Will the office make a comeback?

Covid-19 and the lockdowns have challenged conventional ideas on what a workplace should look like. Will the traditional office and five-day workweek come to an end as new, more flexible work patterns emerge?

International research conducted by the Fortune 500 company JLL and released by Tétris Design & Build, titled “Worker Preferences Barometer”, reveals that this may be the case, although offices will still play a leading role in the way we do business. 

The study, which surveyed 3 300 office workers across 10 countries, showed that 79% of the workforce aspire to be back in the office at least once a week, up from 74% last October, highlighting the declining appetite for working solely from home as homeworking fatigue sets in.  

Thirty-seven percent feel more productive at home, down from 48% last April. However, 63% of workers do not want to be office-bound, showing a preference for a hybrid style of working from both home and the office, or third-party locations such as co-working lounges and coffee shops.

While the Covid-19 disruption in workflow has hurt business over the past year, it has also paved the way for innovative working solutions and new ways of achieving a good work-life balance – a top priority for Millennials and Gen Z.

Emma Luyt, co-CEO of JLL Sub-Saharan Africa and MD of Tétris, is excited by the opportunity for strategic workplace design and bespoke office fit-outs as a means to refresh and re-engage with returning staff. She believes the innovation it demands will bring enormous future value to the office sector.

Key insights from the research are as follows:

• Work-life balance is the number one workforce priority, ahead of salary. Over 80% of the workforce want to be able to choose their working hours in the future.
• Homeworking fatigue is growing. Over 60% of the workforce want to keep the option of alternating between different places of work, with two days a week outside the office being the new optimum.
• Productivity at home is declining, but it’s not translating into stronger satisfaction with the office. Only 47% say they are satisfied with their office.
• Quality of life is not fulfilling without a rich social life; 61% of the workforce are craving real human interactions with colleagues.
• Long-lasting homeworking is hiding a heavy social and mental toll – 41% of the workforce feel overwhelmed by a huge mental load.
• An outstanding office is the best way to have your people back – 69% of people highly satisfied with their office environment strongly miss their office.

Luyt says that business leaders need to get back into the office to protect and grow their business culture and nurture younger teams who require office infrastructure and connection to perform. A rethink of corporate workspaces is necessary, however, if business owners want to get employees back and working productively. “Company owners are looking for workspace solutions that can foster inclusivity and co-working while providing quiet spaces for thinking and doing,” she says.

Undeniably, putting employees first is key to creating experiential workspaces that improve performance, retain current staff and are effective in attracting future talent. “Aesthetics will become more important in the future office. It is crucial that the post-pandemic office is attractive, comfortable and visually interesting.”

The office will become the primary place of work again, according to Luyt, but only if the experience meets the new demands of the workforce. “The months to come will see a ‘flight to quality’, with top employers acknowledging the new workforce expectations through an in-depth rethinking of their approach to work, the workforce and the workplace.”