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How To Make The Workplace Future-Ready

Forbes Technology Council

President and CEO of Vodafone US Inc., leading Vodafone Business commercial operations throughout North America.

Only two years ago, Americans commuted to work for an average of 27.6 minutes each way, five days a week. Meetings were in physical conference rooms, and if someone had a question, they just walked over to a co-worker’s desk. They also rarely used any teleconferencing tools.

Now, as we emerge from our pandemic-driven ad hoc offices, most workers don’t want a return to that past with its ever-longer commutes. The findings of an Accenture study reveal that 63% of high-revenue growth companies embraced using “productivity anywhere” hybrid workforce models. Or said another way, winners support mixed work.

Workers want to keep the advantages of the past and the benefits of working from home. According to Gallup, only 9% want to work entirely in the office. A resounding majority—59%—prefers a combination of a few days in the office and a few days working from home.

These numbers may surprise some but align with our Vodafone research. In a report conducted in partnership with the London School of Economics called “Fit for the Future,” we found that 44% of respondents want the “freedom and autonomy to work in ways that best suit them.” Additionally, 40% want flexibility in the hours they work.

Employees want the workplace to transform. And businesses will need to prepare for it to attract employees and generate a productive workplace culture.

Transforming The Old Office Into A Workplace Hub

Change doesn’t have to be jarring—not after we’ve gone through a global pandemic that forced many tech improvements. But forward-looking businesses must be willing to engage with technology and take purposeful measures to ensure equity in their approaches. A great way to do that is to take suggestions from managers and employees and then experiment and revise until they get it right.

The new office must become a technology hub where employees can visit for a specific purpose, such as a meeting or a brainstorming session. They should have a seamless experience via technology to work from anywhere. The goal is to use technology to ensure parity among those working in the hub, home or anywhere else.

The reinvented office can also be where new employees gather and get to know each other as people, rather than names attached to a Slack or Microsoft Teams message or an email. Make sure they receive training and mentorship in the office, too. In short, the reinvented office is an ecosystem that enables a flexible working model and supports connection, co-creation and concentration.

To reinvent their offices, businesses must perform an overall workplace tech review. Non-desk spaces will likely need a hybrid tech setup, including two screens and video conferencing equipment. The reinvention process can also be a perfect opportunity to review the carbon footprint of the organization’s office space and look for ways to reduce power consumption or extend the life of office equipment rather than follow the purchase-use-discard mindset of the traditional linear economy.

Companies will also require shared calendars and booking apps to reserve spots in the workplace. Employees can then plan which days they’ll be in the office and let others know when they’ll be in for scheduled meetings or interactions. Additionally, these businesses should consider providing an option to book lockers and desks to free up desks that aren’t being used. They also may need to enact penalties for those who book spaces but don’t show up.

While performing the workplace tech review, businesses should ensure inclusivity of all types of physical and neurocognitive disabilities. They should also indicate accessibility across various settings on their reservation apps. Because change must come from the top, companies should set recommended guidance around manager presence and the equitable treatment of workers who choose to be remote more often.

Communicating with teams through community channels can also help bring about better in-person interactions. Companies must develop a clear message, with directives around what activities should be carried out in-person, virtually or hybrid. For example, a business could declare that all project kickoffs occur at the workplace hub. If your traditional office is large, you can declare team zones—everyone in finance sits in a particular area, for example, if there are no permanent desks.

Finally, not every employee will have a quiet space at home where they can work. Therefore, these people should be given space and tools for individual heads-down work.

Encouraging New Ways Of Working

The goal is to encourage employees to embrace new ways of working. You’ll need to provide the tech, tools and stimuli to get there. It’s time to walk away from the past and drop the traditional office. The traditional workplace isn’t flexible for our new paradigm. It’s time to transform the workplace so we can create an inclusive, tech-forward space for connection and productivity.


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