Beyond Design: Workplace Change

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.

My own journey reflects this evolution: I started my career focused on solving design challenges, creating unique workplaces that reflected organizational identity and the unique way that the organisation worked. Over time, my work shifted toward workplace strategy, helping organizations optimize their spaces and create more effective work environments. Now, I find myself primarily focused on change management - helping organizations navigate the complex human aspects of workplace transformation and drive behavioural change that supports their objectives.

While design remains very important, the questions organizations now bring us rarely centre on aesthetics or space efficiency. Instead, they're asking how to influence when and why people come to work, how to encourage meaningful collaboration, and how to maintain cultural cohesion across hybrid teams. These aren't challenges that can be solved with better furniture or more sophisticated office layouts - they require a better understanding of human behaviour and organizational change.

Influencing behaviour is the key

This shift reflects a critical insight gained during recent workplace disruptions: workplace success has less to do with physical design and more to do with how effectively we can influence and support human behaviour.

While design remains important, the questions organizations now bring us rarely centre on aesthetics or space efficiency. Instead, they're asking how to influence when and why people come to work, how to encourage meaningful collaboration, and how to maintain cultural cohesion across hybrid teams.

The generic workplace

This evolution makes sense when you consider the modern workplace landscape. Physical spaces have become increasingly standardized across industries. Whether you walk into a tech startup, a bank, or a government office, you'll likely find similar arrangements of open spaces, meeting rooms, and focus areas. The real differentiator sometimes isn't the physical environment but how organizations use these spaces to drive behaviour and culture.

Change management now sits at the heart of everything we do. When approaching workplace transformation, we start not with space plans but with behavioural objectives. What behaviours do we want to encourage? What old behaviours do we want to leave behind? How can we influence adoption of new ways of working? How do we measure success beyond simple occupancy metrics? These questions require us to think like psychologists and sociologists as much as workplace professionals.

AI and workplace technology

The technology revolution has added another layer of complexity. The rise of AI and sophisticated collaboration tools means we're not just managing physical space - we're orchestrating experiences across both digital and physical realms. We need to understand how these tools affect behaviours and how they can be leveraged to support organizational goals. This includes helping teams adapt to new technologies while maintaining human connection and collaboration.

Increasing environmental focus

Environmental considerations are also reshaping our approach. As climate events become more frequent, organizations need strategies that can flex and adapt to changing conditions. This isn't just about sustainable design - it's about creating resilient workplace strategies that can accommodate disruption while maintaining productivity and engagement.

Why do people come to the office? Perhaps most importantly, we've learned that successful workplace change requires a deep understanding of human motivation. Why do people choose to come to the office? What makes them feel connected to their colleagues and organization? How can we create experiences that draw people together in meaningful ways? The physical environment has a very important role to play – people want spaces that not only work, but are beautiful and create an environment that is great to be in.

What should we measure?

Our success metrics have evolved accordingly. While we still track occupancy and space utilization, we're increasingly focused on behavioural metrics - adoption rates of new ways of working, collaboration patterns, employee satisfaction, and cultural health indicators. These measures tell us not just how much space is being used, but whether it's being used in ways that drive organizational success.

The change management toolkit we now employ includes:

Clear communication strategies that articulate the 'why' behind workplace decisions
Stakeholder engagement programs that build support across the organization
Experience design that creates meaningful reasons for office attendance
Technology integration that supports hybrid collaboration
Measurement systems that track behavioural change and adoption

The very best solutions

While a generic space might be appealing because it is less challenging to conceive and procure it is unlikely to be the very best solution. That comes from a deep dive into how people will use the space and how a design solution can work successfully on multiple

levels – functionally, aesthetically and creating an experience that is uplifting and beautiful. Looking ahead, workplace professionals need to continue evolving their skills. Traditional space planning and design expertise must be supplemented with capabilities in behavioural psychology, change management, data analysis, and experience design. We need to understand not just how to create effective spaces, but how to influence behaviour and drive lasting change. And in the end it might even look great on Instagram!

Why change management is so important

We believe that the future of workplace success lies equally in the focus on the physical environment and on people - one that recognizes that our role has evolved from creating spaces to also orchestrating experiences and enabling behavioural change. By focusing on the human elements of workplace change, understanding motivation, influencing behaviour, and measuring what matters, we can help create working environments where both people and organizations thrive.

This evolution opens exciting new opportunities to make a real difference in how organizations work. Success will be measured not by the beauty of the design and its Instagram appeal but by how effectively we can help organizations navigate change and create workplaces that truly support their people and objectives.

ITS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE – NOT THE INSTAGRAM IMAGE!