It would have been hard to miss the seismic shift in the way that people work over the last few years – a shift triggered by the pandemic and enabled by technology. This has had a lasting impact on the pattern of economic life, with the amount of time spent working from home having increased, and hybrid arrangements now very much seen as normal. As a result of this, though, we are seeing a lot of discussion around how to keep a strong company culture and team ethos. Elon Musk’s polarising comments about people ‘pretending to work’ whilst at home demonstrate the importance of business leaders being able to trust their workforce, and the need to create a cohesive environment that encourages them to make an impact. This is where the modern workspace can step in – gone are the days that businesses could merely treat offices as somewhere that exists simply to provide desk space. There is an opportunity now for the focus to move onto making them a destination that combines work wellbeing with both personal and professional development.

Shifting expectations for the workplace

Many people will have experienced the kind of office that would fit into the category that I’d call ‘past its sell by date’. Those (often glass) open plan boxes that are lifeless and soulless, with employees crammed in, encouraged to work hard, nowhere to escape, pushed to focus on productivity only at the expense of all else. This might be offset by the subsidised gym membership, pension scheme, and bang average salary, but these days a workspace like this will meet neither the needs and desires of the worker, nor (though some may only just be waking up to this) their employer.

People need to be looking at what the workspace can offer in a different way. Employees may not be going into the office on a daily basis anymore, but when they do their expectations have shifted. They will often be choosing to come into the office to achieve something specific, rather than because they are expected to, whether that be training, meeting, or simply for a chance to catch up with colleagues. It therefore needs to be about the opportunity it provides to be more collaborative, getting face-to-face time, and creating shared experiences with teammates. Startups and other businesses need to be aiming for an office structure which provides more than just a destination for work, but instead a destination where you can strengthen culture and performance, and as a result improve productivity; something that is definitely harder to achieve when completely remote.

Building supportive communities

The social aspect of office life has always been important, but evidence shows that workers place more importance than ever on the opportunities that an office can provide for socialising and building a community with like-minded people. With many of us spending a part of the week working in silo from home, and able to prioritise where we spend our time, people are looking for a space where they can go to see colleagues and friends, raise questions, maybe take exercise, or simply chat over good coffee, and in doing so improve mental health. By pursuing this approach, coming to the office can be a pleasure, or a ‘treat’ for the team during the working week, rather than something to be endured. The modern office needs to adapt to this need, and we are seeing that flexible working spaces have the capacity and agility to close this gap between work and play. It was with this in mind that x+why recently launched the idea of our Clubspace, with the first manifestation of this at Birmingham’s 103 Colmore Row in ‘eighteen’, a space designed to encourage employee engagement and socialising.

In smaller companies, and startups, the opportunity that an office can provide to meet and exchange ideas with like-minded people and businesses is also invaluable, and something that has probably become ever more important in a remote-working world. At x+why we are focused on providing a space for businesses with purpose to come together, collaborate and learn from each other. It is really exciting to see the communities that are forming and the benefits that businesses are able to gain as a result of the insights received.

A more flexible future

The reality today, therefore, is that people still need physical working environments, but the shift to hybrid working means companies no longer need to enter into long term leases with space for 100% of their staff and excess to grow into. We are seeing more and more companies, including those who have traditionally always opted for large, branded spaces, who are ditching the metaphorical typewriter and joining the laptop age. They are opting for offices with fewer desks than they have people, as it becomes commonplace not to expect everybody to be in every day. Technology allows companies to run increasingly balance sheet light, encouraging more flexibility in staff working and taking on shorter term flexible leases, mitigating any long-term liability. This isn’t actually anything new, or a revolutionary idea – flexible working spaces have been around for years – but with a new rhythm to our working lives, businesses are waking up to the opportunity that this offers them.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer when it comes to the question of the future role of the office. But for those businesses thinking about workspace, the key is to first work out why you need an office, then how you should use the office, and only then will you know what office you need. When this is done with your employees front and centre of mind, the modern office can not only help to determine a positive corporate culture but can ensure an engaged and more productive team.