The recent shift to working from home has led many to speculate the future of the workplace…
No doubt you’ve heard people commenting that ‘remote working is here to stay’ and could easily take over the need for an office. While there may be an element of truth in what’s said, and we’re sure to see an increase in flexible and remote working in the future, here’s why we still (definitely!) need the workplace:
Human interaction (with a 2m distance)
We are social animals by nature and crave the everyday connections (not just over zoom!). Real life interactions with colleagues help to keep us open-minded, and are key to having great ideas and innovating. Technological communications can suffice to a certain extent, but actual human connections are hugely important for our mental health. Many struggle to work in home circumstances for this very reason, and the longer it’s enforced, the more likely it’ll lead to increased fatigue and depression.
Motivation
It’s extremely hard to stay motivated day after day working on your own at home! In the office, you’re surrounded by the buzz of productive colleagues, and it’s easy to keep the purpose of the business in front of you all day. Then there’s the intangible energy of real-life team meetings, the team spirit and unity that can’t quite be emulated on screen… See more of this project
Wellbeing
While some may be fortunate to have their dream workplace at home; with plants, natural light and great decor…for most, this is far from the truth. The workplace offers a space to focus without household distractions – and makes a change from the four walls of your house (= sanity!). There’s also the added benefit of having multiple, purpose built workstations to choose from in most offices, rather than the un-ergonomic sofa many sit on at home! Image credit
Talent & Culture
Your office is the main expression of your culture, so it stands to reason the workplace is largely responsible for talent – both attraction and retention. Where else can people get a real ‘feel’ for the culture, and stay attuned to it? With branding and slogans colouring the space, your in-house jokes and traditions, and the energy and people that make the culture what it is… all create the sense of belonging for staff, and build an attractive picture to new talent.
Want to deep-dive into this further? These point are loosely based on a great Forbes article you can read here
So, rather than working to eliminate the need for offices, we instead need to value them as fundamental to business success! While the future may include increased working from home, back to work is on the horizon for many… We’ve rounded up a few ways we can help:
- We have published a whole paper on the ‘Return to work’, full of insights, checklists and top tips. You can download this for FREE here
- Carry out a brief inspection of your workplace and provide a detailed report in line with the government recommendations Contact us to learn more
- Re-plan your workspace and existing furniture to assist social distancing Contact us to learn more
- We will then assist you with actioning all the suggested changes and any necessary procurement Contact us to learn more
We’re here to help you get #backtowork. We now offer a strategic re-planning services for your workplace, to bring it in line with government guidelines. Email us on hello@westandvittori.com or contact us, and one of the team will be right back in touch.