The office has to work harder in 2024. In a hybrid world, it’s more than just a place to work, and you need to be able to communicate why the workplace is important and the value of using it. Here are a few employee insights to help with your workplace strategy.
If the future office has got your workplace team scratching their heads, here’s some reassurance: it looks like the hybrid office is here to stay.
But there’s still a lot up in the air when it comes to planning and execution. Workplace utilization could still be improved. And how do we create a future work environment that suits everyone?
Modern office design is being reimagined. In the wake of a widespread transition to remote working, simply assigning a desk for every employee quickly loses relevance.
Workplaces must instead cater for a hybrid working style that can suit different preferences and be equipped with a variety of spaces to accommodate a range of activities, from collaborating to concentrating.
The challenge for workplace teams is to uncover the “why” of your office. While the answer may look slightly different for each organization, some common themes are a helpful starting point for your own spatial experiments.
And it’s worth the effort; office space optimization should pay off with a more productive workforce and less turnover. Plus, you could cut overheads by utilizing less space now that the five-day week in the office is “dead.”
So, what do employees want from the office in 2024?
What workers want: Good coffee and a desirable location
If we imagined the dream office, what might we find?
If you ask office workers, it’s a vibrant city, grocery stores, green spaces, and good coffee, according to Hassell Studio’s Great Adaptations: 2023 Workplace Futures Survey. Free food and convenient transport links are also high on the list of desirable amenities.
When it comes to style vs. substance, interior design alone isn’t enough. As we wrote previously, the office needs to be beautiful and in a desirable location, too. From a worker’s perspective, free lunch or an on-site coffee shop won’t make up for the office being in an unattractive part of town. So site selection is key.
There’s obviously a balance to be struck. Luckily, a more central location might be possible with a smaller office, and many companies are looking to do more with less.
Reducing friction: Employees need to see a ‘Return-on-Commute’ (ROC)
Good coffee is one thing. But is it enough?
Hint: the answer is “no.” Just like your CFO needs to see an ROI with workplace decision making,employees want a return on their commuting efforts when much of their job can be done at home.
Commuting costs time and money, and employers should consider that it’s not just travel that workers need to fork out for but childcare, pet care, plus lunch on the go.
So, the first step in improving their ROC is reducing friction, including minimizing costs where possible. Workers also don’t want to fall behind on errands they can squeeze into their home-based days, so those on-site facilities or nearby amenities (thanks to a well-chosen location) will help.
But time and money aren’t the only return. Employees also want to understand why office space is important and the value of making the trip. At the heart of a human centered workplace is connecting with others, and positioning the office as a cultural epicenter satisfies people’s need to gather while manifesting your company values.
Human centered design: People don’t come to the office (just) to work
It’s no longer a surprise: employees don’t come to the office just to work. They can complete most (if not all) their tasks at home and skip the 2-hour round commute.
Yes, offices still need nooks and dedicated quiet areas for workers to get their heads down, but getting ahead on task-based work isn’t what draws them in. Workers gather for the experience.
For all its lie-ins, snacks on tap and lunchtime bike rides, working from home can be a lonely existence. According to Buffer’s 2023 report on remote work, loneliness is a struggle for 23% of the remote workers surveyed, so getting employees’ social needs met should be factored into workplace design.
Here at Saltmine, we have four C’s of functional and purposeful offices that can influence employee happiness and engagement: connection, collaboration, creation and celebration. Selling the workplace as a vibrant hub where employees can make meaningful connections may make them more likely to catch that early train.
Welcome to the Clubhouse
Let’s admit it: most of us love our remote working comforts, and the home isn’t the only place the office is competing with. Employees can use the third space, like the coffee shop around the corner, to get their work done in a lively atmosphere while sipping good coffee.
Enter the Clubhouse-style office, combining the comforts of home with the community and connection of the coffee shop.
As we wrote in a previous blog, three reasons attract people to the office: socializing, education, and convenience. The Clubhouse office leans into human connection with the power of spatial design, opportunities for professional development, and on-site amenities like fitness classes or new mother rooms.
Employee wellness is still imperative
Workers have had a taste of the well-being and work-life balance that remote working affords them, and they like it. So, in order to tear them away from their families, pets, and new-found hobbies without resistance, you need to demonstrate that they can still prioritize their well-being by coming to the office.
Think flexible hours, green spaces, and even on-site beds. Anything that puts employees’ health and well-being at the top of mind. In terms of making the majority happy, prioritize the palatable commute first, then think about the dedicated gym.
Include employees from the beginning
Want to design an office you’re confident employees will love? Get their feedback on your current workplace, and make sure you listen, iterating your capital project with their experience in mind.
Taking action based on their feedback will increase trust, too. Rather than a project that workers are subjected to, they’re helping to shape it.
How to redesign your office space
The 2024 office has got to offer something that a desk at home can’t if employees are going to jump on that train in the morning. And the balance between location, amenities and layout will depend on a company’s individual culture, needs and budget. Making the location as convenient as possible while prioritizing human connection can be a good starting point. However, designing and programming a workplace to meet modern demands can be mind-boggling.
Want to optimize your workplace intelligently? A dedicated digital platform can help you streamline your processes and get stakeholders on board every step of the way for informed workplace decisions and swift sign-offs. With Saltmine, you can quickly determine which of those desirable on-site amenities fit your needs and budget and accelerate your site selection to find that perfect, vibrant location. All while cutting costs and time along the way.
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