As part of it’s Agile CRE Think-tank, The Instant Group’s recent analysis of five dozen directors of commercial real estate offered insight into how they expect the workplace to change in the future, and what measures will be taken to bring workers back into the office.
“Of the 60 senior CRE leaders surveyed across three regions, the vast majority – 75% — see their approach to procuring and managing office space to become more agile,” said Joe Brady, CEO Americas for The Instant Group. “This boils down to taking less space, on more flexible terms across more locations to offer business users better access to workspace that fits their business requirements but maximizes work-life balance.”
More specifically, the think-tank believes that the idea of a purpose-driven office will be one of the most significant outcomes of the pandemic. This offers up the concept that a lot of work can be accomplished efficiently without being in a physical office, which will largely be used for just collaborative team meetings.
Even more, the transition to working from home or near home will create a more distributed workforce. Companies are likely to seek out flexible offices as employees look to work in a physical office, but not commute to dense cities.
Technology integration in buildings will also usher in a new wave of smart buildings that aim to keep workspaces clean and safe. Using tools like UV lighting and touchless technology will be just a few of many expected changes in the workplaces.
