The Sustainability Mindset

The Four Radical Shifts Transforming Work: Why Sustainability Is the New Currency of the Modern Workplace

In our ongoing series on the four macro shifts reshaping the workplace, we’ve already explored Living on Screen and The AI Supercycle. Now, we turn our focus to another major transformation: the sustainability mindset.

A New Way of Working

Terms like net zero, circular economy, and embodied carbon are becoming part of daily work for more employees than ever before. Companies are setting ambitious sustainability goals, and achieving them requires a shift in both skills and mindset across entire organizations.

These goals are transforming work processes and workplace culture. To succeed, companies need workplaces that support collaboration and innovation, enabling employees to tackle these new challenges together.

A Sharp Rise in Sustainability Goals

Organizations worldwide are committing to carbon reduction targets at an unprecedented rate:

  • The number of companies setting science-based carbon reduction targets doubled in the past year.
  • Nearly 40% of the global economy is now represented by these commitments, according to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
  • Sustainability-focused roles are growing rapidly—sustainability manager is now the fastest-growing job in the UK and Germany, and three of the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in the US are sustainability-related.

What Are Science-Based Targets?

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) helps companies set clear climate goals by defining how much and how quickly they need to reduce carbon emissions to limit climate change. Companies like Steelcase are using these targets to guide their sustainability strategies.

Building a Culture of Sustainability

For companies to meet their ambitious sustainability goals, they must embed sustainability into workplace culture. This means:

  • Hiring for new sustainability-focused roles
  • Providing learning opportunities to upskill existing employees
  • Encouraging cross-functional collaboration to tackle sustainability challenges
  • Designing workplaces that reflect sustainability commitments

The Workplace as a Reflection of Values

An organization’s workplace is a visible expression of its culture. To support sustainability goals, leaders should:

  • Partner with companies that share similar environmental commitments.
  • Invest in sustainable products and solutions that reduce carbon emissions.
  • Design for adaptability, allowing spaces to evolve rather than be replaced.

A Learning Culture for a Net-Zero Future

Achieving net-zero emissions requires ongoing innovation in technology, materials science, and infrastructure. Since many of these solutions are still emerging, organizations must foster a culture of continuous learning. This includes:

  • Creating spaces for both group and individual learning
  • Upskilling employees to understand sustainability science and solutions
  • Encouraging knowledge-sharing across teams and industries

Transparency, Shared Ownership, and Innovation

Sustainability goals touch every part of a business—from product development and procurement to HR and finance. Success requires clear communication and shared responsibility:

  • Transparency: Make sustainability goals and progress visible to all employees.
  • Distributed decision-making: Empower teams to take action and innovate within their areas.
  • Cross-functional collaboration: Break down silos and encourage diverse perspectives to drive creative problem-solving.

Designing for Collaboration and Community

Sustainability is a collective effort. Workplaces should be designed to:

  • Encourage collaboration through shared spaces and informal connections.
  • Foster transparency by making sustainability progress visible on digital displays, whiteboards, or dashboards.
  • Celebrate milestones and feedback, helping teams stay motivated and aligned.

Moving Forward Together

Sustainability is not a challenge that can be solved by any one person, team, or organization alone. But by designing workplaces that support learning, collaboration, and shared accountability, companies can accelerate progress toward a net-zero future while fostering innovation and resilience.

Stay tuned for the final article in this series, where we’ll explore the fourth major shift shaping the future of work.

*Research and article adapted from Steelcase

AI-Driven Workplace

The Four Radical Shifts Transforming Work: Grab Your Edge in the AI Transformation

This is the second article in our series exploring the four macro shifts reshaping the way we work. In our first article, we discussed Living on Screen—how technology has blurred the lines between our physical and digital lives. (If you missed it, you can read it here.)

Today, we’re diving into the AI Supercycle—an era of rapid AI adoption that’s already transforming workplaces. While many organizations are still figuring out their AI strategies, employees are embracing these tools to save time, enhance creativity, and streamline workflows. The question is: How can businesses keep up and create an AI-ready workplace?

Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening now and what steps you can take to stay ahead of the game.

AI’s Bottom-Up Revolution

AI is changing not just how we work, but what we do. New roles are emerging as companies refine their AI strategies. According to Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index, there has been a 323% increase in hiring technical AI talent over the past eight years and a 28% year-over-year rise in “Head of AI” leadership roles. Organizations must rethink workforce planning, balancing automation with human expertise. AI thrives when paired with human oversight—people who can ask the right questions, input accurate information, and verify outputs.

Designing for an AI-Enabled Workplace

To fully capitalize on AI, companies need to rethink how their workplaces function. This means adapting both physical spaces and company culture to support AI-enhanced work.

Tactical Ways to Get AI-Ready

  • Enhancing Acoustics for Voice Interaction – AI assistants and voice-activated tools will become more common, making sound management a critical design factor.
  • Creating Space for AI Assistants – Some AI tools, like Logitech’s Sight camera, need physical space to operate efficiently. Organizations must plan for these tools within their office layouts.
  • Expanding Digital Displays – AI-generated content shouldn’t stay confined to chatbots. More digital surfaces will be needed to visualize AI outputs and enable collaborative decision-making.

Strategic Ways to Get AI-Ready

  • Amplifying Collaboration – As AI streamlines routine tasks, workplaces will need more collaborative spaces to refine AI outputs, ensure ethical AI use, and enhance decision-making.
  • Investing in Upskilling – Employees are at varying levels of AI adoption. Creating dedicated learning spaces and peer-to-peer training opportunities will help bridge skill gaps.
  • Designing for Flexibility – AI is evolving rapidly. Modular workspaces, mobile furniture, and adaptable layouts will allow companies to pivot as AI technologies develop.

AI-Powered Workspaces in Action

Organizations are already making changes to prepare for AI-driven work. Research from Steelcase reveals a 47% increase in adding power to social spaces, a 150% rise in boundary elements for privacy, and a 25% increase in flexible furniture in collaboration areas. These trends signal a shift toward more adaptable, AI-friendly environments.

The Next Step in the AI Supercycle

The AI revolution isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. As AI reshapes work, organizations must create environments that balance efficiency with human connection. Designing AI-ready workspaces is not just an investment in technology but in the future of collaboration, creativity, and innovation.

Are you ready to embrace the AI supercycle? Now is the time to act.

The Four Macro Shifts Changing Work: Living on Screen

The Four Radical Shifts Transforming Work: How to Thrive in a Digital-First World

The way we work is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Some of these changes have been building for years, while others seem to have happened overnight. The magnitude and speed of these shifts have created uncharted territory for organizations and individuals alike. By understanding these transformations, we can design workplaces that foster resilience, community, and productivity.

In this four-part blog series, we’ll explore The Four Macro Shifts Changing Work, breaking down each shift in detail to understand its impact on work behavior and the workplace. Our first topic? Living on Screen—a shift that has fundamentally altered the way we collaborate, communicate, and connect.

Living on Screen: The Digital Takeover

Take a look at your calendar today versus five years ago. What differences do you notice? If you’re like most people, you have more meetings, and a significant portion of them involve video. The shift from in-person to screen-based interactions has had profound implications on work behaviors, organizational culture, and even employee well-being.

The Acceleration of Screen-Based Work

The Acceleration of Screen-Based Work

The transition to virtual meetings didn’t happen overnight, but its impact was accelerated by technological advancements and, most notably, the pandemic. According to Steelcase WorkSpace Futures research, people now spend more time in virtual meetings than in fully face-to-face interactions. This shift has led to a paradox—while hybrid work offers flexibility, it has also created challenges in collaboration and engagement.

The New Meeting Norms

The way we conduct meetings has changed significantly. Many employees choose to stay at their desks rather than gather in a meeting room. According to Steelcase research:

  • 50% of employees prefer staying at their desk for video calls
  • 24% use single rooms or enclaves
  • 26% go to a designated meeting room

Convenience is winning over connection. Employees cite reasons such as a lack of time between meetings and the ease of joining from their desks as key factors. However, this behavior can negatively impact performance, engagement, and workplace culture.

More meetings are on screen than in person

The Consequences of Virtual Overload

As screen-based work increases, so do distractions. Studies show that employees often multitask during virtual meetings, with some spending at least 30% of their time on email while in a video call. This lack of engagement can lead to decision fatigue, reduced collaboration, and lower overall job satisfaction.

Additionally, Microsoft researchers identified a new work pattern called the “triple-peak day,” where employees experience peak productivity not only before and after lunch but also before bedtime. This blurring of work and personal life can contribute to burnout and stress.

Designing Workspaces for Hybrid Success

To address the challenges of screen-based work, organizations need to rethink their workplace design. Employees are seeking:

  • Privacy for focused work
  • Spaces that support well-being
  • Optimized virtual collaboration rooms
  • More accessible power sources

Organizations are already responding by investing in privacy solutions, technology-enabled collaboration spaces, and acoustic-friendly environments that support both virtual and in-person interactions.

fluffy chair collaboration room

What’s Next?

The shift toward screen-based interactions is just one of the Four Macro Shifts Changing Work. In our next blog, we’ll explore how the nature of collaboration is transforming and what that means for the future of teamwork.

Stay tuned for more insights on how we can design workplaces that not only adapt to these changes but also empower people to work better.