In the early 90s, offices looked very different from now. From the 1960s onwards, open-plan offices gained popularity due to an increasing need for flexibility and collaboration. Nowadays, more and more companies are engaging in "flex" work or "activity-based" work. The recent pandemic may have an impact on our vision for the future. What will the office of the future look like?
Most companies will want to continue teleworking. Working from home is experienced as convenient by many employees. At the beginning of 2020, we quickly started working from home, but the office environment has in many cases not yet changed. Meanwhile, it is time to think about how we will structurally organize and arrange working in the office.
Organisation
According to the research by Daniel David, Ph.D and senior researcher, there are currently five office models:
- The situation as it was: employees fully return to the office.
- Clubhouse: a hybrid model where employees return to the office on some days and work from home on other days.
- Activity-based working: employees work in the office but do not have an assigned desk. The work location varies. In a clubhouse (hybrid) model, only 5 desks would be needed for 10 employees.
- Hub and Spoke: employees work from satellite offices close to their place of residence.
- Fully virtual: employees work entirely from home or another location.
Most employees prefer the hybrid clubhouse model. It is important to listen to the needs of the employees. As an organisation, also keep in mind that some employees will still work full-time in the office.
The clubhouse model – the model of the future
Concentrated work can be done from home, but this possibility must also be present in the office. It is unrealistic to think that no more concentration work will be done in the office of the future. The basic workplace must be quiet and allow for concentrated work. Meetings and calls take place in separate rooms. Preferably, a maximum of four people per room are provided. This principle deviates from the open "office garden". People want an office with fewer stimuli. In the future, common areas will be smaller or consist of islands separated by walls.
The basic workplace will no longer be a pure sitting workstation. Sitting for long periods is unhealthy, and alternation with standing work is therefore the norm. This first requires a cultural change in the organisation: managers who set a good example and regularly stand up during meetings, lunch walks and exercise campaigns, a gym membership for employees, pedometers, the installation of lockers, a bicycle shed with repair material, and so on. Subsequently, furniture can be purchased that encourages movement and standing work.
The office of the future will be a meeting place and may therefore be furnished as such. The refectory can be set up multivalently so that in addition to taking breaks, visitors can also be received. In addition, lounge areas can be provided. Please note that these areas must be far enough from the basic workplace to allow for concentrated work.
Online calls can be done from home, but it will also happen that these online meeting moments take place in the office in between. Provide spaces where one can call or hold online meetings. Think of separate cells, a kind of phone booths. The noise coming from these calling workstations must not disturb the basic workplace.
Finally, the office of the future will be fully utilized for collaboration. Meeting rooms will become more important and therefore take up more space. Furnish the meeting rooms based on their purpose: formal, informal, brainstorm, training, consultation… Ensure variety between sitting and standing/moving meetings.
Technology
Create a pleasant working environment in the office. Use the latest technologies (and state of knowledge) in terms of ventilation, climate, and lighting systems and manage these systems afterwards like a good parent. Compared to before, a higher ventilation rate, reduced recirculation, and thus more fresh air and better filters are probably desirable. Choose integrated lighting, adapted to the human biorhythm. Furthermore, the ceiling, walls, floor, and cabinets should dampen sound as much as possible. Placing partitions between desks will often be insufficient and limit deep vision.
Don't lose sight of the home workplace
In a hybrid system, structural teleworking (minimum one day a week) applies. The importance of a healthy home workplace is increasing. The same conditions in the office should also be achievable at home. Employees must be informed and have ergonomic equipment. A separate keyboard and mouse, large screen, office chair, and height-adjustable table are a must.
Involve the internal and external prevention adviser from the design stage. This is also the first step for renovations or when purchasing new furniture. Let Premed advise you or provide training. In addition, we can perform risk analyses to check if you are on the right track and to identify action points. Our team of prevention advisers for occupational safety, ergonomics, psychosocial aspects, and occupational hygiene is ready for you.
