Monthly Archives: November 2023

1. An open office isn’t always the best place to work – particularly now that many people take virtual calls throughout the day.

• With so many audio-visual distractions, there aren’t enough personal spaces in most offices for people to focus, take a call or rejuvenate.
• Busy backgrounds and a lack of boundaries distract during video calls.
• Many spaces aren’t remote-ready. Power, lighting and monitors make it easier to connect.
• Lack of informational privacy can prevent people from talking about or showing content on sensitive or topics.

2. Offer a variety of privacy options.

Fully enclosed enclaves, pods, screens or shelves can provide diverse ways for people to seek out the right level of privacy for the type of work they’re doing. Well-curated backgrounds can provide a professional look free of distraction for those on the other side of the meeting.

3. A range of seating is needed to support different types of work.

For shared spaces, chairs should respond to bodies of all shapes and sizes and require a few manual adjustments to get comfortable. People with assigned spaces will want a fully adjustable chair they can dial in to their exact preferences, that keeps them comfortable longer.

4. Whether sharing or calling it your own, height- adjustable desks are worth it.

More people ca uses the same space comfortably if shared, and those with assigned desks who may sit longer can change postures and keep moving.

5. Provide optimal lighting for different kinds of hybrid work.

A task light that is designed for on-video experiences highlights people’s faces and helps them control their appearance on camera and make up for ambient light. A table lamp with a shade that provides a soft glow also works well.

6. External monitors not only make it easier to toggle between tasks, but they can make it easier to share content on video.

External cameras can be repositioned or refocused so people or content can be seen well.

7. Flexible power allows people to keep personal devices charged wherever they choose to focus.

While power is standard in most personal spaces, in many shared spaces it can be an afterthought or costly to install, which is where flexible power comes in.

8. Most remote workers experience audio and video difficulties.

• 89% struggle with video.
• 85% struggle with audio.

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1. People making more intentional decisions about when and why they go to the office expect a fundamentally new experience.

It’s not so much about where you work, but how you work. People want a new level of agency over their work experience, and while leaders can mandate where it happens – or not – the bigger opportunity lies in challenging assumptions and existing norms.

Workplaces need to adjust to this new reality. If they have the option, more people will make intentional decisions about why and when they go to the office. Leesman, an employee experience measurement firm, calls this “purposeful presence”.

This means employees will think about their reasons to go to the office – an important meeting, face time with the boss or to focus without the family around- rather than just going automatically. And while being together is important, employees are saying the single biggest problem with the office today is the lack of privacy to do individual work.

Some organizations are exploring new workplace approaches, some are staying with existing strategies while others are waiting for more people to return to the office or for hybrid work patterns to stabilize before making changes. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, people’s needs have changed, their work has changed, and they need a fundamentally new experience at work.

2. Over half of all meetings (56%) are spent on video.

People need hybrid collaboration spaces where both in-person and remote participants can participate fully, and individual spaces for video meetings where they can hear and not disturb others.

3. In the last year, there has been a 15% drop in assigned spaces.

Pre-pandemic, 88% of people had assigned workstations. Leaders indicate the reduction will continue. This shift challenges the current norms. Those norms include where people start their day, store their things and how they create a sense of belonging.

4. Employees are more empowered today.

People have new expectations about how and when they engage in their work. Whether they took part in the “Great Resignation,” “Quiet Quitting” or the “Great Relocation,” employees have a bigger voice about how and where work happens. 

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