The Role of The Office in 2023 and Beyond

• To design the office of 2023 and beyond, architects and designers must view the office as a new tool and imagine it as an equalizer, incubator, culture center, and showroom all in one. 
• Instead of competing with the comforts of home, the office should embrace its potential as a partner, offering unique advantages and experiences to employees and clients alike. 
• By treating the office as a showroom, spaces can evoke a sense of belonging to something greater, showcasing the brand and creating opportunities for social and business connectivity. 

This article was written by Jodi Williams and Susan Soehnlen of Arcadis for Work Design Magazine.  

Changing company policies, advancements in technology, and the evolving built environment has led to shifts in the way individuals approach their work. Instead of expecting the office to rival the shifts in our homes with the rise in remote and hybrid work, companies should strive to utilize their physical facilities as a collaborative partner in the overall network of where work is done. To design the office of 2023 and beyond, architects and designers must view the office as a new tool and imagine it as an equalizer, incubator, culture center, and showroom all in one. 

The Office as an Equalizer 

Providing amenities that cannot be easily replicated at home can ensure the office stays as attractive as possible to employees. While some employees may have dedicated offices or quiet areas in their homes, which offer privacy and a conducive environment for focused work, many others are confined to small apartments or homes with children or other dependents. There are disparities in home workspaces, such as limited access to high-speed internet, ergonomic workstations, and the opportunity to form relationships with colleagues. These inequalities can be addressed through implementing inclusive workspaces. 

Likewise, the office plays a significant role in facilitating access to essential internal resources. A key challenge of remote work is the potential for communication gaps between employees, their leaders, their team members, and unscheduled encounters with other colleagues. By creating environments that foster interaction and motivate employees to physically come to the office, workplaces can provide private, comfortable, and secure areas for important discussions, as well as open and engaging spaces that influence cross-company collaboration resulting in more equal access to not only facilities, but to humans as well. 

The Office as an Incubator 

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees experienced increased productivity while working remotely (many also did not). Instead of maintaining an office space that primarily emphasizes areas for heads-down individual focus work, more successful, future-facing offices are being reimagined as incubator space that encourages team members to connect, collaborate, and generate innovative ideas. This approach cultivates a dynamic environment fostering workshops, creative endeavors, collaboration, and optimization. 

The Office as a Culture Center 

While remote work is effective for many tasks, certain aspects of professional development, such as on-the-job training, mentorship, feedback, and upskilling, are best delivered in person. The office plays a pivotal role as a cultural epicenter, akin to retail environments, where the brand experience is carefully crafted for both employees and clients. By leveraging design and technology, a company’s vision, mission, and values can be illustrated and realized through the collaborative work of employees. The office can serve as a space where teams and peers can convene, not only for work purposes but also to encourage camaraderie, reflect on experiences, and collectively grow together. 

The Office as a Showroom 

Stepping into the physical office should evoke a sense of belonging to a larger entity. When designed and operated as a showroom-type environment, the office can serve as a strategic tool to attract and recruit top talent and clients by providing them with a comprehensive company experience. By entering the office, individuals should feel an integral part of something greater, reflecting the organization’s values, culture, and aspirations. 

By framing the office as a showroom, these spaces can fulfill the essence of what employers have been trying to entice employees with: a platform for fostering social and business connectivity. These interactions extend beyond the realms of talent and clients, encompassing the engagement of individuals from the surrounding community. For example, public-facing areas or innovation hubs, formed through strategic partnerships with universities, exemplify the inclusive nature of the office space, attracting and involving diverse stakeholders. 

The Office of the Future 

As the landscape of work continues to evolve, so must our approach to the traditional office environment. Instead of competing with the comforts of home, the office should embrace its potential as a partner, offering unique advantages and experiences to employees and clients alike. By adopting designs that foster interaction and collaboration, the office can serve as an equalizer, ensuring all employees have access to fast internet, ergonomic workstations, and opportunities to form meaningful relationships within the company.  

The office can function as an incubator by promoting creativity and innovation and providing dynamic spaces for workshops, collaboration, and experimentation. The office can act as a culture center by embodying the company’s vision, mission, and values through thoughtful design and technology integration. Lastly, by treating the office as a showroom, spaces can evoke a sense of belonging to something greater, showcasing the brand and creating opportunities for social and business connectivity. 

In reimagining the office as an equalizer, incubator, culture center, and showroom, architects and designers can create a transformative workplace that aligns with employees’ evolving needs and aspirations for years to come.