Are employees willing to return?

Only 27% of employees are willing to return to their workspaces immediately, a recent study by Future Forum found, and when they do, will undoubtedly demand more from their buildings. So what can we do to provide a welcoming, safe workplace that employees actively ‘want’ to return and commute to?

While occupiers have missed in-person work-related discussions and socialising in the office the most, only 27% are willing to return to their workspaces immediately. Fears over safety protocols in the wake of the pandemic, and a lack of preparation in instigating these new protocols, has led to hesitancy in returning to the workplace. According to a recent India-based study, around one-third of developers are not adequately prepared to implement the new protocols required in the future hygiene-conscious office, and while 84% of occupiers would like to have some changes made to their workstations, around half are expecting significant to complete changes in the common area layout.

We must consider these demands when considering what the concept of an ‘office’ must be in the future of work. No longer is the office just a workspace, but instead needs to be a hub for collaboration, a statement in hygiene and safety procedures, and a destination worth the commute. The most cutting-edge technology will allow this concept to form - those working remotely with non ergonomic setups will ultimately lead to reduced productivity and fatigue - and encourage a return to an office environment.

A redesign of the office layout could potentially assuage the fears over COVID compliance. Extra spaced seating, hygiene barriers and designated ‘collaboration’ areas are all potential opportunities to increase employee trust, while encouraging a return to an internal environment.

As floor layouts change and employees work at the office on a more ad-hoc basis, organisations may also find they need office-navigation technologies. These include platforms showing how many rooms or desks have been booked or occupied, as well as wayfinding solutions that help colleagues find each other in the building. Implementing and using technology correctly will help deliver a frictionless experience, in a healthy environment, that adapts to the changing preferences of its users. This will create an office space that goes beyond the offerings working from home can afford and presents a different proposition altogether.

A flexible, low-cost alternative can be found in coworking, shared spaces. Industry insiders have predicted a pinch in these spaces, as employees fear returning to crowded spaces, and instead look for safe, blended-working options - with pre-existing technology to support efficient processes.

Jonathan Rosenblatt, co-founder and co-CEO at Spacemade, feels that establishing trust with these operators is of paramount importance when using shared working spaces. “Businesses don’t want to think about building compliance, air quality, sanitisers, extra cleaning and more, but they do want all of that to be taken care of. Thus, the trust rests with flexible workspace operators.”

Whether considering an office redesign, implementation of an extensive hygiene protocol or shifting to a hybrid-work pattern with coworking spaces, it is important we as employers build trust with our employees - providing the latest in technology to facilitate collaboration, and engaging with staff to understand the most effective, beneficial ways of working.