like hotel lobbies or living rooms, with sofas, open plan kitchens, coffee machines. Coworking spaces have already shown that the implementation of this idea can work in the real world. When we do not need to travel to an office anymore, then we need a number of third locations, next to home and office, in which we can work alone, totally focussed, or together with others. Coworking spaces are already offering this and will do so increa-singly in the future.
During the last years there has been a lot of noise about the ’digital transformation’, ’disruption’ and ’change’. But for many people these have been nothing but empty catchwords. Change? Towards what!? Change? Why even? During the pandemic lockdown this suddenly changed. Now work had to happen via platforms like Zoom, Teams and Google-Docs. And – it worked! People learn quickly to adapt to new circumstances, when they have to. For that there is no training required, not seminars or appeals to the management. During the crisis businesses and people have proven that they indeed possess the much sought after resilience. Now everyone is asking themselves whether they want to return to their old way of working or which aspects of the newly acquired working style they want to keep. This is a healthy discussion, which eventually will change the way we work. •
“the business culture has to be developed appropriately.”
Jørn Rings Founder and Managing Director of the Düsseldorf based New Work Lab ‘Zur Goldenen Idee’ and specialist for Ideas and Innovation
The static, fixed office desk is a thing of the past. In the future we will carry our documents in digital form in our bag and we may have one or two paper notes in our pockets. A fixed place, where we pile our files or keep a collection of pens in a roll-top cabinet is already merely a status symbol. Areas of exchange and retreat will be much more important. With our ’light’ luggage we can work anywhere, and even within one building this can be in a number of different locations, like teamwork rooms, workshop rooms, ’libraries’ for focused work or work cafes, where you can meet colleagues for a chat. The office at home is, of course, an equally important place. It will only be possible to work flexibly and from different locations when the technology is reliable enough, is user friendly and when enough spaces to withdraw into are available. Moreover the business culture has to be developed appropriately. Only when it is acceptable and expected that a colleague is hanging out in a hammock in the Open Office for a deep think, only then it is possible to work without pressure and in a relaxed way.
During the first few weeks of the coronavirus lockdown working conditions have changed more for most employed people than in the five years prior. A lot of them are now beginning to search for a new way of working – there are not many that want to return to exactly to what it was before. This presents a great opportunity for employers. However, this window of opportunity will be closed in a year’s time when everyone will have got used to the ’new normal’. So, if change is to be implemented then, it will be much harder than doing it now.
We have seen just how sustainable the home office can be during the first couple of weeks of the coronavirus lockdown: empty trains, cancelled flights and almost no traffic jams. Children in cities were able to play on the streets outside their homes. The digitalisation of communication also had a huge impact onto the environment. A video meeting is now able to replace travelling between cities or even countries. However, a couple of things can only be sorted out over a cup of coffee in real face-to-face contact. So it is of advantage when journeys are short and when it is perhaps possible to meet at the café around the corner instead of the meeting room at the headquarters.•
“The Office will have to become the ’campfire’ for colleagues.”
Britta von Lackum Interior Designer and Workplace Development Specialist at the specialist furniture business Vitra
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that working from home does work and will be here to stay. Surveys amongst staff confirm this. This way employees experience a new work-life balance. The journey to the office falls away, more time remains for family and hobbies. The company reduces its ecological footprint. Any home-office is cheaper and better than badly designed business premises. This is why the office at home will be replacing the classic office cubicle. The actual office space within the organisation acquires a new meaning; when employees can continue working from home, the office requires less space, but it has to make itself more attractive at the same time. It will have to become the ’campfire’ for colleagues. The focus will therefore be more around exchange, creative collaboration, project work and will have to convey a feeling of belonging amongst colleagues. At the same time the office at home offers the possibility for companies to carry their brands into the home, by supporting their staff specifically through choice of furniture and technology. Moreover, coworking spaces will acquire a new meaning: people will be making increasingly use of them, also to avoid the daily commute to the office. Therefore the number of coworking spaces has to be increased, and that not only in cities but also in more rural areas. We at Vitra have noticed that over the last couple of years, business offices have been designed increasingly to look and feel like home environments and that this way a new sense of ’cosiness’ has moved into the office. Now it is time to create living environments, in which the working environment can be integrated in a functional and aesthetic way. •
Words: Elena Winter
Pictures: PR