Little did we realise that the events of the last three years could unleash so much change in how we do office work.
In the past, many millions of people all over the world commuted into cities and towns to work in offices of various sizes and shapes, usually housed in centrally located large glass and steel buildings It was regarded as part of the daily routine and it was taken for granted that one needed to commute to a fixed place of work. Then along came Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and up-ended and completely re-shaped the world of how the office works; all of which unleashed a Pandora’s box of challenges for both business leaders occupying these buildings and landlords alike.
The prospects of a return to anything like the way we used to work pre-lockdown are getting dimmer and dimmer. As enterprises re-shape their workforces to adopt hybrid work models the implications for office working and the office building are becoming clearer. We are already working in a different mode and our relationship with the office has changed forever.
Lots of Noise
All of these shifts are accompanied by an ongoing media interest in this topic; as there is a continuous stream of commentary on the merits or otherwise of hybrid work, the ‘death of the office’ and the future of Central Business Districts. It is further complicated by the property industry media desperately trying to shore up the concerns of many of their readers. as they fret about the future of the office investment sector.
Standing back from the discourse which fills the air waves I see a fragmented and somewhat tactical debate as a variety of protagonists engage in a tug-of-war pf words and opinions. On the one side those arguing the case a return to the pre-Covid status quo and on the other side those who disagree. The core of the argument revolves around a binary either/or choice of the office or WFH. To my mind this only addresses part of the issue and fails to consider the potential for a blended form of working supported by a combination of workplaces or platforms, encompassing the digital world.
Seeing the wood for the trees
Maybe we need to try and see the wood for the trees? In particular let’s consider the overall context of the situation we find ourselves in when it comes to the future of the office. Is it worth considering the following:
- The novelty of the situation we face when it comes to getting people back to the office. The reality is that there is no going back to how things were and there are no ready-made solutions. Since this has never happened before and the implications are huge, not just for work, but for society as a whole.
- To cope with lockdown we’ve seen the convergence of four hitherto stand-alone functions; people, place, technology and leadership.
- Consumer choice has landed in the world of office work and for the office landlord. It’s the first time that working people are calling the shots in how they want to work.
- The pandemic was a global phenomenon which impacted everyone globally and in every industry at the same time. We’re all at the same stage in our search for a way forward and the traditional solution of looking elsewhere for best practice is not an option.
Twin Dilemmas
All of these factors surely give one pause for thought. Could we benefit from building a much better understanding of all the moving parts of what I call the twin dilemmas of work and the workplace ? It is no longer just about having a singular focus of providing a great office building with attractive facilities and design features, the emphasis has to shift to understanding the people, technology and leadership issues also.
Clearly many on the place side of the discussion hanker after a return to “normality” at some point — but Is it realistic to aspire to a full return to the office? I doubt it. Whilst the world of HR is rapidly adapting to the emerging new order of hybrid work; can the commercial real estate industry bring itself to look at its system of providing and operating offices and make the necessary adjustments? The time has arrived for bringing in some real innovation and fresh thinking.