As the differences in the physical spaces organisations occupy become less it seems like we might have arrived at the generic modern workplace, albeit with an overlay of brand and elements to make it look different (even though it may not function differently)

The generic workplace of course doesn’t provide the right solution for every organisation and there is still the desire for unique and creative solutions. But for many organisations the inability to forecast how they will work in a few years’ time makes spending the time to create a unique solution harder to justify. The adoption of a generic solution that is already available through spec spaces or subleasing is seen as a lesser risk.

The key to building an enjoyable and productive workplace culture to support hybrid work is to empower managers and teams to be build it themselves – with some curation.

Here are some ideas that could improve the outcomes for an organisation who want to make a hybrid workplace, work better for the business:

Last month, we explored how mandating office returns can backfire, leading to decreased engagement and potential talent loss. This month, we're taking a more positive approach: How can organisations create an environment that naturally draws people back to the office?

The key lies in creating a workplace that employees actively want to be part of—one that offers clear benefits over remote work while respecting the flexibility people have come to value. So how can organisations get more people back to the office voluntarily?

As businesses contemplate the future of work, for many there is an ongoing disconnect about how much time people spend in the office. Simply many employers want people back in the office more than their employees want to be back. Many different strategies are being tried – some successful and some not.

Coffee Badging has come under renewed scrutiny as a way for employees to skirt the requirements. Companies like Amazon and Dell have tried to crack down on coffee badging by enforcing minimum in-office time policies.

The extremes do not work for everyone, and most companies find themselves navigating a complex middle ground. This is because workplaces are diverse ecosystems where different tasks require different environments. Some jobs thrive on quiet focus, while others flourish with face-to-face collaboration. Moreover, personality types play a crucial role; introverts and extroverts often have contrasting needs when it comes to their ideal work setting.

Next Workplace’s Founder, Stephen Minnett is very excited to announce that Stuart Munro is joining him as a Director and Co-Owner of Next Workplace, bringing with him a wealth of experience in workplace change management and strategy. This is a bold move to address the evolving challenges of modern workplaces with a significant expansion in the services that Next Workplace brings to the challenges faced by our clients.

As workplace strategists, we often find ourselves inundated with data about office occupancy and space utilization. The focus, understandably, tends to be on peak occupancy days. After all, companies are eager to "right-size" their workplaces, ensuring they're not overcommitting to space and unnecessary costs. This approach aligns with the growing trend of hybrid and flexible working arrangements, as discussed in our previous article on "Hybrid Working and Workplace Data."

In the rush to embrace hybrid work models, many organizations have fallen into a common trap when redesigning their workplaces. The focus has overwhelmingly been on accommodating peak occupancy days - typically Tuesday through Thursday - when the majority of employees choose to come into the office. While this approach seems logical on the surface, it overlooks a critical aspect of the hybrid work experience: the low-occupancy days that bookend the workweek.

Accurately tracking and understanding workplace occupancy patterns has become increasingly important as companies look to optimise their real estate usage in the era of flexible work. Traditional methods like security swipe data and manual headcounts can provide some insights, but often have significant limitations.

Today I went to my coworking office in the Sydney CBD, and it was a scene of utter chaos. Every single desk was taken, with not a free workstation in sight. And out of the 40 private phone rooms, all of them were occupied - not a single one was available. Even the booths and lounges intended for collaborative work or social interaction in cafe spaces had been commandeered by individuals desperate for any available space. In despair, I ultimately retreated to a nearby café, hoping to at least find a quiet corner to set up and get some work done. But alas, even that sanctuary was crowded, leaving me frustrated and unproductive.

Last month, I wrote about Basking, an AI-powered occupancy analytics platform that can deliver accurate, real-time data on how our workspaces are actually being used. As I explored, Basking integrates seamlessly with a company's existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to anonymously track the location of connected devices, providing rich insights into space utilisation across the entire workplace.

Nestled in the serene waters of the Seto Inland Sea, off the coast of Japan, lies the small island of Naoshima—a destination that has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past three decades. Once a sleepy fishing community, Naoshima has become a global art tourism phenomenon, renowned for its stunning blend of contemporary art, architecture, and natural beauty. This extraordinary metamorphosis has not only reshaped the island itself but has also inspired similar projects around the world, including the controversial Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania, Australia.

The recent passing of the "right to disconnect" legislation in Australia, which allows employees to ignore work-related communications outside of business hours, has sparked discussions about the next potential battleground for workers' rights: the right to work from home. As the Fair Work Commission considers making flexible work arrangements a legal entitlement, businesses are grappling with the potential impacts on their operations, productivity, and workplace culture.

As the slow drift back to higher levels of office occupancy continues, most organisations realise that some form of hybrid working is here to stay, and the future is uncertain.

For a long time, the tradition methodology for providing a workplace for your business has been broken. Does it still make sense to commit to space for many years and spend the first year designing it and building it?

Conventional media and social media have a greater focus on negative stories than positive stories – primarily because of the way the human brain is wired.

Our ancestors needed to be alert to potential threats in their environment, so our brains are naturally attuned to pay more attention to negative or alarming information. This phenomenon is often referred to as the “negativity bias”

An issue that often comes up in conversations about hybrid working in 2023 is how people can best use the physical space in their office when patterns of behaviour on different days can vary so much. Some of the comments have been:

“on Mondays and Fridays, the office occupation is so low that it feels dead in here – there is no vibe or energy”

“I made the effort to come in but none of my team are here - so why did I bother?”

“Why are we spending money on running services on 4 floors of space today when we could all sit on one floor?”

“If we all share desks how can I make sure there is enough space for my team to sit together on days when we are all in the office?”

There have been many articles written about the changes in work we have experienced during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Much of what is gaining traction in social media delivers little insight into why we are seeing these changes.

If you are going to read just one book about the changes we are seeing in the landscape of office work, you should read “Unworking- The Reinvention of the Modern Office” by Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross.