As a Principle Dealer for Steelcase (a global leader in office furniture, interior architecture and space solutions), we’ve been looking at their latest Global Report on ‘Changing expectations and the future of work’ to help answer the question that so many of our clients are asking at the moment: “What do we build next and how do we meet the expectations of a diverse workforce?”
The Steelcase Global Report shares the synthesis of eight primary studies designed to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic will change the future of work. It provides valuable insights from the pandemic, to help organisations understand the impact it’s had on their business and people and, more specifically, highlights the opportunity for a better work experience.
The Key Benefits and Challenges of Working From Home:
People’s experience working from home is deeply personal and as diverse as individuals themselves. 10 countries report drops in engagement and productivity when people are dissatisfied with their work-from-home experience and have to do it more often.
A More Flexible Approach to Work:
While some headlines suggest the office will go away as people embrace working from home almost exclusively, the research identifies a more nuanced, hybrid future. Most people expect to work in the office most of the time, but they also expect greater flexibility from their organisations going forward.
Changing Employee Expectations:
After spending months at home during a crisis, workers have never been more in touch with what they want from their work and workplace. They have new and increased expectations of their employers and workplaces.
A synthesis of multiple Steelcase studies identified five critical employee needs that will change the overall work experience.
- Safety
- Belonging
- Productivity
- Comfort
- Control
Designing a Better Work Experience:
Leaders are being called upon to create safe and compelling places where people can be engaged and productive. When we consider what people need, and how the work experience is shifting moving forward — old planning paradigms will need to change.
The pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives – how we live, learn and how we work. It’s time for an experiences that’s fundamentally better. We’re here to show you how. Please get in touch and let us know how we can help you with your requirements.
