Office Space 2020: Planning for The Future of Work

Think about each office you’ve worked in over the last five years. Fixtures of the modern workplace include open floor plans, fewer executive offices, and more conference rooms – as work has become more collaborative, the physical spaces in which we work have evolved accordingly. For example, just last year Fuze relocated to a central hub located in Boston’s historic Copley Place from its former, traditional headquarters in Cambridge, MA. The new offices were built with 20 flexible, collaborative spaces equipped for global video conferences, as well as a mix of larger meeting rooms and smaller huddle spaces. It’s a far cry from the days of isolation through cubicles and corner offices.

As businesses prepare for the Future of Work, collaborative office designs like Fuze’s Boston Hub are serving as a foundation for what research firm Gartner is calling “The Digital Workplace.” Integrating the popular cornerstones of today’s designs with next generation technology like artificial intelligence and VR/AR, the Digital Workplace is projected to create a more engaging employee experience. Interestingly, the designs for the Digital Workplace aren’t solely influenced by those working within the space itself. As remote work becomes increasingly commonplace, the future of the office will account for this as well. The Digital Workplace will be defined by its holistic approach to supporting employee flexibility, whether they are on-site or working remotely.

This redesign is a natural evolution, as technology continues to shape how work is done and where people do it. A few findings from last year’s Breaking Barriers 2020 report capture it perfectly:

• 86 percent of employees say face-to-face interaction will always be important
• 75 percent of the App Generation want to use the latest technology at work
• Employee engagement is highest among workers who spend 3-4 days working remotely

At a cursory glance, these responses might seem contradictory, but they demonstrate a clear appetite for the exact type of balanced workstyle the Digital Workplace will foster. In fact, Gartner’s own research shows that by 2020, organizations that support a “choose-your-own-work-style” culture will boost employee retention rates by more than 10 percent. The ways businesses support their employees, whether it be through technologically advanced workspaces or through innovative remote collaboration platforms, are all pieces of a larger puzzle. The Digital Workplace isn’t a single location, but rather a network of options which empower employees to personalize their workplace experience.

Have questions about the Digital Workplace or the Future of Work? Tweet @Fuze and let us know!