Author: Ingrid Stevenson
Imagine the pandemic is over, the restrictions are lifted. How will the world of work change?
It is evident that the vast majority of office workers have effectively worked from home during the crisis and have experienced the resultant pros and cons of combining work and domestic life.
But “going to work” is not just the means of earning a living. It is the opportunity to meet, interact, communicate and share a common bond with people at work.
OK, Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex etc have provided a more formal visual interaction but do not take the place of the more informal chats of being in the same place at the same time.
Initially, it is without doubt that some people will flood back to the office – because they can – and settle into their old routines. But this is just the reaction to having the liberty to do so.
In the new world of work the reality of the daily grind and cost of the commute to work will result in a desire to split work between home and office ie the best of both worlds.
The bête noire of space sharing will be a thing of the past as the emphasis will be on community space rather than work space and potentially a reduction in the overall space required for the business.
Coupled with the current forecast that the value of commercial space will reduce by up to 30% there is a real opportunity for companies to negotiate / rationalise their rental overheads whilst, at the same time, provide an environment designed for the health and well-being of their staff.
We at Chadwick International with our extensive and relevant experience particularly in the field of Space-Time can make a strategic contribution to your debate on the effective operation and performance of your business in meeting the demands, opportunities and expectations of the “new normal” after the pandemic.