Trends in Collaborative and Individual Workspaces

A friend reached out with this question - "I have a client asking for 'exciting new workplace trends'. Your thoughts?" Pasted below is my response: I've been fortunate enough to have some awesome guests on Imagine a Place that helped to inform this list! My email below.... Based on my experience, I would tell them this -- "Exciting new trends based on office changes" can often steer people down the wrong path. At this point Sustainability, Wellbeing, Access, Belonging... Being human centered in your thinking -- These things are a given, they are not trends, they are just moral requirements... It's good design.... So... What else is list-worthy that is bigger than a "trend"?? Here you go -- this isn't a flashy list of trends, but I find these to be universal and never go out of style: 1) Do the work of asking and listening to your staff. It's exhausting at times, but gather lots of input and create the best sense of inclusion you can while setting the expectation that you may not be able to achieve everything on their wish lists. 2) Prioritize natural elements in the space -- Patterns, textures, colors, plants, props, daylight, views to the outdoors, respite rooms with outdoor scents or sounds -- It's critical to a healthy day indoors (and a productive/creative day). 3) Give up some control -- Create spaces that are easy to manipulate on the fly. Some of the meeting rooms should be multipurpose to serve functions from social gatherings, to ideation sessions and zoom calls. Individual spaces should allow for personalization through Height Adjustability, Task Lighting, and the ability to relocate. Hackability is key. 4) Create a change ready space -- This is a space that prefers soft architecture and uses furniture solutions to define space rather than formal architecture. The only thing that will never go out of style is the ability to adapt a space based on changing preferences and workstyles. AI will inevitably change the nature of our work, and space will need to adapt over time to foster more creative engagement and social connections -- We need to invest in floor plates that can flex with this change of how we will do our work.    5) Spend 85-90% of the budget you've planned and hold 10-15% back. Then... Over the next 18 months, get feedback and hear people's requests. Use that left over 10-15% to deliver on those changes. 6) A well designed workplace can feel like a very sophisticated tool when compared to yesterday's cube farm. You can't assume that everyone will know the best way to use this new tool. Investing in change management and communicating the purpose behind new space concepts will help users best know how to get the most out their new space. Office leadership also plays a key part in role-modeling new ways of using space. Want more ideas??? The You+ section of our website is a place where we've been curating content and thought starters just like this. #workplacedesign #interdesign

Dr. Gleb Tsipursky in Fortune yesterday paints a comprehensive picture of current trends in the knowledge workplace in America. As usual in Tsipursky's articles, there are choice nuggets of data and common sense that are compelling and predictive. - Currently, 25% of work performed is now done at home; up from 5% in 2019 (Nick Bloom data). This percentage remains likely to increase over time. - Current flexible hybrid models are now 1%-3% more productive than in-person models. Continuing refinement and emerging workplace tech will raise this number. - Till now, employers were focused on redesigning legacy space. Many now realize that is a futile exercise; the focus should be on the distributed remote workplace. - Evaluating what work should be done in an office vs. remotely is individual to each job and team. Mandates of X days in an office for all are ridiculous and generate negative productivity. - If an organization has not researched how best to implement business processes and workflow on a team or individual level, it is leaving money on the table, lowering its growth potential, and likely frustrating employees. - Research shows that fully remote work is less costly but lags behind hybrid in terms of overall productivity. Recent data shows that hybrid is by far the preferred option to all-in-office or remote models If this is the current status, what can we envision for the future? 1) We should stop thinking like Digital computers - 1/ 0, on/off, up/down and start thinking like Quantum computers...like the movie "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once!" An organization can operate in all three workplace modes at the same time and this is not prohibited. Some workers may best perform together in an office all the time. If that exists, do it. Figure out what's best for everyone else and do that. 2) While downtowns will remain, in the future they likely will perform a very different function than before. Leadership and C-Suites may be there; but most workers will be located in the distributed, 15-minute communities of tomorrow. Much more multipurpose facilities including office of some type, retail, and entertainment that is more easily accessed and convenient to all. Flow and Flow-type living and workplaces will blossom and be cherished by residents. Adam Newmann has the right vision. 3) While there is a keen focus on legacy office buildings today, this will dissipate over time as investors and lenders take the serious financial hits coming. But only they will care about this. Business and the workplace will continue to move forward.

A pivotal study highlighted in Nature provides vital insights for the upcoming year. The research underscores a critical challenge associated with remote work: while this mode of collaboration broadens access to diverse knowledge pools (and potentially lowers labor costs), it often fails to achieve the deep team integration necessary for trailblazing, conceptual innovations. Therefore, the study finds, remote teams are better suited for iteration and maintenance than for innovation. This finding holds profound implications for businesses, especially as we head into 2024. Companies dedicated to fostering groundbreaking advancements must critically evaluate their work arrangements. The data indicates that remote work, despite its benefits, might be a double-edged sword in the pursuit of disruptive innovation. Remote setups can inadvertently create barriers to the organic, often serendipitous interactions that fuel creative leaps. These interactions are more naturally fostered in co-located environments, where team members can engage more dynamically and intuitively. Consequently, firms that aim to be at the forefront of innovation in their fields are now faced with a strategic decision: finding the optimal balance between the flexibility of remote work and the integrative power of in-person collaboration. This balance is not just a logistical consideration but a strategic imperative, crucial for cultivating the collaborative synergy essential for path-breaking innovations. https://lnkd.in/dfmDp8Vz

The debate rages on about RTO and hybrid work, with big tech companies returning workers on-site. However, I have seen with my team that hybrid is ideal for sparking creative thinking. Innovation thrives on collaboration. There's no replicating those organic “water cooler” chats when you’re together in the office. That sense of energy and serendipity gets the ideas flowing. However, evaluating these ideas requires focus, and our home offices provide fewer distractions than the traditional workspace. We can contemplate ideas, research solutions (using Gen AI), and develop innovative solutions at home. A hybrid schedule gives us the best of both worlds. Brainstorm and collaborate in the office. Analyze and evaluate from home. This balances creative socialization with thoughtful incubation. I've seen it work with my own eyes. Our hybrid data science team at Guidehouse generates twice as many proofs-of-concept and MVPs as entirely on-site staff. They also report higher job satisfaction. That well-being fuels greater creativity. Of course, hybrid isn’t a panacea. It requires clear communication, designated in-office days, and understanding from leadership. But the data is clear: given the proper structure, hybrid models drive innovation. The future of work is here. Organizations must be open to new approaches that allow in-person camaraderie and individual focus. This best equips teams to ideate, evaluate, and deliver breakthroughs. #HybridWorkModel #Innovation #TechIndustry #AWS #FutureOfWork

Hybrid Work in 2023: Are we energizing collaboration & bridging the generational gap or draining creativity and creating generational silos? As we embrace the evolving landscape of hybrid work, fascinating insights emerge from the latest Jabra Hybrid Ways of Working 2023 Report. Key areas on interest from me 🔹 Collaboration is Key: A whopping 59% of employees feel more energized and purposeful when working alongside their colleagues, be it virtually or in person. This camaraderie isn't just about getting the job done; it's about feeling included and motivated! 🤝✨ 🔹 Comfort in Communication: The comfort zone for expressing ideas varies with the medium. One-third prefer the digital ease of video calls for sharing thoughts, while a quarter find their voice stronger in physical settings. It’s all about what works for each individual! 🎥🗣️ 🔹 Generational Dynamics: Here's a digital divide twist - Gen Z and Millennials often feel left out in online meetings, in stark contrast to the more inclusive experiences of Gen X and Boomers. Bridging this gap is crucial for a cohesive team spirit. 🌉👥 🔹 Trust Through Technology: Seeing is believing, and 64% of employees agree! Being able to visually connect with colleagues during virtual meetings fosters trust and opens the door to more fruitful collaborations. 🖥️💼 🔹 Tech Comfort vs. Tech Savvy: Despite advancements, 30% are still hesitant to use sophisticated meeting room tech, preferring the familiarity of their laptops. And only 15% report that all their office meeting rooms are video-equipped. There’s room for growth in making tech more user-friendly and accessible. 🤔💡 I'll be honest, I was actually quite surprised and pleasantly impressed with both the types of questions and therefore insights that have been highlighted in this report. I learnt some stuff I didn't know before :) #HybridWorking #WorkplaceInnovation #FutureOfWork #TeamCollaboration

At Cisco, we’ve been studying changing working preferences and experiences for years. It is now more clear than ever: Hybrid work is here to stay. Our Reimagining Workspaces Study, released today, found that Canadian employees are showing more openness to working in the office and are craving #collaboration and social interaction, yet office spaces fall short of delivering these needs. Employees feel there are gaps in the in-office experience, and only 40% believe their office spaces are very well prepared to support evolving hybrid working needs. #AI can drastically improve collaboration, productivity and working experiences, but AI adoption among employers remains a barrier. Only 21% of employers plan to prioritize AI technology in their office redesign. Companies in 2024 need to invest strategically to update meeting spaces, deploy hybrid work technology, and modernize office layouts to prioritize collaboration for their hybrid workforce. At Cisco, we think of the office as a magnet, not a mandate. This means building a space so inviting and supportive of collaboration and creativity that it’s hard to resist. Although not every day! I spoke with The Globe and Mail and Déjà Leonard about why organizations should adapt to evolving hybrid work needs so they can best support both productivity and purpose. Check it out here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ebSEQJkW

A new research paper (https://lnkd.in/gtKKbYTW) titled "Remote Collaboration Fuses Fewer Breakthrough Ideas" quantitatively demonstrates the case for in-person collaboration, stating: "We further show that across all fields, periods and team sizes, researchers in these remote teams are consistently less likely to make breakthrough discoveries relative to their on-site counterparts." Why? "Although remote collaboration permits more novel combinations of knowledge, it also makes it harder for teams to integrate the pieces." It's a fascinating read. I think we're going to see a shift back to in-person work for disruptive, innovative work. If you're doing insurance claims processing, or other relatively standalone routine work, I think that will remain remote. But to truly innovate, I think you really have to have people together for sustained periods of time.

Is the Traditional Office Dead in the Hybrid Work Era? The seismic shift towards hybrid work models is rewriting the rules of the corporate real estate game. As the rigidity of traditional office spaces clashes with the fluidity of modern work dynamics, the spotlight is shifting towards coworking spaces. These agile environments are breaking down the walls of conventional corporate setups, offering a blend of flexibility, community, and financial savvy. Take a typical scenario from one of my clients: a global financial firm, once tethered to a sprawling, underutilized 10,000-square-foot training facility, now harnesses the power of coworking spaces, renting cutting-edge meeting rooms only when needed. The savings? A substantial six-figure sum annually. It's not just about cost-cutting. The canvas of coworking spaces is rich with collaboration and innovation, woven together by a diverse community of professionals. It’s where a casual conversation between a renewable energy entrepreneur and a data scientist sparks a groundbreaking improvement in solar panel efficiency. The financial narrative is compelling too. Unlike the hidden costs buried in traditional office leases, coworking spaces offer an all-inclusive pricing model, bundling utilities, maintenance, and a plethora of amenities into a transparent membership fee. It’s a model that empowers companies, big or small, to scale with ease, aligning real estate costs with actual needs without getting ensnared in long-term leases. For more details and citations, see my Entrepreneur Media article in the comments.

🎓 An Eye-Opening Classroom Discussion: Where Do College Students See Themselves in the Future Workplace? 🌐 I recently had the incredible opportunity to lead a discussion with my students about the evolution of the workplace; an interactive exercise that delved deep into the past, present & future work environments. We looked at two photos—one depicting a traditional office & one portraying a modern, flexible ecosystem of diverse workspaces. 📸 Photo 1: The Traditional Workplace A single building, tightly packed cubicles & offices, and where all employees gathered in one place. I explained this was the norm for decades & represents what many consider a 'traditional' workplace. 📸 Photo 2: The Future Work Ecosystem An array of environments— open-plan offices, co-working spaces, home offices & even outdoor areas. A decentralized & adaptive environment designed for both individual & team work. 🗣 Student Insights I asked my students to contemplate which of these work environments they would choose upon graduation & why. The consensus was overwhelmingly in favor of the future work ecosystem & their reasons; not shocking: 🌟 Flexibility & Mental Health Students felt the future ecosystem's flexibility catered to varying mental health needs. The future ecosystem gave them the ability to select a workspace that aligns with the task at hand & also gives the autonomy to align their surroundings with their mental state. 🌟 Work-Life Balance They felt the future workspace should ADAPT TO THE EMPLOYEE, not the other way around. (MIC DROP!! 🎤 ) 🌟 Inclusivity & Diverse Abilities They felt the traditional office was limiting for those with varying physical and emotional needs, as well as for those who are neurodivergent. The future ecosystem; a place that was not a “one size fits all” seemed better; accommodating different working styles, backgrounds, & needs. 🌟 Wellness & Work-Life Balance Students unanimously felt that a more dynamic, adaptable environment would better support their well-being. Spaces dedicated to relaxation or physical activity that offer necessary breaks, thereby promoting a more balanced and healthy lifestyle was critical. 🌟 Fostering Innovation Students felt that a flexible environment would naturally foster creativity and innovation, as it allows for the spontaneous interactions & quiet contemplation that led to breakthroughs; about the ways an ecosystem naturally encourages cross-disciplinary interaction, spontaneous brainstorming sessions, and innovation. As a professor, I couldn’t be more thrilled to see that my students desire to work in environments that align with their values. It was the most productive & profound conversation I've had – way more than conversations with leaders who are fixated on a 4th round of RTO mandates that take very little of the above into consideration. This generation is coming - fast & furious. What they demand - will be uncompromising and personally I can't wait.

The way we work has undergone a significant transformation, and it's evident that the future of work lies in embracing hybrid arrangements. As organizations navigate this complex landscape, it's essential to go beyond surface-level solutions and take a human-centered approach to design a better hybrid work environment. I would advocate three areas that can make a big difference: 🔹 First, let's revisit the fundamental psychological needs of people at work. The renowned organizational psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan emphasize three essential needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy grants individuals control over their work and lives, fostering a sense of choice and self-direction. Competence involves feeling capable and effective, with opportunities for growth and mastery. Relatedness speaks to our need for connection, belonging, and positive relationships with others. Additionally, Daniel Pink highlights the power of purpose, aligning work with greater meaning. How might we intentionally design workspaces—whether office, virtual, home, or customer sites—to support these needs and empower individuals to have control, feel capable, connected, and aligned with a meaningful outcome? Considering the pros and cons of each workspace, how can the hybrid work arrangement help employees maintain and enhance their well-being? 🔹 Second, applying Design Thinking Mindset: A design thinking mindset allows us to creatively solve complex problems while putting people at the center. 1️⃣ Empathize: Understand the needs and challenges of your employees. By walking in their shoes, you'll uncover insights and opportunities for improvement. 2️⃣Define: Shift the focus from bringing employees back to the office to equipping them to excel, regardless of location. Open up new possibilities and encourage creative thinking! 3️⃣ Ideate: Foster collaboration and diversity of thought. Brainstorm with stakeholders and explore unconventional approaches to enhance productivity and well-being. 4️⃣ Prototype and Test: Transform ideas into prototypes and gather feedback. Iterate and improve to ensure your solutions align with employee needs. 🚀 🔹 Lastly, managers and employees must learn new #skills to thrive in a hybrid work environment. Leading effective hybrid distributed teams, mastering influence, being aware of unconscious bias, and building trust and accountability are vital for success. While technology plays a crucial role, I've focused on the human aspects here. Technology should serve the jobs to be done and enable the hybrid work environment to bring out our best. Let's embrace the complexity of hybrid work and design a future where employees flourish and achieve their highest potential. Together, we can make work truly fulfilling, wherever it may take us! 💪 Credits to thought leaders: Tim Brown, Suzanne Gibbs Howard #hybridworking #designthinking #employeewellbeing #futureofwork #humanresources #leadership #ideo #growth