Parts of the world are slowly transitioning to a post-pandemic reality, and with this will be major changes to the way workplaces operate.
Although remote working will continue to play a role in how businesses function, many will turn to a “3-2-2” work week that allows employees to work three days in the office, two days from home and two days of rest.
This, of course, will have a major impact on commercial office space. Now, business leaders need to reconsider how much of their real estate portfolio they need, and how to reconfigure these spaces to accommodate the new normal.
Many remote workers are struggling to balance childcare responsibilities, lacking home office space and not having the technical infrastructure to work seamlessly.
However, working remotely has also provided a lot of benefits for many workers, such as a better work-life balance, the ability to choose their own schedule and having more time to care for their home responsibilities.
That is why 3-2-2 seems to be the ideal choice, as it combines the best of both worlds. But this transition will require changes to the office itself.
Now, employees are expressing the need for more private workspaces when they come back to the office in order to better support their health and productivity. This is a clear pivot away from the growing popularity of open, shared office layouts that preceded the pandemic.
Most importantly, employers need to focus on creating a workplace experience that is not just work-centric, but employee-centric.