bluespace Seattle - Adapting to the Future of Work

Adapting to the Future of Work: A Guide to Work Style Readiness and Employee Retention WHITEPAPER

Adapting to the Future of Work: A Guide to Work Style Readiness and Employee Retention

What’s driving employees to want to return to work? Are they needing the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule? Are they seeking the opposite and yearning for a full-time return? Questions like these seem to be questions of the century. Whether you’re needing to adapt your workplace to have private offices, flexible workstations or collaboration zones, we’re here to help guide you.

We’ve worked closely with our manufacturing partners, local businesses and the Architecture, Design and Engineering community to understand the needs, wants and desires of the future of work. By having these collaborative partnerships, we’ve been able gain first-hand experience in discovering how dynamic working styles can help retain and attract new talent. So, what is the key driver to a successful return? We’ve found there is no one-way answer and to clearly map out the best route depends on your business, your vision and your workplace culture. With bluespace behind the wheel, we invite you to sit back, relax and join us as we explore dynamic working styles.

“Enhance your workplace culture and encourage dynamic working styles.”

What are the Benefits of Returning to Work?

Walking through the front doors of your established workplace saying, “Good morning” to your colleagues and stopping in the breakroom to make a cup of coffee before settling into your workstation, seems as if it’s a relic of the past. With more than 73% of people stating that they miss the social aspects of going into work every day, we’ve found that not only is human interaction critical to boosting individual morale, it enhances team collaboration and overall success (Parker et al.).

Keep ideas flowing and teams connected with collaborative spaces designed to enhance various team functions and operations. Employees thrive on workplace culture. By bringing employees back into the office, you can re-activate your company’s culture to meet the needs and expectations of your teams. With augmented meeting and training spaces, you can encourage employees to build rapport with their colleagues. These in-person connections can help to spark ideas and facilitate innovation. Keep ideas flowing and teams connected with collaborative spaces that unlock the potential of people at work.

By returning to the workplace, you also have the opportunity to have a workstation that’s specifically crafted to meet the needs of your work. According to KI Furniture, 70% of Americans remain seated while working (Bossen). This type of restrictive working style prohibits employees from having a healthy working environment. With ergonomic solutions, you can create a culture of wellness. Increase productivity with sit-to-stand desks. Pair these systems with chairs designed for optimal lumbar support. Implement these benefits throughout your workplace and employees will be encouraged to return and will be immersed in an environment that sets them up for success!

Streamline workplace cohesiveness by embracing the changes that come with the future of work. By adapting to new models of workplace strategy and design, you can be a leader in workplace evolution. The adoption of these changes not only helps you to retain your current workforce, but attract new employees. According to Gensler’s U.S. Workplace Survey Winter 2021, 82% of top-performing companies remained in-office during the pandemic and four out of five employees choose to work in-office when given the option (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). With flexible solutions, you can design a workplace that employees look forward to going to.

What are the Five Dynamic Working Styles and Why Do They Matter?

When preparing for a return to the office, we’ve found that 70% of business owners are reconsidering their workspace (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). Whether that means moving to another location, or remodeling the space they’re currently in, this dilemma has left many wondering how to do so without going over budget and/or jeopardizing their workplace culture. Let’s dive right in and discover how you can unlock the potential of people at work.

According to Gensler, more than 53% of companies are planning to have flexible solutions for a complete return to the workplace (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). Only one in ten workers are expecting to stay fully remote, while most are planning to work from the office. Whether that means full-time or having a flexible schedule depends on many factors. To better understand what direction to take for your business depends on just that - your business (McLaurin).

53%

More than 53% of companies are planning to have flexible solutions.

Only one in ten workers are expecting to stay fully remote, while most are planning to work from the office.

The Full Return to the Workplace 1

Business owners are not alone when re-evaluating returning to work. Employees are also reconsidering the pros and cons of their current working style. Therefore, the importance of creating a workplace ecosystem that exceeds their expectations has become more than invaluable (McGregor). By designing both indoor and outdoor workspaces, you incentivize them to feel good in the space they’re in. employees to return to a workplace that empowers

Employees not only want to return to work, but need to. According to Gensler, 55% of employees cite in-person connections as the main driver for wanting to return full-time. More than 45% of those polled stated that working in-person allows them to connect with their colleagues, feel less lonely and overall improves their feelings of inclusion and belonging (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). As we look towards the future of work, socialization and collaborative aspects continue to outweigh the benefits of working remotely.

Full-time Executives and Core Teams Only 2

The rewards of this working style are endless. By bringing everyone back full-time, you can enhance workplace culture, encourage collaboration and promote wellness throughout design. Define your space to reflect versatility, functionality and the style of your business. Elevate day-to-day activities with workstations that support ergonomics.

With this working style, some benefits can still be attained. These benefits become limited when you don’t have access to working in-person. The advances in technology have allowed us to work from anywhere. While many companies were already meeting virtually, the term “zooming” became commonly used by those suddenly working from home. Now that we’re entering the

future of work, this working style inhibits connection, collaboration, and workplace culture (Meine).

Hoteling and Co-working 3

A survey performed by Work Mind shows that more than 30% of companies had to downsize their workplace, demonstrating an inevitable need to reconfigure workstations, offices and collaborative spaces (35% Of Companies Plan to Downsize Office Space in 2021). This leaves many businesses seeking long-term solutions. Hoteling workstations and co-working spaces can help you to reduce costs and your overall carbon footprint.

Although there is an advantage in reducing these measures, the benefits of this working style do become limited.

With more than 50% of employees wanting their own private space, hoteling workstations may discourage employees from wanting to return. This can cause dissonance between the company and its inclusive culture (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). Hoteling workstations can also put a constraint on your employees and their personal autonomy. This becomes more evident when working from shared co-working spaces, as these working environments may not represent your company’s vision, goals and long-term objectives (Coleman et al.).

Fully Remote 4

Only 1 in 10 workers are expecting to stay fully remote. As this can seem advantageous for many, they miss the opportunity to have the benefits that the other working styles offer. This missed opportunity can actually be more detrimental than beneficial. According to a survey performed by the PEW Research Center, results show a lack of community, connection and workplace culture when employees are teleworking full-time (Parker et al.).

If keeping your company fully remote is your only option, you can still help to enhance employees that are working from home. As they won’t be able to make in-person connections with their colleagues, they can still reap benefits that the other working styles offer. For example, you can help to facilitate a healthy working environment (Rethink Office Layouts to Improve Workers’ Health). By supplementing an allowance, you can help to increase productivity and wellness throughout design.

5

Destination Workplace

Redefine your space by switching lanes and changing the narrative on what a workspace is and how it functions. Encourage wellness with tranquility zones that allow for deep thought and concentration. Promote workplace culture by having a refresh center where employees can take a break and play a game to connect with colleagues. Remodel meeting rooms to augment team performance and operations. Create a place that feels like home, but offers an escape from the home office. Steer innovation in a new direction by designing a new kind of space, a space that you feel good about going to. This destination workplace is what we like to call a bluespace.

Conclusion:

By understanding these dynamic working styles, you can begin to envision what the evolution of work looks like for your business. More than 70% consider having the opportunity to return to a workplace that offers both open and private workspaces as the ideal working environment (US Workplace Survey Winter 2021). With modifiable ergonomic furniture, you can transform your workplace culture by promoting wellness throughout design. With division screens and demountable glass wall systems you can increase space between workstations, create additional private offices and cultivate collaborative workspaces without hindering the structure of the building.

Our team of experts work collectively to drive your business, your company culture, and your brand into the future of work. Retain and attract employees by revising your workplace into a space that people choose to be rather than need to be. Break barriers and imagine the possibilities of a workplace that employees feel driven and empowered being in. No matter what your company’s working style is, we’re here to navigate every stop, turn and fork in the road as we work with you to evolve your space into a new kind of space; a bluespace.

“Evolve your space into a new kind of space.”

Works Cited:

Bossen, Drew. “Office Ergonomics.” KI Furniture, www.ki.widen.net/content/s6io8pwndx/pdf/Likha-Casegoods-Brochure.pdf?u=vzbxfu.

By Cindy Coleman and Don Ricker. “10 Considerations for Transitioning Back to Work in a Post-Covid-19 World.” Gensler, 31 Mar. 2022, www.gensler.com/blog/10-considerations-for-transitioning-back-to-work-ina-post.

By Content Team. “35% Of Companies Plan to Downsize Office Space in 2021 – Says New Survey.” Work in Mind, 6 May 2021, www.workinmind.org/2021/03/17/35-of-companies-plan-to-downsize-officespace-in-2021-says-new-survey/.

By Gensler Research Institute. “US Workplace Survey Winter 2021.” Gensler, 14 Dec. 2021, www.gensler. com/gri/us-workplace-survey-winter-2021.

By KI Furniture. “Rethink Office Layouts to Improve Workers’ Health.” KI Furniture, www.ki.com/insights/ blog/rethink-office-layouts-to-improve-workers-health/.

Meine, Hunter. “Setting up a Hybrid Work Schedule That Works for You.” Entrepreneur, 9 Feb. 2022, www.entrepreneur.com/article/415883.

McGregor, Jena. “Two Years into the Pandemic, Almost Twice as Many Workers Prefer Hybrid Schedules to Fully Remote Work.” Forbes Magazine, 14 Apr. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/2022/03/15/ two-years-into-the-pandemic-almost-twice-as-many-workers-prefer-hybrid-schedules-to-fully-remotework/?sh=433b3da877ec.

McLaurin, Janet Pogue. “How Are Companies and Employees Planning for the Future of the Office?” Gensler, 6 Jan. 2022, www.gensler.com/blog/how-are-companies-planning-for-the-futureoffice?e=media%29.

Parker, Kim, et al. “Covid-19 Pandemic Continues to Reshape Work in America.” Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, 23 Mar. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/socialtrends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-continues-to-reshape-work-in-america/.