Transforming in the Workplace - New Opportunities

1 AIA LU (HSW)

The future of the workplace promises a significant increase in the amount of remote working, with more people demanding flexibility on when they need to make a daily commute into the office. While COVID-19 has changed the script on working at home, it also emphasizes the importance of the physical workplace. It is the marketplace or community where we physically gather, network, exchange, socialize, collaborate, build relationships, innovate, and learn. That physical proximity and face-to-face interaction is what builds trust among coworkers. While working at home will be an option, it’s the company office that serves as a communal touchstone, uniting people and forming culture.

The rise in the importance of happiness—the catalyst for innovation and creativity—will heighten the focus on the user experience and the provision of a safe and healthy workplace environment. Going forward, employees will take an active role in the creation of their environments: contributing to the processes and needs as the design progresses. Neuroscience research is no longer a nebulous concept for understanding workplace design and function. It is proven and supported by empirical data regarding focus, creativity, productivity and engagement. The practice of mindfulness will be ever more important as we need to retrain our brains to be in the present and centered on the now and the immediate task at hand—recognizing the need for spaces that allow us to focus.

Our connection to nature, both visually and physically, will become a standard feature in all workplaces through the integration of biophilic design. The exposure and glimpses of natural elements in a work environment will be increasingly important for employee health. The selection of healthy and responsibly sourced materials will become mainstream as manufacturers move to comply with rigorous sustainable compliance standards and employees expect good planet stewardship from their company.