Before the pandemic, the office was the place employees commuted to five days a week and sat at their assigned desks. Today, hybrid work is the norm. While people value the flexibility and choice that hybrid working offers, the changing and uncertain schedules have created new challenges – and opportunities – for the office.
Physical workplaces remain an essential hub for collaboration, socialization and building organizational culture. Our traditional view of the office is now being transformed by companies that are taking the best attributes of hybrid work (flexibility and choice) and blending them with the best qualities of the office as a place for human connection.
People enjoy being in the office, but they hate commuting. Therefore, the office needs to "earn" its occupancy by offering benefits people can’t get at home. This means organizations need to create spaces people think are worth commuting to – spaces that offer a high "return on commute".
Office transformation in 6 steps
While the traditional office is gone, people still want and need the office. That leaves an essential question. How do we transform the office to meet people’s needs in a world of hybrid working?
Here are six steps to a transformed office:
1. Recreate your office to reflect its purpose.
Many organizations have stopped referring to their commercial properties as "the office" and are instead using new terminology that better reflects the transformation of their workplaces as a vehicle for value creation. Technology giant Cisco, for example, refers to its new Atlanta office as a "collaboration center". Okta, an identity management company, refers to its New York office as an "experience center".
2. Consider Return on Commute (RoC)
In a world of hybrid work, the office must "earn" its visits by being an attractive destination for personal collaboration, social connection and culture building. People enjoy coming into the office because they want to interact with colleagues.
3. Create flexible, modular office layouts
Work is more flexible today than ever, so office furniture and equipment must be movable and adaptable to meet people’s needs for comfort, collaboration, digital connectivity and more.
4. invest in technology that enables the workplace
Office transformation is a process of blending: 1) the physical space, 2) the demands of your people, 3) your business practices and processes; and 4) Your technology tools that enable transformation.
5. Leverage workplace analytics to iterate on your workplace strategy
Workplace technology (such as desktop and meeting room booking software) and workplace experience platforms should provide real-time data on space utilization that workplace leaders can use to inform exactly how they transform the office.
6. Find a reliable transformation partner
Finally, the following steps will help you transform your office into a hub of employee experience and human connection. But there will be times when you will need help with your transformation efforts, whether it’s with technology or with policies/processes.
This is where MyDesk can be a valuable partner. With its suite of intuitive tools, MyDesk can help digitize and streamline your office, creating a seamless transition to a more flexible and efficient workplace. With MyDesk, employees can easily book desks and meeting rooms, reducing conflict and confusion while promoting a more dynamic and productive work environment.
MyDesk also offers in-depth analytics tools to help managers understand how their workplace is being used and how it can be optimized. By using this data, you can adapt your office layout and policies to meet the changing needs of your employees, ensuring your office remains a valuable resource.
Finally, MyDesk can help strengthen communication and collaboration within your team, which is crucial in a hybrid working model. By making it easy for employees to coordinate and collaborate from wherever they work, MyDesk can help ensure your office remains a central hub for innovation and productivity.
Implementing hybrid working in your organization is a significant challenge, but with the right tools and strategies, you can create a work environment that is flexible, efficient and supportive for all your employees. With MyDesk, you can take the first step towards this transformation and start building the office your employees deserve.
