SPACE PLANNING BY ANNIE BERGERON
RISE OF THE HYBRID OFFICE SO WHY DO PEOPLE WANT TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE?
Research shows that the top reason people want to come back to the office is the people. In fact, 54 per cent of respondents from Gensler’s survey say their colleagues are what they miss the most about the office. While workfrom-home has made it possible to keep momentum for most work functions, it is not a perfect substitute for work that’s done together. This all begs for a change in how the workplace functions. As we start making the transition back to the office, and as we resettle more permanently, the kinds of collaboration, teamwork and meetings that make up our daily work lives will need to embrace a new “hybrid reality” — a blend of analog and virtual participation that could redefine how we accomplish work going forward. WHAT WILL THE NEW HYBRID WORKPLACE LOOK LIKE?
Instead of a step back in time, this era will be a catalyst for positive change: we will be moving forward to a new place, modified in strategic ways, incorporating new practices, new protocols and new technologies.
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he future of work will integrate the lessons learned from our extended time working from home, an experience that many businesses have transitioned to with minimal friction, and free us from preconceived notions about place and productivity. While the Gensler U.S. Work From Home Survey 2020 shows with real data that most people want to return to the office the majority of their week, employees also want a future in which they have more choice
and agency than they did before the pandemic. Despite declarations from some that full-time work-fromhome arrangements will remain after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, there are many indicators that permanent work-from-home arrangements are not sustainable for culture, innovation and talent development, nor is it a replacement for the speed of trust and collaboration that’s built through face-to-face work. Collaborative work moves forward at the speed of trust that is built into our relationships.
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While empty in the short term, a return to the office demands that we create an ecosystem of workplace experiences that employees cannot get at home in order for a hybrid future to be successful. Productivity myths around working from home have been thoroughly debunked. In fact, a report from NordVPN (March 2020) revealed that Canadians increased their average workday by 2 hours since the onset of the pandemic. We know that focused work can happen successfully at home. Remote work has also made it clear which spaces best facilitate collaboration, focus, learning and socializing. What’s emerging is a hybrid future, with people working and collaborating from home and from the office.When people return to the office, 60 per cent reported they expect more choices in how to work, including increased opportunities to work remotely.
