JUNE - JULY 2022
Major trends among workspace innovators 1. Technology is the enabler, but the workspace is the glue. People are looking for inclusion and connection. Working from home (WFH) makes elements of life easier but can foment a sense of disconnection from colleagues and teams. The companies that are managing this contradiction best are those focused on long-term productivity and supporting the new generation entering the workforce, who will need special attention to ensure they get the upskilling previous generations have taken for granted. Many leaders, especially in knowledge-based industries such as the legal sector, are focusing in particular on generational and institutional knowledge, pairing graduates with seniors to learn the company and industry; younger folk will leave for competitors if their more established, experienced counterparts do not come to the office to educate, coach and mentor. The best at doing this have recognised that the workplace is a key component of differentiation in the war for talent.
accrued over the past two years, progressive managers are proactively setting rules for teams and providing digital tools for people to connect with each other and manage agendas, so when people do come to the office they have maximum opportunity to connect with others in person and get the best out of the workspace. If the in-office/WFH schedule is set well in advance and coordinated between teams, people can have all the respective advantages of working in the office (interpersonal collaboration and conversation, change of scene) and at home (avoiding the commute, quiet and space to concentrate on deep work). 3. Thinking of ‘workspace’ in more fluid terms.
To retain the benefits of flexible working that have
For many companies the “office” is no longer a single centralised location that is occupied five days a week. Innovative leaders are creating a network of workspaces where people work one day at a location convenient for some, another day at a different location convenient for others. They are also being creative with the use of space; research shows single workstations in open-plan settings are the least used, and they are
is required, especially given we are no longer in a low-vacancy market and there are more competitive propositions available to tenants. We are also still waiting
to see real estate align with hybrid working models and truly flexible, optimised workspaces. The country’s commercial zones are still mostly optimised on leases and are not structured for
2. Schedules are set deliberately, not casually.
steadily being replaced with purpose-built facilities for yoga practices or gym equipment, video gaming, or crèches or playrooms for children or pets. This follows the theme of allowing people to bring the best of working from home back into the shared workspace. In considering the use of space, human-centric design is increasingly important. This aligns workplace design with the work being performed, and away from bums-on-seats for line-of-sight management to spaces that are specifically designed for socialising, learning and collaboration. It is also possible to monitor occupancy in the current space (technology exists to support this) and feed this data into future iterations of office space that are suitable for long-term business HR planning and real-estate investment. 4. Centring purpose and sustainability. Workers increasingly want to see evidence of how their companies are operating more responsibly and sustainably, from both a social and climate standpoint. These points go to purpose – why people want to work for a company – as an important driver of happiness at work, while 91 percent of Gen Z how people engage with their workspace. At present, after the twoyear pandemic phase and many more years of underinvestment, New Zealand commercial real estate is
workers put sustainability as their top priority. Companies that are making office moves and communicating on the results (i.e. they can measure and discuss the sustainable impact of their choices of building and interior fit-out processes and materials) will reap the rewards of staff feeling heard and validated. 5. Treating time and attention as the most valuable elements. These days people should be “earning the commute”, meaning there needs to be a purpose in travelling to work other than doing the job you can do from home. The commuting time should be justified by learning new skills, getting specialist training, or collective actions such as a sales team getting together to do calling sessions, managers and direct reports working together, coaching or strategy sessions, team-building sessions, special speakers and so on. When people are together, make it rewarding outside the focus on work. Many businesses that are changing premises are looking for locations that provide amenities, so people can use the commute to shop, dine or see a movie or show on “office days”. falling further and further behind in terms of being ready for the future.
The carbon factor
Soon, carbon neutrality will be not just a nice-topropertyandbuild.com 33
